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News and training for radiation workers at Northwestern
University Number 69 January, 2004
Annual Radiation Laboratory Self-Audit
The start of a new year
is a good time to perform a self-audit of radiation safety and compliance in
your laboratory. Review this checklist with your radiation workers. Their
signatures on the back of this NUtrino provide documentation of required annual
refresher training.
____ All sources are
safeguarded against loss or theft; doors to unattended labs are locked.
____ Every stock vial
has a corresponding inventory form and all materials can be accounted for.
____ Radiation workers
wear disposable gloves when handling potentially contaminated items.
____ The lab maintains
a written log of radionuclides (with activity and dates) in waste containers.
____ Workers
immediately record each use of radioactive material on the inventory form.
____ Inventory forms
are returned promptly to ORS when the material is used, decayed, or disposed.
____ All radiation
workers are registered with ORS; workers reregister when they relocate.
____ Radiation workers
are trained in laboratory- and radionuclide-specific radiation safety
practices.
____ Annual refresher
training is provided to all radiation workers (use NUtrinos for this purpose).
____ Initial and annual
refresher training is documented in writing; include dates, names and topics.
____ Eye protection is
worn whenever hazardous materials are handled.
____ Contamination
checks are performed on a routine basis.
____ Contamination is
cleaned up immediately upon discovery.
____ All containers of
radioactive material, including waste containers, bear warning labels.
____ Storage locations
(such as freezers and refrigerators) have a visible warning sign or label.
____ Workers know the
bioassay requirements and complete the bioassay column on inventory forms.
____ Complete, legible
names are entered onto inventory forms (no initials).
____ Proposed transfers
of material to other labs are reported to ORS in advance of the transfers.
____ Plastic shielding
is used for P-32 and other high-energy beta emitters.
____ Wipe tests counted
in liquid scintillation are used to find H-3 contamination.
____ Consumption,
preparation, storage and disposal of food and beverages in the lab are
prohibited.
____ Survey meters are
calibrated, have good batteries and are in operating condition.
____ Survey meters are
performance checked with a source of radiation each time they are used.
____ Mixed wastes never are generated without specific,
advance approval from ORS.
____ All required
information is entered onto radioactive waste cards.
____ Radiation workers
know how to get help in an emergency and how to report an incident.
____ Every order for
radioactive materials is approved in advance by ORS.
____ Individuals who
are not radiation workers follow the rules for food, security, and protection.
Use this NUtrino as a training tool for new workers and required
annual refresher training for current workers. Circulate it among the radiation
workers in your group and have them sign and date the training form on the
back. File it with your authorization and other radiation safety documents for
review during regulatory inspections. Discuss it during laboratory meetings. We
have back issues, or you can print them off the web at
http://www.northwestern.edu/research-safety/rad/nutrino/index.htm.
Office for Research Safety -
Office for Research - Radiation Safety Committee
Ward B-106 Chicago Campus, phone 3-8300 Tech NG71
Evanston Campus, phone 1-5581