Course Objectives

Provide information on your rights and responsibilities as a radiation worker at WSU.

Meet the requirements of the Washington Administrative Code, WAC 246-222-030, "Instructions to Workers."

Who are the Authorized Users ?Also known as the AU.

They are permanent employees (faculty, classified staff, or administrative/professional) who have been authorized by the Radiation Safety Committee (RSC) to conduct or direct a research or teaching project utilizing radioactive material or radiation producing equipment. This is generally the P.I.

What are the authorized users responsibilities ?

Ensuring that individuals in his or her work group who work with radioactive materials or radiation machines attend appropriate WSU radiation safety courses.

Ensuring that each individual in his or her work group who may be occupationally exposed to radiation completes an application for a personal monitoring device, as appropriate.

Ensuring that all bioassays (thyroid scans and urine assays) required by regulations are performed in a timely manner.

What else are Authorized User’s responsible for?

Performing the surveys specified by the Radiation Safety Office for all radiation laboratories under his or her control and maintaining records of survey results.

Restricting radiation levels and contamination levels in the laboratories under his or her control to the prescribed limits.

Decontaminating laboratory areas under his or her

control found to have excessive contamination levels, as determined by the Radiation Safety Office (RSO), and meeting follow-up reporting requirements.

The RSO provides advice and assistance as required.

But wait, there’s more that the Authorized user is responsible for.

They must Monitor and supervise individuals under his or her control for compliance with radiation responsibilities and provide laboratory-specific training.

They must also Maintain security of radioactive materials or radiation machines under his or her control or possession.

ARE YOU AN OCCUPATIONAL RADIATION WORKER ?

If you are an individual likely to receive in a year an occupational dose in excess of 1 mSv (100 mrem): who works with sources of ionizing radiation under the supervision of an Authorized User.

Then you are an occupational radiation worker.

What are your responsibilities as an occupational radiation worker?

Keeping your occupational exposure to radiation As Low As Reasonably Achievable. ALARA

Appropriately wearing a personnel monitoring device at all times while engaged in activities

which expose the individual to radiation.

Wearing appropriate attire for the tasks performed.

You Must Also.Follow all radiation safety rules and regulations

promulgated by WSU, including those contained in Chapter S90 of the Safety Policies and Procedures Manual and in the Radiation Protection Program Manual that is available on the RSO web-site.

http://www.rso.wsu.edu/rppm.htm

Yes! There’s more.You must Report all radioactive material

spills, radiation exposure accidents, and unsafe working conditions to your supervisor and prepare a written report of each incident for submittal to the Radiation Safety Office.

You should refer questions on radiation safety to your supervisor or to the Radiation Safety Office.

Individual Workers Also Have Rights !Any worker or representative of workers who believes that a

violation of the regulations, license conditions, or unnecessary exposure to radiation exists or occurred, may request an inspection by the Washington State Department of Health by oral or written notification. The notification shall set forth

specific grounds for the complaint. Any

such notification to the department is

confidential.

You have the right to notify the Washington State Department of Health if you suspect improper actions by the University, or conditions which may lead to a violation of the regulations, the license, or unnecessary exposure to radiation or radioactive materials.

And even more rights !

And you also have protections.

Employment discrimination by the University against an employee because of such action is prohibited.

In other words. If you report a violation or unsafe condition, the university can take no action against you. This is whistle blower protection.

In each laboratory that is authorized for radioactive materials use, you will find this form (RHF-3) posted.

This form gives the contact information for the Washington state Department of Health. It also list some of your and some of the employer's responsibilities.

If your are issued a radiation badge, you will receive an annual exposure report

like the one below.

Laboratory Safety Training In addition to completing the appropriate

radiation safety course, each prospective radiation worker must receive safety training specifically for the laboratory areas where work will be performed.

Laboratory Safety Training

Each AU (Authorized User) must

instruct all individuals who work with

radioactive material under his/her

supervision, on specific radiation

safety requirements for the

laboratory(s) in which they will be working.

Instruction must take place before the individual begins work with radioactive material. The AU shall maintain a record of this training.

This sign is posted on all laboratories that are authorized for radioactive materials use.

Signs, signs everywhere signs!

FOOD and DRINKNO eating, drinking, smoking, or chewing in Laboratories

posted for radioactive materials use.(Internal contamination)

Do not store food, drink or personal effects in any area, container, or refrigerator designated for radioactive materials use or storage. Required by WAC 246-235-130

The presence of empty food and drink containers will constitute a violation of regulations, since it will be inferred that consumption occurred on the premises.

Release of Equipment For Repair or Surplus. Authorized users must decontaminate and survey each

item of University equipment which has contained or may have been contaminated with radioactive materials prior to disposition.

The Radiation Safety Office (RSO) performs a property release survey prior to the transfer of such equipment to Surplus Stores or other release for unrestricted use.

After completing satisfactory radiation surveys, Radiation Safety Office personnel will remove all radioactive

materials labels or stickers.

(Non-RSO personnel shall not remove radioactive materials labels.)

Test Time!

Follow this link to the test. https://myresearch.wsu.edu

Use your WSU user name and password to sign in.

Click on the training tab.Then click on the available training tabFind the radiation regulations course, in the

OR section, click on it and take the test.