Environmental Health and Safety

Closing Out Radioactive Material Use Laboratories

Topic:
Radiation Safety
Tags:
Standard Operating Procedure,
Decommissioning and Maintenance Surveys,
Radiation Waste Disposal

Closing Out Radioactive Material Use Laboratories

  1. Close-out of labs posted for use of RAM normally will be performed only by written request of the Approved Supervisor, the University Radiation Safety Officer (URSO) or the University Radiation Safety Committee (URSC).

  2. Upon receipt of a request or order to close out a lab, Radiation Safety (RS) staff will contact the Approved Supervisor and insure that the following tasks have been performed:

    1. The lab staff must contact RS to arrange to have all RAM picked up by the Radioactive Waste Disposal Section or transferred to another Supervisor approved for use of that radionuclide. Transfers must be entered into the EHS Assist inventory data base;

    2. The lab staff must perform a thorough instrument and smear wipe survey of all equipment labeled for use of radioactive materials. This includes emptying of all refrigerators/freezers, defrosting of freezers. Lab staff must decontaminate, if necessary, equipment used with RAM, transfer equipment to another Approved Supervisor, or dispose of the equipment as RAM waste;

    3. The lab staff must perform a thorough instrument and smear wipe survey of the room(s), find no contamination >200 dpm/100cm2 (or clean any contaminated areas to less than 200 dpm/100cm2), and provide copies of all of their results for both their records and RS files.

  3. If the above conditions have been met, an RS staff member will schedule an appointment to perform a confirmatory instrument and smear wipe survey. If RAM is still present in the lab, the appointment will be postponed until after the RAM is removed. Decommissioning of equipment may be combined with the confirmatory survey at the discretion of RS staff.

    NOTE: All restrictions associated with the posted status of the lab will be observed until the lab is officially closed (see item 6).

  4. If any areas of removable contamination are discovered during the RS survey, RS staff will notify the Approved Supervisor, who will be responsible for decontaminating the affected area(s).

  5. If non-removable contamination is detected, RS staff will assist the Approved Supervisor in arranging for shielding of the affected area(s) and/or removal/replacement of the contaminated fixture. The lab may have to remain open until remediation or decay of the non-removable contamination has been completed.

  6. If RS surveys indicate no contamination, RS staff will return to the lab to remove all postings, notices, labels, etc., which might indicate the presence of RAM in the lab. From this time on, no RAM will be allowed in the lab unless RS officially reopens the lab for use of RAM.

7. After removing the postings and notices, RS staff will send a letter to the Approved Supervisor confirming the closure of the lab for the use of RAM. A copy of this letter will be placed in RS files.

If you have any questions about the above procedures, consult your Laboratory Compliance Officer.