It is the responsibility of the Radiation Safety Review Board (RSRB) to formulate University policies and guidelines concerning (1) the use of radioactive materials and (2) the use of x-ray devices at George Mason University.
Since the use of radioactive materials at the University is governed by a Byproduct Material License issued by the U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) or by a Radioactive Material License issued by the Department of Health of the Commonwealth of Virginia, it is the responsibility of the RSRB to ensure that the University's practices are at all times in compliance with the NRC and State regulations and the conditions of the licenses. As well, all x-ray devices shall be registered, as required, with the Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Health.
The RSRB shall ensure that:
1) all use of radioactive materials on campus is conducted
in a safe manner;
2) all individuals who work with or in the vicinity of
radioactive materials have sufficient training and
experience to perform their duties safely;
3) all procedures for receiving, handling, transport,
storage, and disposal of radioactive materials are such
as to minimize radiation exposure to employees, students,
visitors, and to the public.
Operating Procedures
The RSRB shall:
1) consist of at least five full time faculty members
including the Departmental Radiation Safety Officer, the
University Safety Officer and an advisor from outside the
University. Each faculty member shall serve a term of three years
and shall be the only voting members of the Review Board;
2) elect as chairman one of its members to serve a term of
three years;
3) meet as frequently as necessary, but at least once every
six months;
4) review the entire radiation safety program at least
annually to determine that all activities are being
conducted safely and in accordance with NRC and State
regulations and the conditions of the licenses;
5) propose new policies and/or procedures as necessary for
review and approval by the Vice Provost for Research and
Graduate Studies (Vice Provost). These policies may be
reviewed by the Research Advisory Committee;
6) direct all reports of violations of its policies in the
form of a written report to the Vice Provost.
Responsibilities of RSRB
It shall be the responsibility of the RSRB to:
1) be familiar with all pertinent NRC and State regulations,
the terms of the licenses, and information submitted in
support of the request for the licenses and any amendments;
2) ensure that any person wishing to use a source of
ionizing radiation for teaching or research, submit for
approval by the RSRB the procedures and practices he will
follow;
3) ensure that any department wishing to use radioactive
materials for teaching or research, submit for
approval by the RSRB a Radiation Safety Program detailing
experimental procedures and safety practices to be
followed;
4) recommend remedial action, where necessary, to correct
any deficiencies identified in the Radiation Safety
Program;
5) require that any department with a Radiation Safety
Program have a Radiation Safety Officer to oversee the
use of all radioactive materials in his or her department;
6) review and approve the training and experience of any
University employee who applies to use radioactive materials;
7) review and approve all RSRB Review Forms (sponsored or
nonsponsored) which request the use of radioactive
materials at George Mason University and all use in
University activities at off-campus locations;
8) review and approve all quantities of radioactive material
to be used on campus, or in University activities
elsewhere;
9) review and approve all locations at which radioactive
materials will be stored and used on campus, and where
sources of ionizing radiation will be used;
10) maintain written records of all RSRB meetings, actions, recommendations and decisions;
11) review and approve all Ionization Radiation Source Forms which request the use of a source of ionizing radiation at George Mason University.
I. Use of Radioactive Material
Departmental Radiation Safety Program
Each department or activity of the University that desires to purchase and use radioactive materials in classroom or research, sponsored or nonsponsored, must complete Form NRC-3131 (see Attachment A) and submit it to the RSRB. Only upon approval of the application by the RSRB will a department be allowed to purchase and use radioactive materials.
Contents of an Application:
Item 1 Omit
Item 2 Omit
Item 3 Omit
Item 4 Omit
Item 5 Complete as stated.
Item 6 Complete as stated.
Item 7 and Enter the names of all personnel in your departmentor activity who are
Item 8 simultaneously applying for Approved User Status. Enter the name of the Departmental Radiation Safety Officer. Supply a resume of the training and experience of eachperson in the use of radioactive materials.
Item 9 Describe the available facilities and equipment (storage containers, remote handling devices, shielding, fume hoods, etc.) at each location where radioactive materials will be used. Submit a diagram of each room where radioactivematerials will be received, used and/or stored, including waste. A diagram should indicate the locations of shielding, the
proximity of radiation sources to unrestricted areas, and other items related to radiation safety. Thediagram should also include a schematic description of the ventilation system to be used with radioactive
materials that may become airborne. Diagrams should be drawnto scale.
Item 10 List the types of instruments (survey or monitoring) your department has, number available, radiation detected, sensitivity range, and use. Enter the method, frequency, and standards used in calibrating each instrument listed in Item10. If instruments will be calibrated by outside source, list the name and license numbers of such sources. Enter the name
of the company supplying film badges or thermoluminescent dosimeters, and state the frequency with which the badges are read. Describe the procedure for performing bioassayswhen needed.
Radiation Safety Procedures (See Regulatory Guide 10.7)
a) Outline your procedure for examining incoming packages
when required (See Part 20.205). Indicate where it will be
done. If contamination of the external surface of a package
exceeds 22,000 dpm, the Departmental Radiation Safety Officer shall
notify, at once, the University Central Receiving, the
mail carrier, the NRC Region II office at 404-331-4503, andthe RSRB.
b) Enter the departmental policy on training students and
personnel in the use of radioactive material.
c) Include a copy of general instructions to be followed by
members of your department. These instructions should
include:
1) Description of laboratory apparel to wear when working with radioactive materials.
2) Explain when hoods are to be used, shielding, etc. Describe the types of shielding to be used. Describe the use of absorbent paper with impermeable backing when working on laboratory benches.
3) Describe the routine procedure to be followed to monitor areas where radioactive materials are used and/or stored. Describe the procedure you will follow in the event or personal or work area contamination.
4) Indicate how you will move radioactive materials between rooms, buildings, locations, etc.
5) Explain how you will store radioactive materials, the types of containers to be used, shielding, etc. Indicate where and how contaminated articles and glassware will be stored and handled.
6) Describe the personal monitoring devices your department will use, the frequency with which the results will be read, and the company that will supply these devices.
7) Indicate how and where you will store radioactive waste. Describe containers to be used, and describe markings on these containers. Indicate how you will dispose of liquid and dry waste. List the name of the name
of the company that will collect the waste.
8) Supply the form you will keep showing the use and disposal of radioactive materials.
9) Describe sealed-source leak-test procedures.
10) Describe contamination control procedures in the laboratory.
d) Submit a copy of emergency instructions to be posted in
all laboratories where radioactive materials will be used or
stored. These instructions should describe the action to be
taken in the case of a spill or other accident, the telephone
numbers of people to call immediately in case of a spill
or other accident, and instructions concerning reenteringthe room in the event of a spill.
Item 11 State, if known, the name and license number of the company you will used for disposal of radioactive waste. If you intend to dispose of waste by means other than a licensed company, describe in detail your procedures.
Qualifications of Departmental Radiation Safety Officer
The Departmental Radiation Safety Officer shall be an Approved User.
Responsibilities of Departmental Safety Officers
It shall be the responsibility of each Departmental Radiation Safety Officer to oversee the use of radioactive materials in his or her department and to enforce in his or her department all policies of the RSRB, the NRC, and the State.
Each Departmental Radiation Safety Officer shall:
1) ascertain that each prospective Approved User has
had sufficient training in the use of radioactive
materials commensurate with the intended use;
2) establish a training program for prospective
Approved Users who have not completed a formal course in
radiation use;
3) amend the Departmental Radiation Safety Program when
major changes occur in departmental facilities or equipment;
4) post areas where radioactive materials are used and
stored;
5) monitor areas where radioactive materials are used;
6) calibrate survey and monitoring instruments at
proper intervals;
7) arrange for the proper disposal of radioactive
waste; and,
8) serve as the liaison person with the RSRB.
It shall also be the responsibility of the Departmental Radiation
Safety Officer to maintain complete records of the following:
1) radiation exposures of all individuals for whom
personnel monitoring is required;
2) results of required laboratory monitoring and wipe
tests of sealed sources;
3) an up-to-date inventory of all radioactive materials
and their location;
4) records of all radioactive materials disposed of,
including type, amount, date and disposal technique;
5) records of instrument calibration; and,
6) records of any overexposures ot personnel, excessive
concentrations in laboratories or other incidents
involving radioactive materials.
These records shall be available for inspection at anytime by representatives of the NRC or the RSRB.
Responsibilities of the University Radiation Protection Officer
1) Attend all meetings of the RSRB.
2) Produce minutes of the RSRB.
3) Keep the RSRB appraised of NRC and State Regulations
which may effect radiation safety.
4) Handle all corresponsdence for the RSRB.
5) Site visit each user of ionizing radiation at least once
per year and report his findings at the next RSRB meeting.
6) Write and follow-up on all necessary amendment requests
to the University's Radiation licenses.
7) Be available to the RSRB for any day-to-day radiation
safety problems which may arise.
8) Train inexperienced faculty members in the safe use of
radioactive materials.
9) Make every effort to be available for the unannounced
inspections of the NRC.
Reporting Procedures
Every six months, the Departmental Radiation Safety Officer shall submit a written report to the RSRB which contains the following information:
1) results of required personnel monitoring;
2) reports of laboratory monitoring and surveys;
3) reports of required wipe tests of sealed sources;
4) the current inventory of radioactive materials, and,
5) reports of instrument calibration.
These reports will normally cover the periods January to June and July to December and are due one month after the end of each such period.
Procedure for Ordering and Receiving Radioactive Materials
Radioactive materials may be purchased only by Approved Users. All orders for radioactive material must be approved by the Departmental Radiation Safety Officer.
Individual Use of Radioactive Material
In order to use radioactive materials at George Mason University, a person must be certified by the RSRB as an Approved User or be working under the direct supervision of an Approved User. To be certified, a prospective user must complete the Radiation Safety Review Form (Attachment B) and submit it to the RSRB through the Sponsored Program Administration Forms are available in that Office.
To be certified as an Approved User, one must have had training in the following areas:
1) Principles and practices of radiation protection.
2) Radioactivity measurement, standardization, and
monitoring techniques and instruments.
3) Mathematics and calculations basic to the use and
measurement of radioactivity.
4) Biological effects of radiation.
Those without formal training in the above may be certified as an Approved User after a period of on-the-job training supplemented with a prescribed training program dealing with radioactivity and its measurement. The on-the-job training will be supervised by an Approved User.
Responsibilities of Approved Users
An Approved User, under the direction of the Departmental Radiation Safety Officer, is responsible for the safe use, storage, and disposal of radioactive materials in his laboratory or classroom. The Approved User will ascertain that the conditions of the NRC and Virginia State Licenses are met at all times. In particular, each Approved User shall:
1) Properly train any student or employee who works in his
laboratory in the use of radioactive materials.
2) Keep records of receipt, use, and method disposal of
radioactive materials on a daily basis.
3) Keep records of any transfer of radioactive materials
from other locations.
4) Prohibit eating, drinking, and smoking in rooms where
radioactive materials are used and/or stored.
5) Prohibit the storage of food or potables in refrigerators
where radioactive materials are stored.
6) Use proper shielding, absorbant paper, etc. when
radioactive materials are being used.
7) Monitor himself and his work area at the end of each
experiment in which unsealed radioactive sources are
used. Record the results of such monitoring in a permanent
book of the laboratory where the work was performed.
8) Wear a laboratory coat or apron and gloves when using
radioactive unsealed materials.
9) Pipet radioactive materials only by a remote pipetting
device.
10) Wash any glassware contaminated with radioactive material in a designated sink.
11) Inform the Department Radiation Safety Office of any violation of regulations that occur in his laboratory.
Incidents and Violations Involving Radioactive Materials
Any incident involving overexposure of personnel, contamination of a laboratory, or theft or loss of radioactive materials shall be reported immediately to the Chairperson of the RSRB and the University Safety Officer.
In addition, a report cosigned by the Chairperson of the RSRB and the University Safety Officer shall be made to the Director of the appropriate Nuclear Regulatory Commission Inspection and Enforcement Division if required by Sections 20.402, or 20.405 of the NRC Rules and Regulations.
Radiation Safety Review Form
Any Approved User who wishes to purchase, using sponsor funds or state funds, a radioactive isotope not listed in the Departmental Radiation Program, or who wishes to make any changes in the use to which isotopes are presently being put (including changes in application, procedure, quantity, etc.) must first obtain aproval from the RSRB. This is to be done by submitting a Radiation Safety Review Form (see Attachment B).
Appeal of a Decision
A decision may be appealed at any time. That person initiating the appeal must submit to the Chairman of the Board a statement of his objection to a decision. The Chairman will convene a meeting of the Review Board within 30 days or at the beginning of the fall semester if the appeal is made during the summer months. At the meeting, the appeal will be presented in person by the initiator of the appeal. If after hearing the appeal the Board finds the appeal without merit, the request may be withdrawn or resubmitted with changes. There is no higher level of appeal.
II. Use of X-Ray Devices
Individual Use of an X-Ray Device
Each person who desires to use an x-ray device for teaching or research, sponsored or nonsponsored, must complete the X-Ray Device Form (see Attachment C), and submit it to the RSRB. Only upon approval of the RSRB will a person be listed as an X-ray Machine Officer, and be permitted to use the source on campus.
Responsibilities of an X-Ray Officer
It shall be the responsibility of an X-ray Machine Officer to oversee all use of the x-ray device and to enforce the conditions of use of the source as described on the X-Ray Device Form. The X-ray Machine Officer shall also:
a) Ascertain that each staff member or student using the
source has had sufficient training in the proper use of
the source of minimize danger to himself and others.
b) Post the room containing the source with a CAUTION
RADIATION AREA sign when the source is in use and other
signs as required by the State (Part H: Commonwealth of
Virginia, Ionizing Radiation, Rules and Regulations).
c) Require that all individuals present when the source is
in use wear a film badge or dosimeter.
d) Have the source surveyed for radiation safety at least
once a year and file the report with the Sponsored
Program Administration Office.
e) Post the Operation Procedure of the source in a clearly
visible area near the source.
f) Alter and resubmit to the RSRB the X-Ray Device Form when
a change(s) in the use of the source is anticipated.
g) Submit to the RSRB every twelve months records of the
results of personnel monitoring.
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Sponsored Program Administration Office
West Building, Room 145
This form must be submitted by each person intending to use an X- ray device at the University or altering a previously approved use of such equipment. Following completion of this form, obtain department chairperson's signature and submit to the Sponsored Program Administration Office, West Building, Room 145.
1. This form submitted for:
___ Sponsored Research Sponsor/Grantor______________________
___ Unsponsored Research
___ Teaching Use Course title(s) and Number(s)
__________________________________
2. Project Director ___________________ Department _______________
Project Title ___________________________________________________
Initiation Date ____________________
3. Faculty Associates
a) Name ________________________________________________________
b) Name ________________________________________________________
4. Student Associates
a) Name ________________________________________________________
b) Name ________________________________________________________
5. Instrument Specifications
a) Type ________________________________________________________
b) Manufacturer ________________________________________________
c) Model No. ___________________________________________________
d) Serial No. __________________________________________________
e) Maximum Operating Characteristics
KV ____________________ ma
____________________________
6. Location(s) where instrument will be used _______________________
_________________________________________________________________
7. Frequency of use of the instrument
8. The Experimental Procedure(s)
9. Student Involvement
10. Precautions to be Taken to Minimize Risk to Personnel
11. Previous Training in Radiation Safety.
12. Personnel Monitoring Devices Employed
____ Film Badges
Processed by _________________________________________
____ Dosimeters
Processed by _________________________________________
13. Instrument Operating Procedure
The applicant agrees to abide by all policies and procedures set forth by the University Radiation Safety Review Board.
Project Director ________________________________ Date ______________
Department Chair _______________________________ Date ______________
Chairman, Radiation
Safety Review Board ___________________________ Date ______________
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