Number 45 October, 2001

Weak Batteries = No Calibration

We cannot calibrate survey meters if the batteries are weak or dead, and we will turn them away at the door if that is the case. Please ensure that your batteries are fresh and strong before bringing your survey meter to ORS for calibration.

Authorized Investigator Name Must Appear on Waste Cards, Orders

The "authorized investigator"is the person to whom the Radiation Safety Committee issued the authorization to possess and use radioactive materials. All records of radioactive material use and disposal are linked to the authorized investigator. The authorized investigator's name is the only one that is acceptable on radioactive waste cards and orders for radioactive materials. ORS staff are instructed not to pick up waste for which the waste card is not completely and correctly filled out.

Food - or Evidence - Prohibited in Laboratories

Our lab surveys indicate some backsliding here and there with respect to coffee cups, beverage cans, food containers, food trash, and so forth, in radiation laboratories. Sorry — no slack. Personal responsibility and active policing are required so as to avoid citations and potential loss of your authorization.

Swap Solvents for Biodegradable Cocktails

Last year we made a standing offer to those laboratories we could identify as users of solvent-based liquid scintillation cocktails: we would replace what you had in stock for the biodegradable cocktail of your choice (certain exotics excluded), one time only, on a one-for-one basis at our expense. The objective was to move toward a solvent-free radioactive waste stream, which is cheaper and easier to manage.

Some labs still use solvent-based cocktails, and our offer still stands. Try alternatives and, when you find one you like, tell us how much solvent-based cocktail you have on hand and we will arrange the swap.