EHLS Radiation Safety RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL USER Contact Numbers - PDF document

EHLS Radiation Safety RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL USER Contact Numbers SAFETY TRAINING • EHLS Main Line (713) 743‐5858 University of Houston • Radiation Safety Officer (713) 743‐5867 Radiation Safety (RSO) 713‐743‐5858 www.uh.edu/ehls • Assistant RSO (713) 743‐5870 • Safety Specialist (713) 743‐5860 ONLINE HANDOUTS: www.uh.edu/ehls/train/course‐info/eh21 WHY ARE YOU HERE? TRAINING TOPICS 1. Regulations & UH Program 2. Radiation Basics 1. COMPLIANCE – State of Texas 3. Radiation Protection regulations 4. Working in Radiation Labs 2. SAFETY – To keep yourself and others 5. Radioactive Waste safe 6. Procurement & Inventory 7. Incidents & Spills 3. KNOWLEDGE – Ignorance leads to 8. TEST! unsafe work practices 1

REGULATORY AGENCIES RADIATION REGULATIONS & UH PROGRAM • Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) (Agreement State) • Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) • Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) • Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) • Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) • Food and Drug Administration (FDA) UH RADIATION SAFETY UH RADIATION SAFETY MANUAL VP of Research & Technology Transfer – The functional authority over the Required reading for all RAM Principal Radiation Safety Committee responsible for overall University RAM license Investigators and users. compliance. Describes the Radiation Safety Program Radiation Safety Committee (RSC) – Committee of faculty members who approve at the University of Houston. RAM facilities and usage, review the radiation safety program, support the RSO, enforce program non‐compliance. Assists personnel, students, and management to understand and comply with Texas State radiation regulations. Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) and Staff – EHLS Radiation Safety professionals who perform lab audits, surveys, incident investigations, and provide PI technical Not a fully comprehensive reference. support. Consult the Radiation Safety Officer for further advice. Principal Investigator (PI) – Faculty member with a radioactive material sublicense responsible for lab compliance, AU safety and instruction. www.uh.edu/ehs/manuals_and_forms/ Authorized User (AU) – Trained researcher, student, etc. working in a radiation lab. 2

TRAINING REQUIREMENTS PI RESPONSIBILITIES • All PIs and AUs of radioactive material • Enforce laboratory safety requirements. MUST attend and pass the UH classroom course EH21 Radioactive Material Safety. • Inform laboratory personnel of potential radiation hazards • Adopt and post written safety guidelines (SOPs) in the • Test ‐ Requires at least 70% to pass. laboratory, as necessary. • Completion is not enough to become an Authorized User and start radiation • Ensure laboratory personnel complete required training. work. You must be specifically added by your Principal Investigator to the • Provide for personnel radiation monitoring including radiation RAM Sublicense! badges, bioassays, and survey instrumentation. • Refresher Trainings – Required annually for all PIs and AUs for radioactive • Maintain accurate radioactive material inventory including material. Course is available online at www.uh.edu/ehls/training/eh21w/. receipt, transfer, usage, storage, and disposal. • Providing necessary personnel protective equipment (PPE). NOTICE: The online UH General Lab Safety course (EH06) is also a requirement for ALL lab workers at UH! http://www.uh.edu/ehls/training/eh06/ PI RESPONSIBILITIES AU RESPONSIBILITIES • Work safely with radioactive • Ensure laboratory surveys and wipe tests are performed, if material at the location you are approved for required. • Ensure radwaste is properly stored, pickup requested timely • Comply with all radiation • Provide prompt notification to EHLS Radiation Safety for: regulations, and follow radioactive – Spills, incidents, or accidents material SOPs. – Missing radioactive materials (RAM) • Wear and appropriately store radiation badges, if assigned. – Authorized User additions, deletions, or transfers – Lab location additions or deletions • Complete RAM safety refresher training annually. – Radionuclide additions or activity changes • Report any unusual events to your PI and/or EHLS – RAM procedure changes immediately. 3

RAM PERMIT PROCESS RAM PERMIT PROCESS • Anyone not trained AND listed on the RAM Sublicense PI notifies RSO of PI completes PI submits intent to use application for RAM application to RSC permit MUST NOT be allowed to work with radioactive material Sublicense (via RSO) radioactive materials for any reason! • The information provided on the application will enable EHLS Radiation Safety to determine necessary Procurement/ Interim or final RSC PI facilities/labs Receipt of RAM safety measures and assist the PI in implementation. approval obtained setup for RAM use permitted • EHLS Radiation Safety personnel will perform a compliance inspection prior to allowing radioactive • All radioactive material use at the UH must be approved by the RSO and material procurement/use. authorized by the RSC. • Sublicense application must include all radionuclides, user names, locations and use procedures. RAM PERMIT PROCESS RADIATION BASICS •Add/delete a new RAM use lab Location Changes A •Move RAM use to different lab M E •Add a new Authorized User User Changes N •Delete an Authorized User D •Add/delete a nuclide M Nuclide Changes •Change nuclide possession activity E N •Implement a new experiment T Procedure Changes process for the RAM • Authorized PIs making changes to their RAM Sublicense must submit a Sublicense Amendment Form for review by the RSO. • The Radiation Safety Officer submits all amendments to the Radiation Safety Committee for approval. 4

RADIATION IS EVERYWHERE! HUMAN‐PRODUCED SOURCES Common Natural Sources: ‐ Cosmic (outer space) ‐ Industrial & medical x‐rays ‐ Ground (floors) ‐ Nuclear medicine & cancer ‐ Food & Drink therapy ‐ Consumer products BACKGROUND RADIATION Doses from Medical Procedures Exposure Dose (mrem) NATURAL SOURCES ~ 310 mrem X‐ray (Pelvis) 70 Radon ~ 200 mrem X‐ray (Abdomen) 60 Cosmic ray ~ 35 mrem Chest x‐ray 10 Rocks and Soil ~ 40 mrem Total Background Dental x‐ray 1.5 Food and drink ~ 35 mrem Radiation Hand/Foot x‐ray 0.5 625 mrem/year Mamogram (2 views) 72 MAN‐MADE SOURCES ~ 315 mrem Nuclear Medicine 400 CT Medical ~ 300 mrem Consumer products ~ 13 mrem Full Body 1,000 Research ~ 2 mrem Chest 700 Head 200 Source: US Nuclear Regulatory Commission 5

Source: US Nuclear Regulatory Commission Source: US Nuclear Regulatory Commission HISTORY HISTORY • November 8, 1895: X‐rays • March 1896 ‐ Natural discovered by Wilhelm “radioactivity” discovered Roentgen by Henri Becquerel • “Unknown Agent” generated by a Crooke’s Tube • Certain natural materials • January, 1896: First (uranium, thorium, etc.) diagnostic x‐ray spontaneously emit radiation • Extensive use of x‐rays leads to first x‐ray injuries 6

HISTORY PHYSICS PRINCIPLES • 1898 ‐ Polonium and radium • Atomic Structure discovered by Pierre and • Characteristics of Radiation Marie Curie in pitchblende • Alpha Radiation • The Curies isolate 0.1 g of • Beta Radiation radium • Gamma Radiation • X‐rays • The word “radioactivity” coined by Marie Curie ATOMIC STRUCTURE RADIATION TERMS • Radioactivity = The process by which unstable • An electron has a negative charge and a atoms spontaneously transform into different very small mass atoms to become more stable • A proton has a positive • Radiation = Energy charge and a large mass emitted through space from a source • A neutron has no charge in particle or wave and a large mass form 7

Forms of RADIATION TYPES OF RADIATION IONIZING RADIATION = Radiation that interacts with matter to form ions. Types: x‐rays, gamma radiation, alpha & beta particles, neutrons, protons NON‐IONIZING RADIATION = Radiation that does not form ions when interacting with matter. Types: microwaves, heat, light (lasers), UV, IR There are also ionizing particles: alpha, beta, neutron, proton ALPHA (  ) DECAY Matter gives of energy in two basic physical •  particles are two protons + two forms neutrons •  particles have a short range in • Electromagnetic radiation: Pure energy, no air • Most  particles cannot reach weight basal epithelium, blocked by sheet – e.g. x‐ray, radar, radio waves, cosmic radiation, etc. of paper • Particulate radiation‐ tiny fast‐moving particles •  emitters are only an internal hazard that have both energy and mass (weight). – e.g. alpha particles, beta particles, neutrons, etc. Ra‐226, Rn‐222, Po‐210, Am‐241 8