March 27, 1997

Radiation Safety Web Page
www.northwestern.edu/research-safety

The radiation safety web page is now open at http://www.northwestern.edu/research-safety. From the University's home page click on "Research," then "Research Offices and Services," then "Office for Research Safety." You will see the radiation safety program button at the bottom of the ORS home page.

New Radiation Safety Handbook Released

The information now on the web pages comprises the new Radiation Safety Handbook. The new handbook replaces both the Radiation Worker's Guide (which we gave new radiation workers) and the old Radiation Safety Handbook (which was a condensed version of the Guide we gave to authorized investigators and registrants). We combined the two documents, cut the page count by half and made it accessible electronically. We hope eventually to offer electronic forms and will work toward that goal. For the time being we will continue to provide a paper copy of the handbook to each new radiation worker and new authorized investigator.

The new handbook incorporates several policy and procedure changes, among them radiation worker registration, electronic ordering and approval for radioactive materials, and bioassay requirements (see below). If you want the most current information about any of the ORS programs, turn to our home page.

P-32 Bioassay Requirement Modified

We would like to highlight a change in the Radiation Safety Handbook bioassay section for those of you who use P-32. The requirement for providing a urine sample after you have used a total of 1 mCi in a month has been dropped. You still have to provide a sample within 1 week if you use 0.6 mCi or more of P-32 in a single procedure. Remember to check the bioassay column on the inventory form each time you record a usage.

Do You Know Where Your Sealed Sources Are?

State regs require us to keep track of all sources, large and small. Examples include small check sources used with survey instruments, plastic rod sources used for assessing gamma counter performance, and sealed sources used in teaching laboratories. Joe Princewill in Chicago and Kevin Francis in Evanston update the inventories semiannually. Look around now and locate all of your sealed sources. Establish an inventory record that includes the isotope, activity, calibration date (usually listed on the source), serial number (if any) and storage or use location. Build an inventory routine into your lab schedule. If you have another task you perform monthly, do your source inventory on the same schedule. Initial and date each record.