Radiation Safety Refresher Training Course

1
Radiation Safety Refresher Training Course

• Welcome to our web-based course for radiation
  safety refresher training. Completing this course
  will fulfill your requirement for this year's
  instruction. After completing the first six parts
  of the course, which are common to all radiation
  source users, you will continue with material
  oriented for either for radioactive material
  users (5 parts) or radiation-producing device
  users (4 parts). Upon finishing either section,
  you'll arrive at a hub of icons leading to the
  following informational sections Radioactive
  Materials, Radiation Producing Devices,
  Iodination Procedures, and Animal Use. The end of
  each section will bring you back to the same hub
  so that you can read all of the sections that
  apply to you. Self-testing questions are posed
  throughout the course for you to check your
  comprehension of the material. If you do not
  understand any information provided, please
  direct your questions to the Radiation Safety
  Office for clarification.
• When you have read all the sections relevant to
  your work, you must fax the completed
  registration form to attain credit for completing
  the refresher training. Opportunities are
  provided throughout the course to ask questions,
  offer comments, or visit other related sites.  If
  you choose not to complete the web-based
  training, contact the Radiation Safety Officer,
  Dramane Konate 775-2169, to schedule a refresher
  lecture.

2
Radiation Safety Program Administration(Section
1)

• The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) regulates
  radioactive materials and radiation producing
  devices in Ohio. The Ohio Bureau of Radiation
  Protection (OBRP) is the ODH section that carries
  out this regulatory function. Inspectors from
  OBRP visit the university periodically to ensure
  that use of radioactive materials and
  radiation-producing devices (RPDs) conform to
  Ohio rules (370101-38 and 370101- 66) and the
  university license. University policies (i.e.,
  the Radiation Safety Manual) are established by
  the Radiation Safety Committee and enforced by
  the Radiation Safety Officer. 
• Users are responsible for complying with Ohio
  rules and university policies. Application of
  these rules, procedures and common sense form the
  foundation for the safety of each individual.
  Should you observe any situation or occurrence
  that in any way violates the objectives of the
  Radiation Safety Program or general safety, you
  must immediately bring it to the attention of
  your laboratory supervisor or the Radiation
  Safety Officer.  The Ohio Notice to Employees
  posted in each lab promotes laboratory safety.
• Failure to follow safety regulations and the
  provisions of the manual can jeopardize the
  authority of the university to use radioactive
  materials and radiation-producing devices and
  could result in considerable negative impact on
  teaching and research programs, including the
  possible loss of funding. Violators of these
  regulations are therefore subject to penalties
  such as suspension or withdrawal of user status
  by the Radiation Safety Committee. In addition,
  users should be aware that careless or willful
  violation of Radiation Safety regulations may
  subject the perpetrator to civil or criminal
  prosecution.

3
Radiation Safety Manual(Section 2)

• Authorized and Faculty Users are provided copies
  of the Radiation Safety Manual for use by
  personnel in their laboratories or facilities.
  The manual provides administrative and
  operational procedures for safely using
  radioactive materials and radiation-producing
  devices at the university. Adherence to the
  manual's specifications ensures compliance with
  applicable Ohio rules.
• The Radiation Safety Manual is also available at
  the Radiation Safety Office web
  sitehttp//www.wright.edu/admin/ehs/RadOffice/ra
  dmanual.pdf .
• You can easily find information in the manual by
  using the Table of Contents to note the page
  number of the information you're seeking and
  moving the side bar to that page. The formatting
  of the hard copy and web manuals slightly differ,
  but the content is the same. You are invited to
  bookmark the Radiation Safety Office web site and
  the Radiation Safety Manual for future reference.

4
ALARA Action Levels and Dose Limits(Section 3)

• Any situation where a person receives a radiation
  dose that exceeds an ODH dose limit (see Table
  below) subjects WSU to a violation of ODH rules
  and possible administrative penalties. The WSU
  action levels are used to identify elevated
  personal doses for implementing administrative
  corrective actions. ALARA (an acronym that stands
  for As Low As Reasonably Achievable) represents
  the philosophy of keeping personal radiation
  doses as low as possible, while making use of
  radioactivity and RPDs as valuable research
  tools. 
• Users of radioactive materials and RPDs should
  try to keep their radiation doses ALARA. By
  reducing personal exposure time, maximizing the
  distance from radiation sources, using
  appropriate shielding, and controlling
  contamination, researchers should receive
  negligible radiation doses. For comparison, each
  person's exposure to background radiation
  exposure in the Miami Valley is about 0.3 rem per
  year.
•  
• The ODH dose limit to members of the general
  public is 0.1 rem per year.

5
Radiation Dose Monitoring(Section 4)

• Dosimeters are used to monitor the external dose
  of persons exposed to high energy X, gamma, or
  beta radiation. They may be obtained through the
  Radiation Safety Office  by completing a
  dosimetry issuance card. The dosimeters are
  issued quarterly, with the cycles closing at the
  end of March, June, September, December.  Please
  make them available for pickup by Radiation
  Safety Office personnel. Persons who use only 3H,
  14C, 35S, or small amounts of 125I are not issued
  dosimetry because the dosimeters don't
  effectively measure low energy beta or gamma
  radiation.
• You should wear your dosimeter any time you may
  be exposed to radiation sources at WSU. The two
  types of personal dosimeters used here are
• OSLDs. Optically-stimulated luminescent
  dosimeters (OSLDs) monitor your whole body dose,
  eye dose, and skin dose. They are worn on the
  front of the body between the collar and the
  waist with the label facing outward. The OSLD
  consists of a crystal that emits light when
  stimulated by a laser or diode light beam. The
  amount of light emitted is proportional to the
  person's radiation dose.
• Finger rings. Finger rings are used when hands
  can be placed in or near intense radiation
  sources. They are worn on the hand predominantly
  exposed to radiation and under any protective
  gloves worn by the user. The label must face
  toward the radiation source to provide meaningful
  information.
• Report to the Radiation Safety Office when a
  dosimeter has been lost and cannot be found, or
  if you suspect that your dosimeter has been
  tampered with or exposed to electrical shock,
  caustic chemicals, or excessive heat. Do not wear
  your dosimeter when exposed to radiation for
  medical or dental purposes.
• You may request to review your dosimetry
  information any time. Each person issued a
  dosimeter will receive a copy of their results
  each year.

6
Radiation Biological Effects (Section 5)

• Ionizing radiation at very large doses is known
  to increase the incidence of cancer and birth
  anomalies. At low levels (less than 10 rem),
  these effects are either very small compared to
  the natural incidence or nonexistent, depending
  on the biological model used for estimating the
  potential risk. Regulatory agencies assume that
  radiation effects observed in people exposed to
  very high doses can be linearly extrapolated to
  background levels. This model is called the
  "linear no-threshold theory" because the modeled
  effects are linear with dose and no threshold is
  assumed. The linear model most likely
  over-estimates harmful biological effects because
  it does not account for the body's ability to
  repair damage.
• Appendix C (Biological Effects of Ionizing
  Radiation) of the Radiation Safety Manual
  synopsizes the range of biological effects,
  including more information on background
  radiation, low dose effects, genetic and prenatal
  effects, and effects from very large doses.
• Background Radiation DosesPeople living in the
  Miami Valley area receive about 300 mrem per year
  from natural radiation sources in the
  environment, such as
• Cosmic Rays
  30 mremUranium, thorium,
  radium in the soil 30
  mrem Radon
  200 mrem
  Isotopes in the body (such as 40K, 210Po, 14C,
  3H) 40 mrem
• Most of the sources that contribute to background
  radiation dose to the US population vary
  considerably by location. This dose per annum
  ranges from about 100 mrem to about 1000 mrem.
  Other sources of radiation dose (per year)
  include
• Medical and dental diagnostic exams
  55 mremConsumer Products (TV sets,
  smoke detectors, etc.) 10 mremSmoking (lung
  dose, tobacco contains 210Po) 8000
  mrem

7
Radiation Detection Equipment(Section 6)

• Survey meters are used for to monitoring for
  contamination of personnel and work areas
  whenever high energy beta and gamma emitters are
  used. The effectiveness of most instruments for
  detecting beta contamination varies considerably.
  For example
• You should ensure the survey meter operates
  properly before you use it by
• Checking the battery. If it is low, replace the
  batteries or contact the RSO.
• Checking the calibration to be sure the
  instrument has been calibrated within the past 12
  months.
• Checking the meter's response to a check source
  on the side of the instrument.
• Do not use a survey meter that is not working
  properly or is out of calibration.

8
Contamination Surveys(Section 7)

• Surveys for contamination demonstrate that no
  contamination is present or identify contaminated
  surfaces so that they can be cleaned before
  contamination spreads. The Radiation Office will
  perform contamination surveys when requested by
  the user. Surveys for removable contamination
  (swipe or wipe surveys) are performed according
  to usage.
• Work areas and equipment should be kept free of
  contamination as practical. The action level for
  decontamination for beta and gamma emitters is
  200 dpm / 100cm² or 3 times background.

9
Personal Protection(Section 8)

• Wear standard laboratory protective clothing when
  handling unsealed radioactive materials . A lab
  coat and gloves will help prevent your hands or
  your clothes from inadvertent contamination.
  Safety glasses should be worn if you are handling
  dispersible or volatile chemicals.
• Do not eat, drink, smoke, chew gum, or apply
  cosmetics in areas where radioactive materials
  are handled.
• Monitor the work area and gloves regularly to
  identify contamination and prevent its spread.
• Minimize the time of your exposure. Practice new
  procedures without radioactivity first. Don't
  rush. Rushing through procedures can lead to
  spills and may actually\ increase your dose.
• Maximize your distance from the source.
• Use shielding. Lead works well to shield gamma
  ray emitters. Plastic  is effective shielding
  material for phosphorus-32, as well as other high
  energy beta emitters.
• Procedures that produce contaminated aerosols,
  dusts, or gases shall be conducted in an approved
  fume hood.

10
Control of Radioactivity (Section 9)

• Purchasing Radioactive Materials. A coordinated
  process of ordering and receiving radioactive
  materials provides the initial step for
  controlling these materials at the university.
  The materials may be ordered by purchase orders
  or credit cards. The order requires approval from
  the Authorized User and the Radiation Safety
  Office to ensure the Authorized User is permitted
  to have the material and that possession limits
  are not exceeded. The information needed for
  approval is (a) the Authorized User, (b) isotope,
  (c) activity, and (d) chemical composition.
  Approval from the Radiation Safety Office can be
  obtained by email to the RSO and Radiation Safety
  Technician or by a phone call to either.
• Security. In this era of potential terrorism,
  security of laboratory spaces and radioactivity
  is essential. Loss or theft of radioactive
  material can result in a violation of the ODH
  license, personal injury, and/or negative
  publicity. Radioactivity must be secured against
  tampering, loss, unauthorized removal, and theft.
  Lock the room where materials are used or stored
  whenever responsible lab personnel are not
  present. Radioactive materials and waste secured
  in a locked container achieve this requirement
  when the above measures cannot be met.
• Radiation Warning Signs and Labels  Radiation
  signs heighten the awareness of persons who may
  enter the lab.  Labels identify areas and
  equipment that may be contaminated and provide a
  reminder for lab personnel, students, custodians,
  and maintenance workers to exercise caution. 
  Labeled equipment may not be removed from a
  restricted area to an unrestricted area for any
  purpose (including repair, maintenance, disposal,
  or resale) until radiation safety personnel
  verify the item is free of contamination and
  removes the radiation warning labels. The
  surveyor affixes a certificate to the equipment
  that shows the equipment has been cleared.

11
Spill Response(Section 10)

• A spill is an uncontrolled release of radioactive
  material. The procedures for responding to a
  spill of radioactive materials are
• Warn other persons in the area that a spill has
  occurred. Restrict uninvolved persons from
  entering the area.
• Prevent the spread of contamination by covering
  the spill with absorbent paper or establishing a
  boundary to the spill site
• Wearing protective clothing, clean up the spill
  with absorbent paper, soap and water, or a
  commercial decontamination agent. Place
  contaminated materials in radioactive trash.
• Survey the area. Check hands, clothing, and shoes
  of potentially-contaminated persons.
• Report the spill to the Authorized User and RSO.
  See the cover page of the Radiation Safety Manual
  for emergency contact phone numbers.
• Continue decontamination, if indicated.
• If the spill involves more than a millicurie of
  radioactive material, it would be prudent to
  vacate the lab and immediately contact the RSO.

12
Radioactive Material Usage and Waste(Section 11)

• Inventory Cards. The Radiation Safety Office
  provides a yellow Inventory Card with each stock
  vial of radioactivity for you to track the
  material's usage and disposal. To the right is an
  example of a completed card.  Radiation Safety
  Office personnel review these cards during audits
  to update the computer inventory system. 
• Waste Handling and Labeling. Handling and
  security of radioactive waste entails the same
  precautions as other radioactive materials. The
  waste must be properly contained to prevent
  spills or breakage. Identify the waste type and
  contents with labels for solid, liquid,
  scintillation vial, or animal waste supplied by
  the Radiation Safety Office.  
• Solid Waste. The Radiation Safety Office picks up
  all solid waste. Please use heavy duty plastic
  bags for unbreakable waste or cardboard boxes for
  glass and other breakable materials. Dispose of
  sharp objects in appropriate containers to
  prevent needle sticks and finger cuts.  Do not
  commingle short-lived isotopes, like 32P with
  long-lived isotopes, like 3H or 14C.

13

• Short-Lived Solid Waste.  With consideration for
  ALARA, please remove labels from waste items
  before discarding them into the radioactive waste
  container.  Radiation safety personnel rummages
  through the waste after it has decayed and
  removes or obliterates radiation labels.  As you
  can imagine, this task can be disgusting, or even
  hazardous if we come across unprotected sharp
  objects.  We appreciate your effort in making our
  job easier.  And remember, the outside of the
  waste container must still be properly labeled.
• Liquid Waste. Investigators are encouraged to
  turn in radioactive liquids to the Radiation
  Safety Office for disposal in an effort to
  minimize the radioactivity discharged to the
  sanitary sewer. Section 2.24.5 of the Radiation
  Safety Manual addresses disposal of liquid
  radioactive waste requirements.
• Scintillation Vial Waste. Scintillation vials
  should be stored upright to prevent leakage of
  the fluid. Storage boxes are available from the
  Radiation Safety Office. The university has
  received approval to dispose of most
  biodegradable scintillation cocktails into the
  sanitary sewer on the main campus. We are limited
  to 1 liter per day. Users are encouraged to
  submit the scintillation vials to the Radiation
  Safety Office for disposal, unless other
  arrangements are with the RSO.

14
RPD Personal Protection(Section 6)

• Minimize the time of your exposure. Your dose (D)
  equals the dose rate (DR) times the time (t) of
  exposure. By reducing your time of exposure, you
  reduce your dose.
• D (mRem) DR (mRem/hr) t (time)
• Maximize your distance from the source. Radiation
  from a point source decreases by an inverse
  square relationship. If you double your distance
  from the source, your dose rate is reduced by
  1/4.  In the equation below, DR1 dose rate at
  distance X1 from a source, DR2 dose rate at
  distance X2 from a source.
• DR1 X12 DR2 X22
• Use shielding. High density material (e.g., lead)
  effectively shields X rays. The thickness of
  shielding needed to attenuate the x-ray beam is
  highly dependent on the density of the shielding
  material and the energy of the radiation. High
  energy x-rays require more shielding material
  than low energy x-rays.

15

• Immediately turn off any RPD if an unsafe
  condition arises, such as smoke or fire,
  accidental personal exposure, or flooding. Inform
  the Facility Coordinator.
• Never expose any body part in or near the primary
  beam
• Never disengage a safety interlock or warning
  device or operate a unit if one of these systems
  malfunctions. Note Repair or maintenance of
  some RPDs may require temporary disabling of
  interlock systems. Such a condition can present a
  hazardous situation hence, heightened safety
  precautions are imperative. Precautions include
  approval from the facility coordinator
  procedures approved by the Facility Coordinator
  and RSO using locks, tags, signs, and/or log
  book entries to clearly show the reduced safe
  environment and verification that the safety
  devices are fully operational before routine use
  of the unit.
• Never energize electrical equipment if the floor
  or equipment are wet or high voltage wires are
  exposed.
• RPD operations must conform to the facility
  operating procedures. Never operate equipment for
  which you have not been trained.
• Never alter, repair, or perform maintenance on an
  RPD component without authorization and approval
  from the Facility Coordinator.

16
RPD Operating Procedures(Section 7)

• The Operating Procedures (OP or Facility
  Operating Manual) provide guidance to device
  users on the facility procedures and safety
  requirements. The OP is produced by the Facility
  Coordinator. A copy should be kept with the x-ray
  device for review by the operator. 
• Any directions to operators not mentioned in the
  Radiation Safety Manual or the unit's technical
  manual should be discussed in the OP. Information
  that may be included are
• Training requirements for operation
• Safety interlocks and warning devices
• checklists for startup, operation, shutdown,
  emergencies, or testing of interlocks
• General safety concerns, such as electrical,
  noxious gases, etc.
• Security
• Use log
• Dosimetry

17
RPD Operating Procedures(Section 7)
ct.OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR BONE DENSITOMETERS

• Operation
• Scanner is to be operated in accordance with
  operating instructions as outlined in the
• various manuals. No person is to be measured if
  the daily quality assurance procedure has
• failed.
• Operators
• The following persons are allowed to operate the
  scanner when patients are to be measured
• - Holders of a Radiological License of the
  State of Ohio
• - Trainees under the supervision of a person
  who holds a Radiological License of the State
• of Ohio
• All scanner operators must be approved by the
  Director of the BioMedical Imaging
• Laboratory to operate the scanner and execute the
  procedures for which their training is
• documented in the Competency Check List for Bone
  Densitometry. The scanner operators
• have internet access to the radiation rules and
  regulations of the Ohio Department of Health
• (www.odh.state.oh.us). The scanner operating
  procedures and general radiation safety will
• be reviewed annually, and the review will be
  documented by signature and date.
• The operators are required to wear a personal
  dosimeter. The operator shall be no closer
• than the location of the computer workstation or
  3 feet from the patient during operation
• of the x-ray tube. The door to the room must be
  closed while the x-ray tube is operated.

18
RPD Operating Procedures(Section 7)
ct.OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR BONE DENSITOMETERS

• Patients/Subjects
• Any person to be measured has to fall in one of
  the following categories
• - Referred by a physician
• - Entered into a research project with signed
  consent form
• All persons to be measured will be informed that
  the DXA scanning procedure involves X-rays.
• Emergency
• In the case of an emergency that requires
  vacating the premises, abort scan and follow
  standard procedures.
• Initial release - 2Oct01
• Revision 1 - 15May03
• Revision 2 - 25Oct07 (Combined SOP for all
  scanners)

19
RPD Quality Assurance Program(Section 8)

• According  the Ohio Administrative Code
  37011-66-04, the Quality Assurance (QA) Program
  provides for written procedures to identify
  problems, defective equipment, and unsafe
  practices of radiation-producing devices (RPD) so
  the problems can be quickly corrected. At WSU,
  the QA Program is documented in the Radiation
  Safety Manual and the facility Operating
  Procedures.
• During inspections by Ohio Department of Health
  personnel, the inspectors will likely ask to see
  the following items
• the Radiation Safety Manual and Facility
  Operating Procedures.
• documentation of training of operators on
  Facility Operating Procedures.
• documentation of training to "individuals likely
  to be working in a restricted area or who may
  receive 100 mrem/year" on (1) the potential
  hazards of being present in the area, (2) the
  location, boundaries, and purpose of the
  restricted area, and (3) a description of the RPD
  and its location.
• for any unit used to x-ray people, a copy of the
  Ohio radiographer's or X-ray Machine Operator's
  license for each operator must be available.
• an inventory of each RPD at the facility,
  including the location and RPD description.
• data and test results of the evaluation of each
  RPD and its shielding and surroundings.
• maintenance logs and incident reports
• documentation of personnel responsible for
  monitoring and performing QA tests.
• calibration certificates for each piece of
  equipment used for radiation monitoring or QA
  testing.
• dosimetry results.

20
Research Involving Animals Radioactive
Materials

• Researchers who use radioactivity incorporated
  into live animals must obtain specified approval
  from the
• Radiation Safety Committee (RSC). They must
  submit their application (Form LAR/RSO 14,
  "Animal Care
• Information", Appendix L of the Radiation Safety
  Manual) to the RSC via the Radiation Safety
  Officer.
• Instructions to LAR. The Authorized User must
  ensure that the presence of radioactivity and
  specific instructions are fully communicated to
  the LAR staff by
• Posting a "Caution Radioactive Materials" sign
  at the entryway of the room holding the
  contamination animals.
• Completing Appendix M of the Radiation Safety
  Manual and posting the form on the animal room
  door. This form provides specific information and
  instructions regarding personal protection,
  dosimetry, feeding, changing bedding, and other
  special instructions.
• Labeling cages housing contaminated animals,
  waste container, and any equipment that is
  potentially contaminated.
• Radioactive Animal Waste. Animal carcasses,
  excrement, and associated wastes containing
  radioactivity will be placed in a plastic bag and
  refrigerated or frozen. A waste label available
  from the Radiation Safety Office shall be affixed
  to the bag. Contact the Radiation Safety Office
  for disposal. Animal waste containing only H-3 or
  C-14 with activity less than 0.05 microcuries per
  gram of animal tissue averaged over the entire
  animal waste should be documented on the
  Inventory Card.                                   
                 

21
Iodination Procedures

• An iodination process uses iodinated material to
  make compounds labeled with radioactive iodine.
  The procedure typically uses millicurie
  quantities of I-125 and can pose a genuine
  potential for exceeding university limits for
  contamination and personal exposure. For these
  reasons extra procedures, as shown below, apply
  for iodination experiments. See Section 2.21.2 of
  the Radiation Safety Manual.
• Inform the RSO at least 2 days in advance of
  each iodination procedure.
• A thyroid bioassay must be performed on each
  participant before the first iodination. After
  each iodination thereafter, a follow-up bioassay
  must be performed within 24-72 hours of
  completion (optimally, the next day).
• Inform the RSO immediately if inhalation or
  personal contamination is suspected. If an intake
  is confirmed a potassium iodide blocking agent
  must be administered as soon as possible to
  mitigate exposure to the thyroid.
• Prepare an "iodine trap" solution of 0.1 M each
  of sodium thiosulfate, sodium iodide, and sodium
  hydroxide. This solution will trap free iodine
  for decontamination and disposal purposes.
• The work must be performed in a fume hood,
  vented to the outside, with a minimal flow rate
  of 100 ft/min. The flow rate must be certified
  within the past 12 months. Ensure the fan is on
  during the procedure. Keep the sash at a low, but
  comfortable position to maximize negative draw.

22

• A fume hood insert (radio-iodination hood) with
  charcoal absorbers must be used to mitigate the
  release of radio-iodine to the atmosphere. Ensure
  the fan works properly during the entire
  procedure.
• A calibrated survey meter with a low-energy gamma
  detector is required. Frequent monitoring of
  gloves and around the fume hood should be
  performed to quickly identify contamination.
• First practice the iodination procedures without
  radioactivity to become familiar with the steps
  involved and identify ways to reduce the
  potential of exposure.
• Wear two pairs of gloves to prevent absorption
  through the skin. Change the outer pair
  immediately if contaminated.
• The RSO may monitor the vented exhaust from the
  fume hood and the breathing zone of the person
  performing the iodination to ensure no limits are
  exceeded.
• Keep contaminated trash in the fume hood as long
  as possible. Double bag the waste for pickup by
  EHS.
• Monitor gloves, exposed clothing, lab coat, and
  the work area (including the floor) for
  contamination after completion of work. Monitor
  and wash hands before leaving the lab.
• Swipe survey the use area for removable
  contamination.

23
Radiation Safety Refresher TrainingRegistration
FormPrint form and return toRSOFax
937-775-4286

• Title Dr. Mr. Mrs. Ms.First Name Last Name
  Department Status Phone Number E-mail
  address
• You have now completed the radiation safety
  refresher course. Thank-you for your
  participation.  We invite your opinion on this
  web-based training.Is the material
  understandable? Yes No  
• Is the training method effective for covering the
  material?  Yes No 
• Are you given the opportunity to ask questions?
  Yes No
• Please use the space below to offer your
  questions or comments regarding any information
  provided or related issues?______________________
  __________________________________________________
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