This section contains the following information:

Topic

General Laboratory Safety

Unsealed Radioactive Materials Safety

Sealed Source Safety

Posting Requirements

General Laboratory Safety

The safe use of radiation sources depends on all individuals being aware of the potential hazards and the proper procedures to control those hazards.

Prior to using radioactive materials in a laboratory, the following steps should be taken:

- Become familiar with the radioisotope to be used, its characteristics, hazards, and appropriate handling techniques and storage requirements;

- Develop written procedures for all experiments, including safety precautions;

- Determine the need for any shielding or ventilation requirements;

- Designate a restricted area in which the experiment will be conducted;

- Clearly post the area and clear out unnecessary equipment;

- Perform a trial run of the experiment using non-radioactive materials to determine if the protocol is adequate;

- Analyze the waste stream to prevent the production of mixed chemical/radioactive waste; and

- Maintain good housekeeping practices.

With proper preparation:

- Radiation doses will remain low;

- Compliance with the regulations will be maintained;

- Radioactive waste will be minimized;

- Costs will be reduced;

- Research efforts will be improved; and

- Mixed waste will not be generated.

The following are the fundamental requirements for the safe use of radioactive materials in a research laboratory:

- Use the principles of Time, Distance, and Shielding, and Contamination Control to keep exposure to radiation as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA).

- Eating, drinking, smoking, and applying cosmetics is prohibited in laboratory areas where radioactive materials are used or stored;

- Work areas (such as bench tops, hoods, and countertops) shall be covered with absorbent matting or the work must be conducted within trays to contain spills;

- Plexiglas shielding is required to prevent whole body radiation exposure levels from exceeding 5 mR/hr when strong beta emitting radioisotopes such as ³²P are used;

- Lead bricks, foil, or lead impregnated plastic shielding is required to prevent whole body radiation exposure levels from exceeding 5 mR/hr when gamma emitting radioisotopes such as ¹²⁵I are used;

- Disposable gloves and laboratory coats shall be worn when handling radioactive materials;

- Laboratories, rooms, animal facilities, or approved areas for use of radioactive materials shall be posted with a "Caution Radioactive Materials" sign;

- Each container or piece of equipment in which radioactive materials are used and/or stored shall be labeled in accordance with the applicable requirements of 10 CFR §20.1904 and §20.1905;

- Radioactive materials shall be stored in labeled containers or storage areas and secured from unauthorized use or removal when not under surveillance by authorized individuals. This can be accomplished by assuring that the laboratory room is locked when no individuals are present or by locking the radioisotope storage refrigerator, freezer, or area at all times;

- Radioactive waste storage containers in the laboratory shall be labeled with a "Caution Radioactive Materials" sign. Liquid waste shall be placed in plastic containers (or plastic coated glass containers for organics) that prevent leakage or breakage and shall be placed in secondary containers to contain spills. Containers with liquid waste must be sealed or capped to prevent the release of volatile byproducts.

- Laboratory glassware and other equipment used to work with radioactive materials shall be labeled with a "Caution - Radioactive Materials" sticker and shall not be removed from a radioisotope laboratory or mixed with "clean" equipment until demonstrated to be free of contamination.

Unsealed Radioactive Materials Safety

- Thoroughly wash hands after using unsealed radioisotopes: before eating, drinking, or smoking.

- Laboratory areas shall be monitored for contamination with an appropriate portable survey meter at the end of each day when radioisotopes are used or after each radioisotope use, whichever is more frequent.

- Work with volatile radioactive materials, dusts and aerosols in an operating chemical fume hood.

Sealed Source Safety

- Sealed sources containing 100 µCi or more of radioactive materials must be leak tested at intervals not to exceed six months. Sealed sources containing 10 µCi or more of alpha emitting radioactive materials must be leak tested at intervals not to exceed three months. Sources containing hydrogen-3 (³H) or krypton-85 (⁸⁵Kr) are exempt from testing. The test must be performed in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.

- Maintain control of all sealed sources. This includes small check sources and calibration standards that are exempt from leak testing.

Posting Requirements

The radioactive material licenses require that certain information be posted to make persons aware of the use of radioactive materials or radiation emitting devices in USDA facilities, and to make people aware of ther rights and responsibilities.

- Regulatory Requirements

The following information must be posted in such as manner as to allow individuals to read the information on their way into or out of restricted areas:

NRC Form-3 "Notice to Employees";

Title 10 CFR Parts 19 and 20;

Section 206 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1974, as amended;

The USDA License and license application; and

The results of NRC inspections and Notice of Violations, and USDA responses.

If posting this information is impractical, NRC Form-3 may be posted along with a notice stating where and when the required information may be examined.

- Laboratory Posting

A "Caution - Radioactive Materials" sign must be posted at the entrance to any area where radioactive materials are used or stored, regardless of the quantity.

A "Caution - Radiation Emitting Equipment" sign (or equivalent) must be posted at the entrance to any area where equipment capable of producing x-ray radiation is present.

A "Caution - Radiation Area" sign must be posted at the entrance to any area where the radiation levels exceed 5 mR/hr at one foot from any radiation source.