Radiation Safety FAQs
Administrative
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How do I become an Authorized User of radioactive materials?
To use radioactive materials in any amount for biomedical research purposes at Duke University or Duke University Medical Center, researchers must obtain a permit ("Authorization") from the appropriate Radiation Safety Committee. Obtaining an Authorization is a straight-forward procedure. The main requirement for obtaining an Authorization is that a researcher must be a full-time member of the Faculty at Duke and have training and experience commensurate with the types and amounts of radioactive material to be used. Please allow four to six weeks to submit the application, complete the required training and formulate your laboratory's Standard Operating Procedures.
To obtain Authorization to use radioactive materials for clinical purposes at Duke University Medical Center (i.e. for Nuclear Medicine or Radiation Oncology), please contact Robert E. Reiman, MD, the General Secretary of the Medical Center Radiation Safety Committee at 919-668-3186 for application and approval requirements and procedures. -
How do I change the terms of my AU permit?
The locations where you store or use radioactive materials (including radioactive waste), and the radionuclides you use in your research, are conditions of your Duke Radioactive Materials Authorization. You may not use radioactive materials for which you do not have authorization, in any amount. You may not use locations that are not included in your Authorization. To determine the locations and radionuclides for which you have authorization, please consult your current Authorization Permit. If locations appear on your Authorizations Permit that you no longer use, you should request that they be removed. Otherwise, you will be held responsible for them during periodic Radiation Safety audits.
If you wish to ADD locations or radionuclides to your Authorization, you may do so by requesting the change(s) IN WRITING to the Duke Radiation Safety Officer, Dr. Terry Yoshizumi. You can do this via electronic mail (yoshi003@mc.duke.edu). Please include your name, Authorization number, contact information and a brief statement as to the purpose of the proposed change. You may also use this procedure to remove radionuclides from your Authorization if you no longer require them.
To remove a location from your Authorization, please contact your Radiation Safety Laboratory Auditor. Your Auditor will assist you in removing radioactive waste and performing final "close-out" surveys of the location. When the close-out is complete, contact Dr. Yoshizumi as above.
All Authorization changes are subject to final approval by the Radiation Safety Committee at its next quarterly meeting.
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I'm an Authorized User who is leaving Duke in a couple of months. What do I need to do to close out my lab?
If you are leaving Duke University and wish to terminate your Radioactive Materials Authorization, you are required to complete all of the following, if applicable:
(1) Notify the Duke Radiation Safety Officer (RSO), Dr. Terry Yoshizumi, IN WRITING, of your intent to terminate your Authorization. You should do this FOUR WEEKS in advance of your anticipated departure date, if possible, to allow for completion of the close-out procedure. You can contact the RSO by electronic mail (yoshi003@mc.duke.edu).
(2) Contact your Laboratory's Radiation Safety Auditor and advise him/her of your intent to terminate operations. Your Auditor will assist you in the proper disposition of any radioactive waste or sealed sources, and assist in final decontamination and close-out radiation surveys. You can find out who your Laboratory Auditor here.
(3) If you wish to transfer your radioactive material inventory to colleagues at Duke, you may do so by contacting the RSO as above to request the transfer. Access your radioactive material inventory records at https://lsw.duhs.duke.edu/radsafety/web_inventory/default.asp and note the Unique Item Numbers of any items you wish to transfer to Duke colleagues. Advise your Laboratory Auditor of these items so that they may be electronically transferred to the recipient. This includes sealed sources that are parts of instruments such as scintillation counters.
(4) If you wish to remove radioactive materials from Duke and transfer them to another institution, they MUST be shipped by personnel in the Radiation Safety Division. Shipment of radioactive materials is strictly regulated by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Department of Transportation. Advise the RSO of your intention to ship radioactive material. Equipment such as refrigerators and centrifuges that have been used to store or process radioactive specimens must be certified to be free of removable contamination before they can be transported to anther location.
(5) Access your radioactive material inventory records at https://lsw.duhs.duke.edu/radsafety/web_inventory/default.asp and consign to waste ("CTW") all active items that you have disposed as radioactive waste.
(6) Contact the Laboratory Safety Division of the Occupational and Environmental Safety Office for any additional requirements regarding chemicals, waste or other hazardous materials. Consult their Close-Out Web Page for further information.
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I want to send some radioactive material to a colleague in another state. Can I just mail it?
Radioactive materials CANNOT be sent through the United States mail in any amount. Shipment of radioactive material is strictly regulated by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Department of Transportation. First, special packaging is required, depending upon the type and amount of material sent. Second, the material must be shipped via a licensed and bonded carrier such as Federal Express or UPS. Third, the receiving institution must possess a license from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission or an Agreement State to possess the material you wish to ship. Finally, Duke must supply the recipient with a copy of the Institutional license issued by the State of North Carolina. In order to comply with these demands, we require that ALL radioactive material shipments be made through the Radiation Safety Division.
If you wish to ship radioactive material off campus, contact Terry Mangum (919-668-3184), Brian Gibbs (919-668-3182) or Greg Egan (919-668-3158) in the Radiation Safety Division. Radiation Safety staff will select the appropriate shipping container and carrier, verify the license requirements, supply the recipient with a copy of Duke's license, and package and ship the material for you.
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What's Duke's "NRC Number" for grants?
Some Federal agencies require that individuals submitting research grant applications supply an "NRC Number". This is presumably the Institution's license number with the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and is taken by the funding agency as evidence that the submitting institution has legal authority to possess radioactive materials. The NRC has jurisdiction in 18 states. North Carolina is not one of them. Academic and medical institutions in North Carolina are licensed and regulated by the Radiation Protection Section of the North Carolina Department of the Environment and Natural Resources, and so do not have "NRC Numbers".
You may use the following North Carolina Radioactive Materials License Numbers with your grant applications in lieu of the "NRC Number":
(1) For investigators in the School of Medicine: 032-0247-4
(2) Other Duke investigators, such as Nicholas School of the Environment: 032-0247-1 .
Investigators in the accelerator facilities (TUNL, DFELL) should contact the Radiation Safety Officer (Dr. Terry Yoshizumi, 919-668-3188) to determine the proper license number for their purposes.
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I'm moving my lab to a new building. What do I need to do?
Here is the procedure you should follow:
(1) When your new laboratory areas are ready for occupancy, make sure you have the appropriate survey instruments, personal protective equipment and radioactive waste bins in place. If you plan to move or dispose of any equipment containing authorized radiation sources (for example, liquid scintillation or gamma counters with quench or calibration sources), please inform your Radiation Safety Auditor.
(2) BEFORE you begin use of radioactive materials in the new location(s), address a request for the ADDITION of the new location(s) to your Authorization IN WRITING to the Duke Radiation Safety Officer, Dr. Terry Yoshizumi. You can do this via electronic mail (yoshi003@mc.duke.edu). Please include your name, Authorization number, the Building / Room Number of each new location and your contact information.
(3) If you plan to completely VACATE your old laboratory areas, please contact your Radiation Safety Laboratory Auditor. Your Auditor will assist you in removing radioactive waste and performing final "close-out" surveys of the old locations. When the close-out is complete, address a request for the REMOVAL of the vacated locations from your permit IN WRITING to Dr. Yoshizumi.
(4) If you plan to continue operations at your old locations, you need only to contact Dr. Yoshizumi and request addition of the new locations. The old and new locations will be included on your Authorization.
(5) You should take this opportunity to review your Authorization permit. If it contains radionuclides that you do not intend to use in your new location, you should contact Dr. Yoshizumi as above to request their removal from your Authorization.
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I've invented a new radioactive drug and want to test it in people. What do I need to do?
Clinical investigation using novel radioactive drugs is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the authority of Title 21, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 361.1. To perform clinical research at Duke using a new radioactive drug, you must be a physician licensed to practice medicine in North Carolina, and must be approved to use radioactive materials in humans by the Duke University Medical Center Radiation Safety Committee. New radioactive drugs must be approved by the Duke Radioactive Drug Research Committee (RDRC) before any use in humans. To obtain RDRC approval:
(1) Review the relevant portions of the Duke Radiation Safety Manual (Chapter 4, Section D). Give particular attention to the requirements for supplying estimates of internal radiation doses in humans. For assistance with dosimetry estimates, contact Robert Reiman, MD (668-3186) in Radiation Safety.
(2) Download an RDRC Application. Send the completed, signed application to the Secretary of the RDRC, Dr. Robert Reiman, MD at Box 3155, Duke University Medical Center. The application will be reviewed by members of the RDRC for action.
(3) RDRC approval alone is NOT sufficient for the initiation of clinical studies using your new radioactive drug. All requirements of the Duke Institutional Review Board (IRB) regarding clinical trials must also be met.
Dosimetry
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How do I get a film badge?
If you use ONLY tritium (hydrogen-3) or carbon-14, you do not require a dosimeter. Occupational dosimeters are not capable of measuring the external exposure from tritium or C-14, so we will not issue badges for these radionuclides.
If you use phosphorus-32 or any of the gamma emitting radionuclides, or are exposed to x-ray sources, you will need a dosimeter in most cases. Before you contact us to apply for a dosimeter, please have the following information available: (1) your Social Security Number and (2) the names and addresses of any institutions where you previously worked which issued you a radiation dosimeter, or otherwise monitored your radiation exposure. We are required by law to attempt to obtain your prior radiation exposure history. You will also need to sign a "Release of Information" which permits us to obtain your exposure history.
To apply for a dosimeter, visit our Dosimetry Web Page. You may apply using an on-line form or by using a printed form (downloadable). We prefer that you use the on-line form whenever possible. You will also find release forms and other useful information at this page.
The major Medical Center clinical radiological services (Radiology, Radiation Oncology) and many of the campus biomedical research laboratories have designated Dosimetry Contacts who can assist you with this process. You can also contact Radiation Safety at 919-684-2194 for assistance.
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I work with lots of radioactive iodine and tritium. Is there anything special I should do?
Individuals who routinely work with radioiodine-125, radioiodine-131 or hydrogen-3 (tritium) may be required to undergo periodic assessment of intake, if the contribution of the resulting internal radiation dose could be expected to exceed 10% of the applicable annual limit on total occupational radiation dose. Intake of radioiodine is assesed by external thyroid gland monitoring. Intake of tritium is assesed by measurement of radioactivity in sequential urine samples.
(1) RADIOIODINE: The requirement for thyroid monitoring depends upon the circumstances of use (clinical radionuclide therapy, benchtop experimental, etc.), the chemical form of the material (inorganic,unbound iodine or sodium iodide versus bound organic) and the amount used. In general, individuals actively participating in the administration of radioiodine to patients for clinical radiotherapeutic purposes must undergo thyroid monitoring within seven (7) days of the treatment. For experimental uses, individuals must undergo monitoring within seven days of a procedure if the "trigger levels" are exceeded. See Chapter 5, Section D of the Radiation Safety Manual for the trigger levels.
(2) TRITIUM: Individuals involved in operations that utilize more than 100 millicuries of tritium in a non-contained form (other than metallic foil), within a 30 day period, shall have bioassays performed within one week following a single operation and at weekly intervals for continuing operations.
(3) OTHER RADIONUCLIDES: Unintended inhalation or ingestion of radioactive material (or the possibility of such an intake) may necessitate the measurement of radioactivity in urine, blood or other body fluids.
Emergencies
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I cut my finger with a scalpel that had carbon-14 on it! What do I do?!
For the radionuclides used in the biomedical research setting, the hazard posed by the presence of radioactive materials on needles, scalpels and other "sharps" is INCONSEQUENTIAL compared to the hazards posed by biological agents such as tetanus or blood-borne pathogens (hepatitis B or C, HIV). DO NOT DELAY BY TRYING TO CONTACT RADIATION SAFETY. FIRST, follow this procedure:
(1) Flush the injured area with plenty of clean warm water. If excessive bleeding occurs, apply pressure with a clean cloth or paper towel.
(2) If there is a potential for exposure to BLOOD OR BODY FLUIDS from the injury, IMMEDIATELY dial the "Needlestick Hot Line" at 919-684-8115 (or just dial "115" from the Duke Campus). Inform the operator that you have had an exposure to blood or body fluids. The operator will contact the Occupational Medicine physician on call. Follow the instructions of the on-call physician.
(3) Even if exposure to blood or body fluids was unlikely, immediately seek medical attention for the injury. Inform the treating physician that the injury likely involved radioactive materials. Inform the physician which radioactive materials were involved so that he or she can determine the most appropriate treatment.
(4) After you have received medical treatment, contact Radiation Safety for follow up and documentation.
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I got some radioactive stuff in my mouth! What do I do?!
If you know or suspect that you have inhaled or swallowed radioactive material, follow this procedure:
(1) If the radioactive material was any form of radioactive iodine (iodine-125, iodine-131, etc.), IMMEDIATELY report to the Duke Emergency Department. Advise the Emergency Department staff that you have experienced an intake of radioiodine. Uptake of radioiodine by the thyroid can be blocked if potassium iodide is administered within a few hours following ingestion.
(2) If the radioactive material was cesium-137, plutonium-239, or americium-241, IMMEDIATELY report to the Emergency Department. There are specific treatments for the intake of these radionuclides, which must be begun as soon as possible for maximum effectiveness.
(3) Ingestion of small amounts of the radionuclides commonly used in biomedical research (radiophosphorus, sulfur-35, carbon-14, tritium , etc.) does not present a serious health risk. However, evaluation of the intake and adjustment of your recorded occupational dose may be required by law. Contact the Radiation Safety Division as soon as possible for follow-up and dose reconstruction.
NOTE: Intake of radioactive material is preventable. Radioiodine, especially in unbound inorganic form, is volatile and should be used in a fume hood. The same is true for sulfur-35 as cysteine / methionine. Never pipette radioactive materials using mouth suction. Do not eat, drink, smoke or apply cosmetics in areas where unsealed radioactive materials are being used. Wear disposable gloves, change them frequently and wash your hands following experiments.
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I spilled some phosphorus-32 on my skin! What do I do?!
If you spill a solution containing radioactive material on your skin, follow this procedure:
(1) Immediately flush the affected skin with copious amounts of LUKEWARM water, and DO NOT SCRUB the skin. Hot water, cold water and abrasion from a scrub-brush can compromise the normal dermal barrier against the entry of radioactive materials. If the mucus membranes of the eyes were involved, flush with the ordinary laboratory emergency eye-wash station.
(2) After flushing the area, wash thoroughly with lukewarm water and soap. Do not use volatile solvents or decontaminating agents such as RadCon (TM) or RadiacWash(TM) on your skin.
(3) If the spill was accompanied by burns, cuts or abrasions, IMMEDIATELY seek medical attention for the victim(s) by calling the Campus Police (dial 911 from campus). Arrange for emergency medical response and transport to the Emergency Department if the injuries are serious. DO NOT DELAY by attempting to contact Radiation Safety. If non-intact skin or mucus membranes were involved in the spill, AND there was a possibility of exposure to blood or body fluids, IMMEDIATELY dial the hot-line at 684-8115 (just dial "115" on campus) and inform the operator that you have had an exposure to blood or body fluids. The operator will contact the Occupational Medicine physician on call. Follow the instructions of the on-call physician.
(4) Using a portable survey meter, determine if any residual radioactivity is present on the skin surface. If there is detectable radioactivity, repeat Step (2) until no more activity can be removed. If the spill involved the hand, trimming the fingernails may aid in decontamination. For stubborn areas, sprinkle on talcum powder or cornstarch and put on two or more pairs of disposable gloves if the spill involved the fingers or hand. Continue to wear until perspiration is induced. Remove the gloves, wash the area and re-survey. For other skin areas, apply cornstarch or talcum and an occlusive layer of plastic wrap until perspiration is induced, then wash.
(5) Using the survey meter, determine if any other areas of skin are contaminated. If so, repeat steps (1) - (2).
(6) There are usually no serious health consequences for uncomplicated spills involving the radionuclides commonly used in laboratory research. However, evaluation of the spill and adjustment of your recorded occupational dose may be required by law. Contact Radiation Safety as soon as possible for follow-up and dose reconstruction.
NOTE: Skin contamination is preventable. Always wear disposable gloves, long pants, closed-toed shoes and a full-length laboratory coat when working with radioactive materials. Eye protection (safety glasses with side shields or a face-mask) should be worn if the possibility of a "splash" exposure exists.
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OOPS! I SPILLED something on the floor...now what?
First, REMAIN CALM. The types and amounts of radioactive material typically present in biomedical research laboratories do not present any immediate danger to life or health. For a MINOR spill involving radioactive material, follow this procedure:
(1) Alert people in the vicinity and cordon off the spill area to exclude uninvolved persons. If the spill involved volatile material, close the room doors and leave fume hoods on.
(2) Notify Radiation Safety by calling the Campus Police at 911. They will contact Radiation Safety on-call staff. Follow the instructions of Radiation Safety staff. Please note that Radiation Safety will NOT respond by arriving in a "HazMat" truck dressed in "moon suits" to clean up your spill. They will provide support and guidance while you decontaminate your facilities.
(3) Using a survey meter, scan the clothing and shoes of involved personnel to exclude the possibility of personal contamination. If radioactivity is discovered, remove any contaminated outer garments. Record the names of the people involved in the spill for documentation purposes.
(4) Small spills may be easily cleaned up by laboratory staff. In preparation, put on a full-length lab coat, shoe covers, safety glasses and a double pair of protective gloves. Have on hand plastic bags, absorbent paper (paper towels or "blue pads"), more disposable gloves, and decontamination foam or solution such as RadCon (TM) or RadiacWash (TM). If decontamination foam or soultions are not available, substitute warm soapy water.
(5) For a LIQUID spill, lay absorbent paper over the spill. Do not press or wipe. When the spill is absorbed, carefully lift the paper and place in a plastic bag for disposal of radioactive waste. For SOLID spills, lay dampened absorbent paper over the spill and lift up, being careful not to disperse the solid. Place the absorbent paper in a plastic bag.
(6) Continue to decontaminate using small amounts of foam, solution or soapy water on paper towels. Dispose of used paper towels in the plastic bag. While working, decontaminate from the OUTSIDE (uncontaminated) area toward the INNER (contaminated) area. Change your OUTER pair of disposable gloves frequently, placing the used gloves in the plastic bag. Do NOT use copious amounts of liquids when decontaminating (i.e. mop and bucket).
(7) Monitor the area with a survey meter. For some radioactive materials, such as carbon-14 or tritium (which may not be reliably detected with a meter), you will need to perform wipe tests to document the absence of removable contamination. Repeat cleaning measures until all areas are free of contamination.
(8) When finished, monitor your person for contamination. Remove and dispose of any contaminated personal protective equipment as radioactive waste. Wash hands thoroughly.
(9) Perform extensive area / swipe surveys of the entire lab area to document the absence of removable contamination and keep the results in your survey log.
For a MAJOR spill involving heavy personnel contamination or physical injury, see our regarding "Spills on Skin", and notify Radiation Safety AFTER measures have been taken to get victims to medical attention.
Inventory
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How do I update my radioactive materials inventory?
All Authorized Users who possess radioactive materials in "usable form" (manufacturer's stock vials, sealed sources, synthesized reagents, dilutions of stock material and so forth) are required to periodically report their "usable form" holdings to the Radiation Safety Division. Radioactive waste, radioactive animals or animal carcasses, and radioactivity fixed in gels are not considered to be "usable form". The requirements for reporting your radioactive material inventory are as follows:
(1) METHOD OF REPORTING: All reporting is done electronically using our Web page at http://www.safety.duke.edu/RadSafety/web_inventory/default.asp . No other form of reporting is accepted.
(2) SECURITY OF REPORTING: Inventory records are password-protected. It is the responsibility of the individual laboratories to maintain and secure their passwords. Staff of the Radiation Safety Division will not maintain or reveal passwords. They can "reset" them with proper authorization if necessary. You may contact Giao Nguyen at 668-3185 for assistance.
(3) FREQUENCY OF REPORTING: For most laboratories using unsealed radioactive materials, the reporting frequency is at least once in every calendar month. For sealed sources, the reporting frequency is every six months. There is no "grace period". There is no minimum interval; reports can be submitted electronically at any time.
(4) DOCUMENTATION OF REPORTING: When you submit your inventory report, a Web page appears that summarizes your report. You should print this page and keep it with your inventory documentation. Although Radiation Safety maintains a separate electronic record of your updates and uses it to document your compliance with reporting requirements, it is a good idea to maintain your own verification of your updates.
(5) AMOUNTS TO REPORT: For some short-lived radionuclides, the vendor may ship more radioactive material than you ordered. The individual "line items" that appear on the Update Form record the amount you actually received, not the amount you ordered. We do not use "Reference Amounts" or "Reference Dates" as printed on the inner vials to determine activity. Subsequent amounts that show up for the line items on the "Update" form reflect the depletion due to physical decay. It is the responsibility of the laboratory personnel to adjust these amounts to reflect the depletion due to use (if any) at the time of updating inventory.
You can learn more about the Inventory Reporting System at http://www.safety.duke.edu/RadSafety/web_inventory/learn.asp . This Web Page contains links to an on-line "slide-show" tutorial and "Frequently Asked Questions" sheets that can assist you in getting the most out of the system.
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We want to give some P-32 to the lab down the hall. Can we do that?
To transfer radioactive material IN ANY AMOUNT to colleagues on the Duke campus, you must (a) obtain the permission of the Duke Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) and (b) arrange to have your inventory amounts adjusted to reflect the transfer. Follow this procedure:
(1) Verify with the RECIPIENT that he / she has authorization to possess the radionuclide you wish to transfer, in the amount you wish to transfer. If the recipient does not have proper authorization, they must request it from the RSO before the transfer can take place.
(2) Contact the RSO (Dr. Terry Yoshizumi; yoshi003@mc.duke.edu) and request the transfer.
(3) When the transfer is approved, contact a member of the Radiation Safety Inventory Team (contact information: http://www.safety.duke.edu/radsafety/web_inventory/contact_info.asp). They will assist you in electronically transferring your inventory "line item(s)" to the recipient Authorization.
(4) You must NOT use public roadways (off-campus streets, etc.) to transport the material to the recipient. If it is necessary to use public roadways, the material must be shipped by Radiation Safety according to USNRC and USDOT regulations. Contact the Radiation Safety Officer if you have questions.