A. Information regarding the use of radioactive material can be found by viewing the Environmental Health and Safety website at www.ehs.ucsb.edu. All forms, policy and procedures relevant to the use of radioactive material can be accessed on the EH&S website.
For approval to use radioactive material at SNARL, the following forms must be completed and submitted to the UCSB Radiation Safety Officer, Department of Environmental Health and Safety:
1. “Application for Possession and Use of Radioactive Material”
2. “Principal Investigator (PI) Training and Experience”
B. Some of the important items of review/consideration during the application process are:
1. Transporting radioactive materials to and from SNARL in accordance with requirements of the U.S. Department of Transportation.
2. Storage of radioactive materials in appropriate cabinets, refrigerators and freezers that are not used to store food and drink.
3. Posting of rooms and storage enclosures with “Caution, Radioactive Materials” signs, and labeling all containers with “Caution, Radioactive Materials” tape.
4. Covering all radionuclide work surfaces with absorbent paper or disposable diapers.
5. Contamination monitoring of the work areas according to the frequency specified in the campus radiation safety manual.
C. If possible, arrange to visit the UCSB campus to discuss the proposed use of radioactive materials with the Radiation Safety Officer, Jim Castro. Please make arrangements by calling him at (805) 893-3588, or email at jim.casto@ehs.ucsb.edu
D. An evaluation of the radiation safety aspects of the proposed research will be prepared by the Radiation Safety Officer, based on the documentation submitted and the results of the discussion on campus. The full Radiation Safety Committee (RSC) may need to review/approve the application, depending on the nature of the experiment, activities/radionuclides used, etc. The RSC meets once a calendar quarter; an application should be submitted a few months before the desired use date.
E. Once the application is reviewed and approved, an Ionizing Radiation Authorization (IRA) will be issued to the applicant.
F. Providing for the disposal of radioactive wastes. The Radiation Safety Office staff conducts annual visits to SNARL, and at that time will pickup waste, review related monitoring, radioisotope usage records, etc.
G. Emergency and Spill Procedures: It’s recommended that a spill cleanup kit be available for use, which should include disposable coveralls, gloves and shoe covers, decontamination solution/detergent, paper towels, plastic disposal bags. Notify the UCSB Radiation Safety Office (805) 893-3588, or (805) 893-7255 if a spill occurs. One should refer to the campus Radiation Safety Manual, Chapter 11, “Emergency and Spill Procedure,” for additional information.
H. Ordering and Receiving of Radioactive Package: packages shipped directly to SNARL will be monitored for contamination upon receipt. Records of the monitoring will be maintained for review by the Radiation Safety Office.