Radiation Safety Training
Annual Refresher Training
Washington State University
Radiation Safety Office
Why have refresher training?
 The annual refresher training is designed to reinforce
important safety information, provide any new
information and to cover areas that have presented
problems in laboratories over the past year.
In each laboratory that is
authorized for radioactive
materials use, you will find
this form (RHF-3) posted.
This form gives the contact
information for the
Washington state Department
of Health. It also list some of
your and some of the
employer's responsibilities.
Good Laboratory Practices
 Remember Time, Distance, Shielding
 Wear Protective Clothing: gloves, lab coat, long pants,






full toed shoes
Designate areas for RAM work
Cover work areas with absorbent paper, absorbent side up
Use a hood if possible
Avoid skin contact with contaminated gloves
Survey: your gloves, hands, coat, shoes, and your work area
Always wash your hands (even when wearing gloves) after
the experiment, as well as before leaving the work area,
picking up the phone, etc.
CONTROLLING EXTERNAL HAZARD
 TIME: Radiation dose is proportional to the
duration of the exposure.
 DISTANCE: Radiation dose is proportional to
1/(Distance)2.
 SHIELDING: Radiation dose is determined by
the type and thickness of shielding materials used.
Correct selection of Shielding Materials
are a function of type and energy of radiation.
Protective Clothing
 Can be a very effective means of preventing skin,
eyes, & clothing from becoming contaminated
 Always wear Gloves (may want double layer)
 Always wear your Lab Coat
 Eyewear to prevent splashes and provide
shielding for high energy beta emitters
 Closed toe footwear and long pants are required
 It is much easier to remove contaminated
clothing than to decontaminate your skin!
Contamination Control
 The major hazard for most radioactive materials on
the WSU campus comes from internalizing the
radioactive material.
 Once the radioactive materials are inside your body,
you lose all the protections from TIME, DISTANCE
AND SHIELDING.
 Contamination Control is the key to preventing
internalization of radioactive materials.
Contamination Control
 Watch out where you put your “hot”




hands during an experiment
Monitor yourself and your work area
frequently for radioactivity (gloves, hands, feet, etc.)
Use most sensitive scale on meter (X0.1 or X1) and
have the sound on
Have meter out and handy
 Make sure to wash your hands frequently and after
finishing an experiment Don’t bring radioactive
material to lunch or to your home!
Monitor your work area before and after an
experiment
Surveys
 After each use of radioactive material : Except H-3, the area
shall be surveyed using an appropriate survey meter (not
required to be documented)
 Including the use of H-3, all areas of experimental use shall
be wipe tested to determine if contamination is present
(not required to be documented)
 Documented surveys (meter and wipe test) must be
completed on either a weekly or monthly basis depending
upon the isotope and frequency of use.
Survey meter use.
Use of Survey Meter review.

Check for Calibration Sticker

Check battery

Check background radiation

Check meter response to a known
radiation source.

Record the check source results and
background readings in the meter notebook.
Radiation Safety Instrumentation.
 Before an instrument is used for a radiation safety
survey. It must be determined that the instrument is
functioning properly and that it is calibrated. This
includes both radiation survey meters and LSCs. By
using the quality assurance notebooks associated with
the instrument. You can determine if the instrument is
functioning properly
and calibrated.
Survey meter Quality Assurance Notebook.
Every survey meter should have a “Survey Meter Quality Assurance Notebook”.
Be sure the cover page of your note book is filled in properly.
Fillin
inprobe
metermodel
manufacturer
Fill
number and
and serial
serial number.
number.
Ludlum 3
111111111
44-9
22222222
Fill in Meter storage location.
Fill in Authorized User or
Equipment
Coordinator’s name and
Fulmer
123
contact phone number and the same for an alternate contact.
Arthur Dent
555-4242
Ford Prefect
555-5883
Survey meter Quality Assurance Notebook.
This is the Response Check Source page in the notebook.
Place the meter probe over the check source to get the
check source reading. Record this reading on the next page
of the notebook.
Survey meter Quality Assurance Notebook.
Ludlum 3
44-9
1111111111
222222222
450
Be
sure
the information
been filled
in on
this page.
The
Expected
responsehas
to check
source,
should
have Meter
been
1/1/11
Dr.
Who
50
450
andfilled
serial
Probe and
serialOffice.
number.
in number.
by the Radiation
Safety
Verify the calibration status of the meter.
Record the background
andyour
the name.
response check reading.
Record thereading
date and
The meter is now ready to be used for the radiation safety
survey.
LSC Quality Assurance notebook.
 Each LSC will have a Quality Assurance
Notebook.
 Be sure to fill in the cover of the notebook.
Supervisory Authorized user or
equipment coordinator. Plus an
alternate and their contact
information.
LSC Quality Assurance notebook.
P/E 2910
1/1/11 Dr. Who
123456
12/27/10
14
Check
to see
whenready
the last
SNCcounting
or IPA was
run.
This is a self
You
are now
to start
your
swipes.
sure
Fill
in program
the
at the
and
top
your
of using
the
name.
page
is filled
in. swipes.
check
ofthe
theinformation
LSC.
It isdate
done
by
counting
the
unquenched
EnterBe
the
number
of
the
you
are
to count
your
Check the calibration
status
of the
LSC.
This
information is in the
is the data
page
inside
notebook.
standards This
that came
with the
LSC.
Thethe
printout
should be in the
back of the notebook. The LSC must have been calibrated within the
back of the notebook. It must have been done within the past 7
past 12 months.
days.
Dodgen
210
6/10/09
Ludlum 3
1234
50
11:35
77777
2
3
4
5
6
meter serialradiation
number.reading.
Record Record
meter background
30
2
4
Sink
3
3
Record
meter used.
Hood
6
locker
4
Record
LSC serial number.
Door knob
0
survey
results.
Floor Record 2your meter
6
5
This lab survey form is available at
http://www.rso.wsu.edu/user radiation survey form.pdf
All meter
are at to
Survey all locations and areas with
thereadings
potential
Swipe
where
radioactive
materials
were
background
levelshands
.used and
become
radioactively
contaminated,
including
and
Fillareas
in
location.
Record
Building
swipe
and
counts.
room
number.
Record
Record
all
the
swipe
swipe
location.
results.
shoes.
Also
any
areas
where
your
meter
survey
showed
that
may
have
become
contaminated.
Record
Record
the
date
the
and
swipe
time
number.
of record
the
survey.
Run areas
the
swipes
in
your
LSC
and
the results.
Record
your
background
counts.
Draw
a
map
of
your
lab.
contamination.
these
locations
your map.
NumberRecord
the swipe
spot
on your on
map.
WAC 246-221-150
Security and control of radioactive
material and radiation machines.
 Licensed radioactive materials and registered radiation
machines shall be secured from, or controlled in such a
manner so as to prevent, unauthorized access or removal
from the place of storage.
Licensed radioactive materials in an unrestricted area
and not in storage shall be tended under the constant
surveillance and immediate control of the licensee.
The authorized user must Maintain security of radioactive
materials or radiation machines under his or her control or
possession.
Security and control
 Radioactive materials must be secured.
Either by locking the lab door when
the lab is unattended or by placing the
radioactive materials in a lock box or in
a locking freezer or refrigerator.
 DO NOT LEAVE RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
UNATTENDED.
Radioactive materials
inventory control.
 WAC 246-220-020
 Records.
 (1) Each licensee or registrant shall maintain records
relating to the receipt, use, storage, transfer, or
disposal of radiation sources,
 In other words, you must maintain an
accurate and up to date inventory of your
radioactive materials.
Radioactive Material Use Log
Dr Who
Authorized User:_______________
Fulmer 123
Location:__________________________
1-56
Stock Vial ID:__________________
P-32
Radioisotope_______________
Perkin Elmer
Vendor:___________________________
ATP
Chemical Form______________________
0.5 mCi
Activity___________________
11/18/10 /rm
Date Rec’d/Initials__________
11/21/10
Activity/Reference Date_______________
None
Storage Requirement________________
Date Used
Activity Withdrawn Activity Remaining
(mCi)
(mCi)
User’s
Initials
Comments
all placed in
waste
Waste Pick-up
Date
0.10
0.40
RM
12/3/10
0.10
0.30
SP
All placed in
waste
12/18/10
12/20/10
0.30
0.0
RM
All placed in
waste
1/15/11
11/25/10
12/18/10
You
Enter
Each
must
the
time
keep
activity
someone
anEnter
remaining
accurate
extracts
inventory
infrom
the
vial.
the
of
vial.
The
your
They
original
radioactive
should
amount
make
materials.
minus
an
entry
the
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stock
vial
ID,
ifthe
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Authorized
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use
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user
Otherwise
and
form.
location.
use
the
activity
date.
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the
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received
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any
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activity
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and
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special
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is
initials
the
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your
removed
storage
Isotope.
extraction
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initials.
up.
name.
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requirements.
Enter
from
date.
person
was
the
the
done.
receiving
vial.
waste
pick
the
up
vial.
date.
Thisuse
should
be done
Enter
each
Enter
any
time
comments
the
activity
a the
withdrawal
you
of the
would
is
vial.
made
like.
from
the vial. Until
log such
as this
can
amount
help
on
you
removed.
form.
keep
track
of
your
inventory.
the vial is depleted.
To calculate for waste disposal: Volume used x initial specific activity x decay fraction.
Inventory control
Waste
 A large part of inventory control is proper waste
tracking and reporting. The use log is very important
for proper waste reporting.
Waste Program

You must fill out the waste receipt form completely and
correctly, before your waste will be picked up. Be sure to
report the isotope and activity from your use log.
Filling out the waste receipt form.
Dr. Who
6/9/09
Fulmer 123
Chemistry
P-32
Water
NaCl
95%
5%
.005
7
X
Circle your waste type. Definitions of the
Enter
the
chemical
with
percentages,
of
abbreviations
can
be
found
the
back
ofwaste
the
Enter
For
Enter
liquid
the
Fill
amount
the
Fill
waste,
in
nuclide
in
your
your
of
enter
department.
location.
that
the
ison
pH
that
in
the
ofisthe
in
waste.
the
liquid.
Mark
Fill
the
in
size
the
Fill
ofmakeup,
Authorized
your
inactivity
the
waste
date.
users
container.
name.
the waste. The percentages
should equal 100%.
waste form.
The Back of the waste receipt form.
Waste pickup.
 When you are ready to have your waste picked up,
waste pick up form filled out and the outside of
container checked for contamination, fill out a waste
pick up request at our web site.
http://www.rso.wsu.edu/radwastepickup.htm
More resources.
 More information is available at our web site.
http://www.rso.wsu.edu/
 And please feel free to review any of the training
modules @
http://www.rso.wsu.edu/training/training.html
any time.
Test Time!
 Follow this link to the test.
https://myresearch.wsu.edu
 Use your WSU user name and password to sign in.
 Click on the training tab.
 Then click on the available training tab
 Find the radiation refresher course, in the OR section,
click on it and take the test.