Radiation Safety Programs and Services

Links

• Emergency Spill Response Procedure
• RS-371: Area Contamination Report
• RS-372: Personnel Contamination Report

Decommissioning - Facilities that are currently, or ever have been, posted for the active use or storage of radioactive materials that are designated for renovation or demolition must be decommissioned prior to being released. Decommissioning activities typically involve more extensive contamination surveys of the facilities beyond the close-out survey performed when the facility was no longer posted for the use of radioactive materials.

Depending on the size and scope of the decommissioning activity, 3-6 months prior to initiation of renovations/demolition should be sufficient for Radiation Safety to complete any necessary decommissioning activities. 

Maintenance Survey - When equipment that has been used with radioactive materials requires service or is being sent to surplus for disposal, a survey for contamination must be performed prior to transport of the unit or performance of the work. Examples of such equipment include, but are not limited to: hot sinks, fume hoods, refrigerators, freezers and analytical instruments.

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Please see below for a list of Laboratory Safety Compliance Officers by building.

The university possesses certain materials of concerns. To gain unescorted access to these materials, individuals must subject themselves to an extensive background check. Individuals must notify the University Radiation Safety Officer to initiate the multi-step process:

1. Submission of fingerprints to US Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
2. ​Extensive check of education, employment history and references by an outside firm.

Once all of the information is received and reviewed by the Radiation Safety Officer then a determination is made and the individual notified. This process can take at least 4 weeks. Please plan accordingly.

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For questions, please contact radiation.safety@osu.edu.

Laser and laser systems present a potential safety hazard to students, staff and faculty if the device is not used and/or stored properly. The primary purpose of The Ohio State University Laser Safety Program is to ensure that no laser radiation in excess of the maximum permissible exposure (MPE) limit reaches the human eye or skin. In addition, the program is designed to ensure adequate protection against non-beam (collateral) hazards that can be associated with lasers.

All Class 3B and 4 laser and laser systems must be registered with the Radiation Safety Section of Environmental Health and Safety using the form LS-1 “Laser Registration Form.” Please complete the form and return via email to radiation.safety@osu.edu.

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Links

• Easy Haz Laser Hazard Analysis Software
• Kentek Laser Store
• Laser Institute of America
• OSHA -- Laser Safety
• FDA -- Laser Products and Instruments
• Rockwell Laser Industries

For questions, please contact radiation.safety@osu.edu

The Ohio State University's Medical Radiation Safety Program ensures that all clinical and research uses of radioactive materials and radiation generating equipment are conducted safely to promote a safe working environment for Ohio State employees as well as members of the general public.

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For questions, please contact Dramane Konate at 614-688-2599.

Devices capable of generating ionizing radiation referred to as radiation-generating devices (RGD) present a potential safety hazard to students, staff and faculty if the device is not used and/or stored properly. Safety requirements for analytical x-ray units, bone densitometers, industrial radiography and x-ray irradiation devices are listed in The Ohio State University Radiation Safety Procedures Manual for Radiation-Generating Devices (Non-Human Use) and the Ohio Department of Health regulations.

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For questions, please contact radiation.safety@osu.edu.

It is the responsibility of the Radiation Safety Section to maintain all applicable licenses and registrations for all radioactive materials and radiation generating equipment. Continual efforts are made to ensure that each license and / or registration is up-to-date and accurate.

For questions, please contact Dramane Konate at 614-688-2599.

The most common methods to measure external exposures to radiation are whole body and ring dosimeters or badges. Dosimeters are issued to individuals who are likely to exceed 10% of the dose limits set for occupational workers. Please review the important documents below:

• Exposure Reports
• Badge Return Deadlines
• Return of Old Badges​

Fees for Dosimetry Badges to Detect Exposure to Radiation

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For questions or additional information, please contact the dosimetry program coordinator at radiation.safety@osu.edu.

All requisitions for radioactive materials must be approved by Radiation Safety before the requisition can be forwarded to OSURF or University Purchasing so the product can ordered. Procurement cards cannot be used to acquire radioactive materials. Orders cannot be accepted by phone, fax or e-mail.

It is the responsibility of lab personnel to make sure the requisition is clearly marked as an order for Radioactive Material. 

Please always use the RS-26: Worksheet to Order Radioactve Material each time an order is placed.  

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For questions or additional information, please contact the dosimetry program coordinator at radiation.safety@osu.edu.

The Radiation Safety Section of Environmental Health and Safety performs semi-annual performance-based inspections of all Type B, C and storage-only laboratories posted for the use of radioactive materials. Type A laboratories are inspected monthly.

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Each building on campus is assigned a Laboratory Compliance Officer for all radiation and research safety related issues, including laboratory inspections.

To obtain authorization for the use of radioactive materials from the University Radiation Safety Committee (URSC), an RS-1 form, Application for a Permit for the Use of Radioactive Materials, must be completed. This permit must undergo a pre-review by Radiation Safety prior to final submission to the URSC. The Approved Supervisor will receive written notification of the permit’s status after the URSC review.

Once a faculty member or equivalent has submitted a RS-1 and has received final approval to use radioactive material from the University Radiation Safety Committee and Radiation Safety, the continued use of RAM will be allowed only if the “approved supervisor” completes and returns the required paper work sent out annually by the Radiation Safety Section of EHS.

Changes to current authorizations can be made by submitting a completed RS-7 form, Request for Amendment to Approved Permit. This form is used for the addition of chemical groups, for activity increases, to add or delete locations of use, for procedural changes and for radionuclide additions. 

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For questions, please contact your inspector or radiation.safety@osu.edu.

Radioactive waste is usually picked up on Thursdays. The weekly pick-up list is printed out Monday morning, so requests for that week must be submitted before then. Should the weekly pick-up date have to be moved for a holiday, weather, illness, etc.; labs will be notified of the new pick-up date.

Use the Radioactive Waste Management Handbook to answer questions about waste disposal.

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Radioactive Waste Billing

For questions or additional information, please contact radiation.safety@osu.edu.

For questions, please contact radiation.safety@osu.edu

The purpose of this program is to communicate administrative policy, operational procedures, and standards of conduct regarding the use of radioactive material (RAM) and radiation generating equipment (RGE) at The Ohio State University. Ohio State is committed to a positive safety culture and expects that individuals and organizations performing regulated activities involving radioactive material and radiation-generating devices will establish and maintain a positive safety culture environment.

Radiation Safety Standards

Instruments and equipment used for quantitative radiation measurements are required to be calibrated on an annual basis according to chapter 3701: 1-38-14 of the Ohio Administrative Code.

Meters being used for licensed activities should always have a current calibration sticker and certificate on file from either Radiation Safety or the manufacturer.

Radiation Safety maintains a database of current “in use” meters used by both research labs and clinical areas within the Wexner Medical Center. Meters are picked up, calibrated and returned within five business days during the calendar month of the calibration due date. Major repairs or calibrations that cannot be performed by Radiation Safety must be done by returning the instrument to the manufacturer at the lab's cost.

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Links

• Ludlum Measurements, Inc
• WB Johnson Istruments
• Fluke Biomedical (Victoreen meters)

For questions, please contact radiation.safety@osu.edu.

The University Radiation Safety Committee (URSC) is mandated by the Ohio Department of Health (ODH), and is comprised of faculty and staff from The Ohio State University. The URSC oversees the Radiation Safety Program. The URSC is responsible for the control and direction of the Radiation Safety Program. The URSC reviews and approves all permits for the use of radioactive materials, makes policy decisions to be implemented by the Radiation Safety office and takes corrective actions when infractions of ODH rules are identified. The URSC has the authority to grant and revoke permission to use radioactive materials at all locations of The Ohio State University.

The URSC has 4 subcommittees:

• Medical Use Subcommittee - The Medical Use Subcommittee provides recommendations to the URSC regarding research and clinical applications to use radioactive materials with humans. 
• Crisis and Monitoring Subcommittee - The Crisis and Monitoring Subcommittee provides recommendations to the URSC on resource needs and measures necessary to eliminate any perceived, or prevent any projected, non-compliance action by the Ohio Department of Health. 
• Audit Subcommittee - The Audit Subcommittee performs an independent audit of the Radiation Safety program. The written annual report by the AS is provided to the URSC for review and final approval. 
• X-ray Subcommittee - The X-ray Subcommittee provides recommendations to the URSC regarding research and clinical uses of ionizing radiation producing devices. Responsibilities include monitoring the institutional program to maintain occupational doses as low as reasonably achievable including a review of investigations into ALARA level II exposures; reviewing and making recommendations on inspection results from the Ohio Department of Health and corrective actions implemented by Ohio State; performing an annual audit of the X-ray Safety Program; and reviewing radiation incidents with respect to cause and corrective actions.

View additional URSC information

For questions, please contact radiation.safety@osu.edu.