Washington State University
SAFETY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MANUAL

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RADIATION SAFETY
9.46
Revised 3-02
Radiation Safety Office
335-8916

Extremity Monitoring

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POLICY

The Radiation Safety Committee and the responsible authorized user must ensure that each faculty or staff member is monitored for radiation dosage to his or her hands when warranted by possible exposures to certain radionuclides and/or radiation machines. (This requirement is in addition to the requirement to wear a whole body monitoring device as described in 9.45.)

State law requires that each dosimeter be issued to a specific individual and forbids the use of an assigned dosimeter by any other person. (WAC 246-221-090)

Applicability

The following personnel are required to monitor the radiation dosage to extremities (e.g., hands):

• Personnel whose experiments involve use of 1.0 mCi (37 MBq) or more per week of certain radionuclides.

These radionuclides are ³²P, ²²Na, ⁵⁹Fe, ⁶⁰Co, ⁹⁰Y, ⁹⁰Sr, ¹³⁷Cs, and ¹³¹I;

• Personnel whose experiments involve use of 10 mCi (370 MBq) or more per week of ⁵¹Cr or ¹²⁵I.


• Some users of radiation machines, such as animal holders and X-ray diffraction device operators.


• The Radiation Safety Office may issue extremity monitors at its discretion based on the evaluation of a particular use of radioactive materials or radiation machines.

RESPONSIBILITY

Radiation Safety Committee

The Radiation Safety Committee determines whether or not workers require extremity monitors. The committee makes the determination based upon information provided on the Application to Use Radioactive Materials or the Application to Use Radiation Machines. See 9.20.

If extremity monitors (finger rings) are likely to be needed, the committee explicitly states this requirement when the application is approved.

Authorized User

The authorized user notifies the Radiation Safety Office (RSO) when a finger ring is required. The authorized user must notify the RSO prior to actual need for the finger ring.

Need for a finger ring may be based upon the authorized user's own assessment, Radiation Safety Office review, or upon Radiation Safety Committee action.

Radiation Safety Office

The Radiation Safety Office procures, issues, and ensures the timely return of finger rings.

ENFORCEMENT

The Radiation Safety Office (RSO) scrutinizes all authorizations for use of certain radionuclides and radiation machines. (See "Applicability" above.) The RSO determines which authorized users might possess radiation machines or radionuclides in quantities that could require extremity monitoring.

The RSO checks radioisotope possession limits to determine which authorized users have possession limits suggesting a need for extremity monitoring.

When an incoming shipment of radioactive materials includes one or more of the radionuclides listed above at the specified activity levels, the RSO issues a Proper Dosimetry Verification Report.

Receiving laboratory personnel are to list the actual prospective users of the materials on the verification report. The RSO uses the verification report information to ensure the assignment of proper dosimetry to the users.

The Radiation Safety Office contacts applicable authorized users by memorandum and follow-up telephone call to remind them of their responsibility to ensure extremity monitoring of group members.

The Radiation Safety Office checks compliance with extremity monitoring requirements during routine laboratory surveys and audits of specific safety procedures.

Noncompliance

The Radiation Safety Office withholds delivery of radioactive material to or prohibits the operation of a radiation machine by a noncomplying authorized user until he or she meets the requirements in this section.

The Director of the Radiation Safety Office reports instances of noncompliance to the Chair of the Radiation Safety Committee.

The Chair refers the case to the committee for action. The committee may take the following actions:

• Send a letter of admonition to the authorized user or individual(s).


• Request the authorized user to appear before the committee.


• Suspend the authorized user or individual(s) from operations for a specified period of time.


• Terminate University authorization for the authorized user or individual(s) to use radioactive materials or radiation machines.