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APPENDIX H
The Use of Radioisotopes and Radiation Sources at ESF: New User Quick Guide
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Radiation Safety Officer: Mark Driscoll (phone x6848)

Use of a radioisotope or other radiation sources at ESF requires a license from the State of New York Health Department. ESF has had a site license to cover all users without the hassle of applying for an individual license. Keeping this license is contingent upon our strict adherence to the regulations. Without cooperation of all users to conform to the rules, we would risk losing the license, a consequence that would jeopardize many of our operations at ESF. Radiation Safety Committee (RSC) is responsible for our proper use of radioisotopes and other radiation sources at ESF and has an authority to approve or disapprove a use by members of ESF. Radiation Safety Officer (RSO), a member of RSC, is responsible for direct supervision/safeguard in radiation-related matters. All communications with Radiation Safety Committee may be made through RSO.

To ensure safety and adherence to the law, please follow these steps when you wish to start using a radioisotope or radiation source.

1. Consult RSO and obtain more detailed instructions.
   
2. Principal Investigator or a professor (in the case of teaching use) file an application for use together with registration for all prospective users plus a list of workers utilizing the same space and obtain approval by RSC.
   
3. Obtain permission for acquisition of radioisotopes from RSC.
   
4. Acquire needed labeled materials and proceed with planned work.
   
5. Keep Radiation Safety Officer informed via memo interchange.
   
6. Submit a report on termination of the project.
   

Please note that no work involving the use of radioisotopes or radiation sources may be conducted nor may radioisotopes by ordered without explicit approval of RSC. Also, all permanent members of such a project must be registered and have their work approved by RSC. Non-users entering the same space must be informed of hazards by attending a session of Collegewide Safety Awareness and Training Program at least once a year. All these are State regulations.

All users are also required to take a short course (offered three times a year) before starting their work. Depending on your particular project, additional training may be required by RSC. FCH 520 "Nuclear and Radiation Chemistry" and FCH 521 "Nuclear Chemical Techniques" are offered in the spring semester and highly recommended. Once your work begins, your facilities will be checked by wipe tests by RSO every month and will also be subject to unannounced inspections by the State inspector to ensure proper handling of radioactive materials, disposal, etc. Carefully discuss the disposal procedures with RSO to minimize unnecessary bulk of radioactive wastes since their disposal is quite expensive.

Last, but not least, please keep clean working habits for the safety of yourself and your colleagues.

PROCEDURES FOR THE USE OF RADIOISOTOPES/RADIATION SOURCES AT ESF

1. Users are defined as those who are "permanent" members of a project which involves the use of radioisotopes or radiation sources. This includes graduate students, postdoctorals, technicians as well as project directors/professors who are engaged in the use of radioisotopes/radiation sources. Work-study students and students engaged in a course project employing radioisotopes/radiation sources are referred to as incidental users.
   
2. If the use involves a laboratory, the professor in charge of the laboratory must take the short course to ensure safety. When a principal investigator or a professor cannot supervise regarding the radiation hazards, approval of a project may be given only if a surrogate supervisor is appointed, registered and approved.
   
3. Project must be filed with RSC and approved (Form A). Users must register and get approval by RSC (Form B). A quick guide will be given to prospective users by RS).
   
4. When a project is terminated, a termination form (Form C) must be filed with RSC to ensure proper disposal of radioactive materials.
   
5. RSO will communicate with users via memo to the principal investigator/instructor regarding current status of the project and via return memo from users (Form D).
   
6. Acquisition of radioisotope/radiation source must be approved by RSC (Form E).
   
7. All users must take the short course in which, in addition to technical training, class is informed of legal requirements and is provided with appropriate documents (Form F). RSC may require additional training, which must be satisfied by the user. Under certain circumstances, a project may be allowed to begin following a provisional training session provided by RSO (Form F). It should be understood that this does not satisfy the requirements and short course must be taken within a semester in order to continue with the work.
   
8. Incidental users and non-users who enter the space where radioisotopes are used must be informed of hazards involved at a special training session conducted by RSO at a College-Wide safety program.
   
9. It should be understood that cooperation of all users is essential for the continued licensing at ESF. Non-compliance may result in suspension or revocation of the project/user approval by RSC.