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X-Ray
Units
Purchasing and Acquiring Radiation-Producing Equipment
(top)
Any proposed purchase or acquisition and instillation of x-ray equipment
or electron microscopes must be reviewed and approved in advance by the
Radiation Safety Officer.
After instillation, a radiation survey of the equipment must be performed,
and the unit must be registered with the New
Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. EHS will perform the survey and will handle the registration
paperwork.
Training Requirements (top)
X-Ray safety training is scheduled on an as-needed basis. Contact the
Radiation Safety Officer to schedule x-ray safety training.
For X-Ray Diffraction Equipment
Persons who have no previous x-ray diffraction experience and related
radiation safety training are required to attend an x-ray safety training
class offered by EHS before they first use x-ray equipment.
Persons who have previous x-ray diffraction experience and related radiation
safety training are required to meet with the Radiation
Safety Officer for a brief discussion of University x-ray safety requirements.
For Other X-Ray Equipment
There are specific training requirements for users of other x-ray equipment,
including the Molecular Biology Department's Faxitron cabinet x-ray unit.
Contact the Radiation Safety Officer to inquire about training
for other types of x-ray equipment.
Radiation-Monitoring Badge Requirements (top)
State regulations require that anyone who uses x-ray diffraction equipment
and most other types of x-ray equipment must wear radiation-monitoring
badges. Contact EHS at 8-5294 to make arrangements to obtain monitoring
badges.
Electron microscope users are not required to wear radiation-monitoring
badges.
Guidelines for Use of X-Ray Diffraction Equipment
(top)
Section
9 of the Radiation Safety Manual provides additional information
about precautions and guidelines for the use of x-ray diffraction equipment.
Electron Microscopes (top)
Electron Microscopes rarely present a radiation hazard, although state
regulations require that electron microscopes be registered and labeled
as radiation-producing equipment, and radiation surveys must be performed.
Because radiation leakage may develop when shielding in the column
is improperly installed, state regulations require that radiation surveys
must be performed for any newly installed or relocated microscope,
when
the microscope has been modified for special experiments, and following
any service work in which the column has been opened. Contact EHS at
8-5294 to request radiation surveys.
Uranium, often used as uranyl acetate, may be used in a stain in some
electron microscope procedures. Uranium is regulated somewhat differently
than other radioactive materials and can be purchased directly by the
user from a vendor. However, once uranium compounds are brought onto
the Princeton University campus, the compounds fall within the scope
of the University's NRC radioactive material license. Some degree
of inventory
control is required and waste materials must be disposed of as radioactive
waste. Contact EHS when uranium compounds are acquired.
Additional information concerning electron microscopes and radiation
safety is available at the following sites:
http://www.adpc.purdue.edu/PhysFac/rem/rs/sem.htm
http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/rss/xray/escopes.htm
NJDEP Regulations (top)
Regulations concerning the use of radiation-producing equipment are
available at the New
Jersey Radiation Protection Rules & Regulations site.
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