Radiation Safety Procedure

No. 1

Obtaining a Non-Human Use Sublicense

 

 

     I.            Purpose

The procedure provides the methodology to evaluate the application for and the issuing of a Non-Human Sublicense to qualified individuals to purchase, maintain, use, and dispose of RAM.

   II.            Authorization

Only individuals who have applied for and have been issued a Non-Human Use Sublicense have authorization to order and use RAM on the UT Southwestern Campus and associated hospitals. To qualify for a Non-Human Sublicense, an individual must meet criteria outlined in this procedure for experience and training. The RSC reviews and approves or denies individual applications for Non-Human Sublicenses based on the submitted information.

III.            General Criteria

The following criteria should be applied to determine which individuals have the necessary experience and qualifications to hold a Non-Human Use RAM Sublicense.

A.        The applicant shall have pertinent experience in the handling of sources of radiation commensurate to those requested in the application and shall meet the following criteria:

1.         Possess a college degree at the Doctorate level or equivalent training and
                       
experience.

2.         Have at least 40 hours of training and experience in the safe handling of RAM, and in the characteristics of ionizing radiation, units of radiation dose and quantities, radiation detection instrumentation, and biological hazards of exposure to radiation appropriate to the type and form of RAM to be used.

B.         The applicant shall have a position at UT Southwestern equivalent to Assistant Professor or
             above.

C.        Exemptions shall be reviewed on a case by case basis by the RSC.

IV.            Non-Human Use Sublicense Application Procedure

A.        The applicant shall submit to the RSC a completed Non-Human Use of Radioactive Material Sublicense Application, RSF-005 (Appendix I-1) or its equivalent. The form shall contain the following information:

1.         The applicant's name, degree, department, social security number, faculty title, office room number, and phone number.

2.         A list of all rooms where Ram will be used or stored.

3.         A list of each isotope to be used with the following information:

a.         isotope's half-life,
b.         maximum activity to be possessed,
c.         chemical form or class of compound, procedure to be performed,

i.          approximate frequency of procedure performance,
ii.          approximate amount of isotope activity per procedure.

4.         List of the detection equipment, i.e. liquid scintillation counter, gamma counter, and survey meter, to be used; including the manufacturer and model of each.

5.         The formal training of the applicant to include training location, duration of training, and laboratory training and experience using requested radioisotope.

6.         All personnel working with RAM for the applicant shall be listed including their degrees and laboratory experience. All individuals listed in this section are required to attend the Radiation Safety Seminar according to Radiation Safety Handbook Section III, H.

7.         A detailed description of each procedure to be performed which uses RAM shall be submitted and shall include:

a.         the radioisotope,
b.         approximate activity per procedure,
c.         descriptive summary of procedure,

8.         A description of the radiation safety hazards that these procedures may produce and the methods to be used to minimize those hazards shall be included, i.e.:

a.         protective shielding,
b.         surveys, frequency and type of,
c.         storage methods,
d.         personnel dosimetry,
e.         restrictive environment (i.e. for iodinations).

9.         List of the form and type of waste expected to be produced from these procedures and the method of disposal.

B.         In addition a Radioactive Room Use Application, RSF-005a (Appendix I-2) or an equivalent form shall be submitted to the RSC. A diagram of the laboratory to include storage location, RAM work areas, waste storage locations, additional investigators who may also use this room, and all isotopes to be used or stored in the room shall be included on this form.

C.        The RAM Sublicense issued by the RSC shall have a listing of pertinent specific conditions and shall be in the approximate format as portrayed in the following Sample Sublicense (Appendix I-3).