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SECTION
1: Radiation Safety Program
Introduction
Radiation Safety Program
Introduction (top)
In September 1971 a consolidation and reorganization of the Princeton
University safety organization was completed, and a comprehensive, integrated
occupational health and safety program established. This was done, in
the words of former President Goheen, "... to better carry out
the responsibility we [the University] assume to prevent, to the best
of our ability, injury and death to students, staff and members of the
general public...and to enable the institution to discharge its legal,
moral and regulatory obligations more effectively and efficiently."
Since radiation safety is an integral part of the University's health
and safety program, an understanding of the overall structure and organization
is essential to an understanding of the radiation safety program.
The four primary components or elements of the University's safety
organization include a University Committee on Occupational Safety and
Health, responsible for policy; an Office of Environmental Health and
Safety, responsible for monitoring the implementation of the Committee's
decisions; a network of "Departmental
Safety Managers"; and an explicit statement of health and safety
policy.
The University Committee on Occupational Safety and Health is appointed
by the Dean of the Faculty on behalf of the President and consists of
faculty, research staff members, and University administrators and those
ex officio members necessary for the conduct of the Committee's business.
The Committee normally meets several times during the academic year
and is responsible for developing health and safety policy, advising
the President and monitoring the progress of the health and safety program.
A list of the membership is included in Appendix
A.
The Office of Environmental Health and Safety is a division of the
Office
of Risk Management within the Treasurer’s Office. Its staff,
consisting of health physicists, industrial hygienists, safety engineers,
a sanitarian and supporting clerical and technical staff, functions
in an advisory and consultive capacity. They assist the academic and
operating departments in the implementation of the health and safety
policy and in maintaining compliance with all applicable Federal, State
and local health and safety regulations and standards. The health and
safety staff provides a variety of services, consultations, evaluations
and audits. The Office of Environmental Health and Safety is responsible
to the Assistant Treasurer who reports to the Treasurer. The Assistant
Treasurer also serves as Executive Secretary for the Committee. A list
of the senior Environmental Health and Safety staff is included in Appendix
A.
The "Departmental
Safety Manager" is the individual designated by the department
chairman or office head, who acts on behalf of the department in
health
and safety matters. The Manager is the primary liaison between the
department and the Environmental Health and Safety staff and is
generally responsible
for becoming familiar with departmental activities involving actual
or potential hazards. Managers in departments using "Sources
of Radiation" have additional responsibilities described
below.
The health and safety policy of Princeton University is to provide,
to the best of the University's ability, a safe and healthful environment,
free from recognizable hazards for students, staff and visitors, and
to comply with all applicable safety and health regulations and standards.
Radiation Safety Program (top)
Policy and Purpose
Princeton University's radiation safety policy is an extension of the
previously stated occupational safety and health policy and applies
to the use of "Sources of Radiation" in the various teaching,
research and operating activities. The purpose of the radiation safety
program is to provide a structure and organization which ensures continuing
implementation of the radiation safety policy throughout the University.
The objectives of this program are:
- To make every reasonable effort to maintain radiation exposures,
and releases of radioactive material in effluents to unrestricted
areas As Low As is Reasonably Achievable (ALARA). The concept of
ALARA
is
applied taking into account the state of technology and the economics
of improvements in relation to benefits to the public health
and safety,
and other societal and socioeconomic considerations
- To ensure control of the possession and use of "Sources of
Radiation" in
University teaching, research and operating programs to minimize,
insofar as practicable, hazards to personnel and loss of property
arising from the use of such materials
- To ensure compliance with all Federal, State and local laws covering
the use of such materials, machines and devices.
Radiation Safety Committee
The Radiation Safety Committee is appointed by the Dean of the Faculty
on behalf of the President on recommendation of the Chairman of the
Committee on Occupational Safety and Health. It consists of faculty,
research staff members, and University administrators, several of whom
are knowledgeable in the safe use of "Sources of Radiation,"
and certain ex officio members. The Radiation Safety Committee develops
and recommends radiation safety policy to its parent committee and monitors
the progress and continuity of the radiation safety program. Additionally,
and in accordance with the requirements of the various University radioactive
materials licenses, the Committee reviews and either approves or denies
applications for proposed usage of "Sources
of Radiation."
Since most of the work of this Committee is done on a continuing basis,
formal meetings of the Committee are infrequent, normally one or two
per year. A list of the membership is included in Appendix A.
Health Physics Section
The "Health Physicists"
and supporting technical staff comprise the Health Physics Section of
the Office of Environmental Health and Safety. The
Head of the Health Physics Section reports to the General
Manager of the Office of Environmental Health and Safety. The "Health
Physicists" are listed in Appendix A.
The health physics staff provides a variety of radiation safety services,
evaluations and audits, all directed towards assisting the "Authorized
User" and his or her department in implementing the radiation
safety policy and in controlling exposure to radiation and radioactive
materials. The group functions with a strong service orientation, informing
the "Authorized User" of his or her obligations and assisting
the "User" to anticipate
and identify potential radiation safety problems. In carrying out these
responsibilities, every reasonable effort is made to relieve the research
and operating staffs of as much of the mandated administrative and record
keeping detail as is possible. In addition, a number of technical measurements
and evaluations are made as a service to the "Authorized User."
However, it is neither possible nor desirable to relieve the "Authorized
User" of the binding responsibility to ensure that "Sources
of Radiation" under his or her control are used safely and
in accordance with all applicable rules and regulations.
Health Physics Section Responsibilities
The responsibilities of the Health Physics Section include:
- Administration of the five University licenses
- Control of acquisition of "Sources of Radiation" in accordance
with provisions of the various licenses
- Maintenance of all centralized records required by regulation and
pertinent to the radiation safety program
- Administration of the centralized personnel monitoring program
- Administration of the centralized radioactive waste program
- Provision of radiation safety consultations and participation in
preoperational research planning with faculty, research personnel
and support staff
- Inspection and surveys of laboratories and areas where "Sources
of Radiation" are used
- Conducting radiation safety training seminars, assisting the "Authorized
User" in instructing radiation workers, and auditing overall
compliance with the radiation safety training policy
- Advising and assisting University personnel regarding the shipment
of radioactive materials and monitoring all outgoing and certain incoming
shipments of radioactive material
- Performing required leak tests for all "Sealed
Sources"
- Collection and dissemination of radiation safety information including
radioisotope fact sheets, regulatory changes, health and safety advisories,
etc.
- Provision of assistance and advice in all radiation emergencies
and supervision of special decontamination operations
- Performing first echelon maintenance and periodic calibration of
laboratory survey equipment
- Investigation and analysis of radiation incidents including, for
example, pills of radioactive materials, releases, etc., and development
of recommendations to prevent reoccurrences
- Auditing the progress and continuity of the radiation safety program
- Developing and refining radiation detection, shielding and health
protection techniques
- When appropriate, representing the University at public hearings
concerned with questions of radiation safety
- Provision of advice and assistance to academic and operating departments
for the acquisition of radiation detection and dosimetry equipment
- Provision of assistance in the design of new and renovated laboratories
in which "Sources of Radiation" are to be used
- Acting as primary liaison between the University, the "Authorized
Users" and the various regulatory agencies and accompanying regulatory
personnel during their inspection of any University operation.
Radiation Safety Responsibilities of the "Departmental
Safety Manager"
The role of the "Departmental Safety
Manager" has been described
elsewhere; in addition, in departments where "Sources of Radiation"
are used, the manager is also responsible for reviewing and approving,
denying or acknowledging, on behalf of the Department, applications
for authorization for "Sources of Radiation."
Broad License
The existence of a comprehensive University radiation safety program
enables the University to hold a Nuclear
Regulatory Commission broad byproduct materials license. Under this
concept the Nuclear Regulatory Commission delegates its responsibility
to license the possession and use of radioactive materials to the University
Radiation Safety Committee in accordance with the procedures and guidelines
established in this Guide and in the University's license application.
This concept has over the years contributed to the effectiveness of
the University's radiation safety effort, it is more economical and
it provides for more effective control and higher degree of radiation
safety. An internal licensing capability also reduces the time required
to obtain an authorization number (license) from months to weeks with
obvious benefits to one interested in research.
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