University of Alaska Fairbanks September 2013 Training Contents UAF Radiation Safety Requirements Authorized and Supervised Users Requirements for labs Badges Ordering and receiving isotopes ID: 930872
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Slide1
Radiation Safety Training: Procedures
University of Alaska Fairbanks
September 2013
Slide2Training Contents
UAF
Radiation Safety RequirementsAuthorized and Supervised Users
Requirements for labs
Badges
Ordering and receiving isotopes
Recordkeeping
Wipe tests and surveys
Security
Radioactive waste disposal
Emergency
procedures—spill response
Slide3UAF RADIATION SAFETY PROGRAM
CLASSES OF USERS
Authorized User (AU):
is
primarily
responsible for the
authorized
use,
supervision,
and training of their laboratory
personnel
.
This is typically a Principal Investigator.
Supervised User (SU):
is
a staff member or student of at least 18
years
of age and
is supervised by the AU.
Slide4UAF Radiation Safety Requirements
UAF laboratories where radioactive materials are used must have:
A
radioisotope use notebook for records
. This is known as “
The Redbook
” and is often in a red binder for easy recognition.
Notebook
must contain a UAF
Authorized User application and any Supervised User applications.
Impervious
counter tops.
Absorbent
paper
should be used
in radioisotope work areas.
Slide5UAF Radiation Safety Requirements (cont).
UAF laboratories where radioactive materials are used must have:
Caution Radioactive Materials labels or tape on containers, pipettes, and equipment used for radioisotopes.
Dedicated lab coat(s), safety glasses, and disposable gloves.
Slide6UAF Radiation Safety Requirements (cont.)
UAF laboratories where radioactive materials are used must have:
A secure location to store radioactive materials. This can be a locked room or a locked refrigerator.
Access to a calibrated scintillation counter and Geiger counter (if appropriate) for conducting wipe tests and surveys.
Note: It is the User’s responsibility to pay for any annual calibration fees for their survey instrument(s).
Slide7UAF Radiation Safety Requirements (cont.)
Transfer of radioactive material from one user to another is
prohibited
without prior approval from UAF Radiation Safety Officer (RSO).
Slide8UAF Radiation Safety Requirements (cont.)
Monitoring badges
are issued to users of gamma or high-energy beta emitters such as
32
P or
125
I (except for RIA kits)
are required to be worn when working with radioactive material or when in a lab where radioactive material is used.
must be worn unshielded on the breast pocket or collar of the lab coat.
users of TLD finger rings must wear them facing the palm of their dominant hand, and under the glove.
TLD finger rings are issued when beta or gamma emitters with
energies >150
keV
are used
Slide9UAF Radiation Safety Requirements (cont.)
Fume hoods are
required when your lab uses
tritium
(
3
H),
35
S,
131
I, or
125
I
stocks (undiluted)
.
The
face
velocity must
average
100 feet
per minute with the sash at a reasonable working height.
If
your fume hood is not working, stop work
immediately. Close the sash
and contact
EHSRM
(
x6771 or x5197).
Slide10Ordering and receiving radioisotopes
Ordering isotopes:
Notify RSO of your intent to order radioisotopes and provide the name of the isotope and the activity—BEFORE you order.
When a package arrives:
Visually inspect the package for damage. If it is
damaged
, notify the RSO immediately and attempt to notify the driver of the truck who delivered it.
If it is not damaged, wipe test the outside of the box to verify that it is not contaminated. Write survey results or affix LSC wipe results to a
Radioactive Materials Shipment Receipt Record
form, and keep in the Redbook.
Slide11Radioactive Materials Shipment Receipt Record Example
Radioactive Materials Shipment Receipt Records
NOTE: if packaged is damaged, STOP, and immediately contact the RSO at 474-6771. Date received: ___________________ Vendor: ______________________Radioactive isotope: ______________ Activity: ______________________
Wipe test results: Blank: ___________ cpm Wipe of box: _______________
cpm
Comments: _______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Name of person doing survey: _________________________________________________
Signature: _______________________________________
Slide12Using radioisotopes—recordkeeping
When a new vial of isotope arrives:
Enter the isotope information on the Summary of Radioactive Materials Received
form in the Redbook.Create a
Radioactive Materials Transaction Form
for each vial of isotope that you receive. These are in the Redbook.
Using isotopes:
EVERY use of radioactive material must be documented on the
Transaction Form
.
For each use, enter the date, the transaction, the quantity (in µCi) used, the method of disposal, and any remarks.
When material is used up, write “GONE” and the date at the bottom of the form.
Slide13Wipe test/survey requirements
32
P, 125
I:
After each work session
, survey
the area and equipment where radioisotope work was conducted with a survey
meter. Record results on a survey/wipe test form and keep in Redbook.
When vial of RAM has been completely used,
perform wipe test of areas where RAM was used. Count on LSC and record results on a survey/wipe test form and keep in Redbook.
Slide14Wipe test/survey requirements (cont).
3
H, 14
C, 35
S:
Wipe test
the area and equipment where radioisotope work was
conducted as follows:
Routine use (3-5 days/week, for several months):
monthly
Periodic use (1-5 days per week for 1-2 weeks):
at end of experiments for that time period
New users (regardless of time frame):
Daily until satisfied that you are able to work without contaminating the area.
Slide15Performing a wipe test
Prepare a background wipe by wetting a piece of filter paper (
Whatman #1 works fine) with tap water and placing in a scintillation vial.
For test areas, use a damp pieces of filter paper to wipe the areas of interest.
Wipe
an area of approximately 100cm
2
(about
the size of a U.S. dollar bill
) in each area that is to be surveyed.
It is ideal to use a template to accurately measure the area and record this value on the survey form.
Add scintillation cocktail to each sample. Make sure the filter papers are completely covered with cocktail.
Slide16Performing a wipe test (cont).
Count
the samples in a liquid scintillation counter. Use channels for the isotope(s) that you are using plus a “wide” channel (counts all energies).
Record results on lab survey form and attach printout from scintillation counter.
Determine level of contamination, if any:
If any wipe exceeds 2x the counts observed for the background wipe, the area is considered “contaminated”.
Wash area with soap/water or solution of Count-Off or
Radiac
and take another wipe test.
Repeat until the area is clean. If you are unable to get the area clean, contact the RSO.
Slide17UAF Radiation Safety Requirements (cont.)
Security of Inventory
AUs and SUs shall provide security adequate to prevent
the unauthorized removal of any radioactive material that is under their control.
All
radioisotope stock vials must be secured
(locked storage cabinet or locked laboratory) when
not in
the direct line of sight of the AU or SU.
Control access to laboratories
.
Close and lock all entry doors when laboratory is unattended.
Slide18UAF Radiation Safety Requirements (cont.)
Maintain an inventory of all radioactive materials.
Conduct a visual check of stock vials during your weekly wipe test of radioisotope storage boxes. Mark the check box on (or add a note) the weekly lab survey sheet that inventory was checked. This sheet must be maintained in your radioisotope notebook. Report any missing inventory to the UAF Radiation Safety Officer immediately.
Know who is in your laboratory.
Persons without appropriate justification for being in a lab should be asked to leave. Report concerns to proper authorities.
Slide19Radioactive Waste Disposal
There are three
general categories of radioactive waste:
Dry solid
radioisotope waste
includes paper, gloves,
pipet
tips, empty
microfuge
tubes, filters, small pieces of animal tissue, etc.
No scintillation vials are allowed in dry solid waste containers.
Liquid
radioisotope waste includes any liquid containing radioisotopes EXCEPT for scintillation cocktail.
This must not contain other hazmat
(e.g., ethanol
,
butanol
)!
Consult the RSO
prior to beginning work
if you need to generate such mixed waste.
Scintillation (LSC) vials
and
a
nimal
carcasses
must have a specific activity of <0.05
µCi/gram. Use of scintillation cocktails containing
xylene
, toluene, or other flammable solvents is
NOT
permitted without
prior written permission from the RSO
.
Slide20Radioactive Waste Disposal (cont).
Wastes must also be
segregated into separate waste containers based on half-life:
Short-lived isotopes with T
1/2
< 90 days (
32
P,
35
S,
125
I)
These must be in their own containers unless the isotopes are used together in the work.
Long-lived isotopes (
3
H,
14
C)
These may
be placed together in a single waste container.
Details for specific types of radioactive waste are summarized in the
RedBook
(“Waste Sorting and Packaging Instructions”).
Slide21Radioactive Waste Disposal (cont).
Wastes must be transferred to the RSO and documented on the Waste Transfer Form for Wastes Containing Radioactive Materials (found in
RedBook
).
Each type of waste (solid, liquid, or scintillation vial) must have its own Waste Transfer Form.
Make a copy of the completed waste transfer form and keep in
RedBook
for documentation of waste disposal.
The original must be attached to the bag(s) or box(
es
) of waste.
Slide22Emergency Procedures
Major spills:
Radioactive spills involving >50 µCi of activity and/or a survey meter reading of >5 mR/h at 1 foot.
Notify others in the room of the spill and evacuate the area. Contain spill if possible and remove contaminated clothing and PPE. CONTACT RSO IMMEDIATELY FOR ASSISTANCE
Minor Spills
:
Radioactive
spills involving
<50µCi
of activity and/or a survey meter reading of
<5
mR
/hr at a distance of one foot.
Minor spills require RSO notification as soon as
possible, but may be cleaned up by user(s) if they are capable of doing so.
Slide23Emergency Procedures (cont.)
Clean up of minor spills
:
NOTIFY persons
in the lab that a spill has
occurred
.
PREVENT
THE
SPREAD
.
Cover the spill with absorbent paper.
REPORT
incident
to
the RSO or to EHSRM. Utilize
the “Radiation Emergencies” contact list on the lab
door if necessary.
Slide24Emergency Procedures (cont.)
CLEAN UP SPILL
Wear
disposable gloves, lab coat, and safety glasses.Use absorbent paper to wipe up the spill.
To
localize the contamination, wipe inward toward
the
center
of
the spill. Do not wipe back and
forth
or in a random
fashion
.
Place absorbent paper in
a
labeled plastic
bag
.
Wash the area with soap and water, or use Count Off or
Radiac
. Place any paper towels used in the spill waste bag.
When lab is clean, place
all other contaminated materials
such
as
disposable gloves in the spill waste bag.
Complete a Waste Transfer Form for the spill waste and contact the RSO for pickup.
Slide25Emergency Procedures (cont.)
SURVEY THE AREA
If applicable, use a survey meter to check the area around the spill, and your hands and clothing for
contamination (32P,
125
I).
In all cases, a
swipe survey must be performed to demonstrate that
contamination levels
are below the limit of 200
cpm
(open window).
If levels are >200
cpm
, clean again and retest the area. Repeat until contamination levels are <200
cpm
.
Retain
all survey and wipe results in
the Redbook.
Slide26Thank you!