Research Lab

Authorized User (AU) definition- The PI or person responsible for assuring the safe use of radioactive material in the laboratory. 

All users are responsible for implementing all radiation safety rules, abiding by regulations, and procedures within their laboratory, and are directly responsible for the following laboratory safety rules:

• The AU is responsible for the safety of each person assigned to the laboratory.
• The AU is responsible for assuring compliance with Johns Hopkins, state, and federal rules and regulations regarding all radioactive materials or radiation-emitting devices.        
• The AU must verify that all radioactive materials are properly purchased, stored, used, and disposed of properly.
• The AU must ensure that all appropriate records documenting the safe use of radioactive material and radiation-emitting devices are maintained by the laboratory.  The records include, but are not limited to:
  • Request to procure, use, or dispose of radioactive material or radiation-producing devices
  • Work area contamination
  • Documenting the disposal of radioactive sources
  • Memos documenting radiation-related issues within the laboratory
• Authorized user is responsible for training their staff members in radiation safety procedures and techniques for their laboratory.  This is in addition to the introductory radiation safety training provided by Johns Hopkins Radiation Safety Office.

See HSE902 Radiation Safety Responsibilities for more information. 

Each authorized user shall report to the JHMI Radiation Control Unit the theft or loss of any source of radiation immediately after such occurrence becomes known.  A search must be conducted as soon as losses become known.  The laboratory staff and Radiation Control Unit staff will conduct the search.

Utilize all appropriate protective measures such as:

• Wear protective clothing whenever contamination is possible and avoid wearing it outside the laboratory area.
• Use protective barriers and other shields whenever possible.
• Use mechanical devices whenever their use will assist in reducing exposure.
• Use pipette filling devices.  Never pipette radioactive solutions by mouth.
• Procedures involving aerosols, dusts or gaseous products or procedures which might produce airborne contamination more than regulatory limits shall be conducted in a hood, dry box, or other suitable closed system.
• Once used for radioactive substances, equipment shall not be used for other work or sent from the area to cleaning facilities, repair shops, or returned to the source of supply until demonstrated to be free of contamination.
• House vacuum lines are vulnerable to contamination. When the laboratory vacuum is used to manipulate radioactive materials, a suitable trap must be employed to ensure that the building vacuum pump system does not become contaminated.  A general set-up for a simple bench-top aerosol /fluid trap is detailed in the Johns Hopkins Institution’s Biosafety Manual.
• All radioactive packages not received directly by the Radiation Control Unit will be opened and inspected for damage, contamination, and radiation levels as directed by the Radiation Control Unit.
• A calibrated radiation survey meter must be present when working with radioactive material other than H-3.
• Transfer of materials between authorized users is sometimes permissible, but only with prior approval by the JHMI Radiation Control Unit.
• Eating and drinking are prohibited in rooms posted with the radioactive materials caution sign.   The storage of food, drink, eating utensils, or beverage containers is not permitted. Each radioactive materials laboratory must have a sign stating that neither food nor drink is allowed in that room.
• If personnel radiation monitors have been assigned, they must be worn when using radioactive materials other than H-3, C-14, and S-35. The monitors must be returned to the Radiation Control Unit promptly.
• Generally, no radioactive waste shall be disposed of by conventional methods.  This means particularly that solid waste may not be placed in the standard waste containers to be collected by housekeeping personnel.
• No biological radioactive waste shall be released from a laboratory area for pick up and disposal before autoclaving or otherwise suitable deactivation of infectious agent(s).  To ensure that solid and liquid waste are kept separate, each laboratory having radioactive waste should be equipped with at least one container for solid dry waste and one for liquid waste.  Any container used for radioactive waste must be conspicuously labeled with the radiation symbol.

Every quarter, labs actively using radioactive material will have an audit by the Radiation Control Unit. Items that will be reviewed include such things as no PPE worn during RAM use, food and drink in the lab, RAM secured, and contamination surveys. See the Radiation Protection Survey form for the 15 specific items reviewed. Important radiation safety items are listed with an “”. If a violation of the “” items is found a Follow up survey will be done the following month. Continued violations could result in loss of use of RAM, monetary fines, or both.

The purpose of the audits are to monitor compliance with our RAM license requirements. The requirements for each lab are well defined. If a lab needs help with the requirements please contact RCU to arrange for a lab walkthrough.

Contamination Surveys
All radioactive materials laboratories must undergo a contamination survey every week. This responsibility falls on the Authorized User (designee). In cases where a contamination incident is suspected, additional surveys must be conducted. The results of these surveys, both positive and negative, should be recorded in chronological order in a dedicated binder for the laboratory. These records should be easily accessible for review by the Radiation Control Unit. A survey entry must be made for each week, either detailing the contamination survey results or stating that radioisotopes have not been used since the last survey. The survey record must include the following:

• date of the survey
• location of each area surveyed
• type of counter used and its efficiency
• contamination levels detected

If the contamination level is not converted from counts per minute (cpm) to disintegrations per minute (dpm), the survey records must specify the cpm corresponding to a contamination level of 220 dpm.

If any surface is found to have removable contamination exceeding 220 dpm/100crn2, or 20 dpm/100cm2 for alpha emitters, it must be decontaminated. A follow-up survey of the contaminated spot must be conducted and recorded. However, if the contaminant is a short-lived radionuclide with a half-life of less than 15 days, the contamination may be securely covered and labeled instead of being decontaminated. This action must be noted on the survey record.

Contamination Limits
In general, no radioactive contamination can be tolerated. Exceptions to this will include certain hood trays, stainless steel trays, Kimpak covered surfaces, or other equipment which is used frequently for active work and which will be clearly marked with the standard radiation caution signs or stickers. Any contamination that is not confined to protected surfaces should be reported immediately to the JHMI Radiation Control Unit. The JHMI Radiation Control Unit will supervise the decontamination of such areas or equipment.

The permissible levels of removable radioactive contamination on hoods, bacteriological cabinets, laboratory benches, other working surfaces, floors, and other areas shall not exceed the following limits:

The permissible levels on glassware, tongs, lead bricks, and other laboratory equipment will be the same as those for working surfaces; however, it is expected that, in certain instances in which such equipment is to be used over again in radiological operations, contaminated equipment will be present and is permissible as long as it is appropriately labeled and stored separately from uncontaminated equipment.

To ensure that these levels are maintained, the Authorized User will perform routine surveys of all areas under his control. Any contamination that is not confined to protected surfaces and cannot be decontaminated shall be reported immediately to the JHMI Radiation Control Unit. The JHMI Radiation Control Unit will supervise the decontamination of such areas of equipment.

Fixed contamination in restricted areas shall be kept as low as reasonably achievable and low enough so that dose limitations are not a concern.

Shielding of Sources

The Radiation Control Unit will check during their periodic surveys of the laboratory to ensure that adequate shielding is used in all radiological operations. The total amount of shielding materials that will be necessary will depend on the amount of activity and the type of radiation involved. In some instances, it may be necessary to construct a “hot cell” or a large shielding barrier to meet shielding requirements. The Radiation Control Unit will be available for consultation on all shielding problems encountered.

Each portable radiation survey meter must be calibrated every 12 months. The Authorized User is responsible for assuring that the calibrations are performed. A label must be affixed to the meter to indicate the calibration date. Survey meters that are out of calibration must be stored so that they will not be inadvertently used and labeled “Must Be Calibrated Before Use.” Contact the RCU to arrange for calibrations and labels.

For Medical Use Areas Only. An operational check should be made of each portable radiation survey meter on the day it is used. The operational check consists of verifying the batteries’ status, the instrument’s ability to detect background radiation, and the response to a radiation source with emission characteristics of the isotope that is to be used. An operation check must be conducted and documented at the same frequency required for contamination surveys. The operational check record must include the check’s date, the survey meter’s make and model, the type(s) of probes checked, and the radiation sources used.

Prior to performing procedures involving animals and radioactive materials, the researchers must consult with the JHMI Radiation Control Unit to formulate a safe procedure.

1. All animal research will be approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.
2. Radioactive animals will be housed in areas preapproved by animal services.
3. The radioactive animal cage will be marked with a caution radioactive material sticker and PI contact information.
4. The radioactive animal will be cared for by the PI or representative. The PI will be responsible for collecting any radioactive waste, e.g., bedding, etc. The area around the cage will be checked daily for contamination with a survey meter. Every week, a contamination survey will be done around the cage area.
5. Live animals that have been returned to the regular population after being used in radioactive experiments will be held for 10 half-lives or until they are no longer detectable with a survey meter using a NaI probe or a GM probe, whichever is more sensitive to the detected isotope. RCU may approve animals back to the normal population with small amounts of short half-life radioactive material that is fixed internally.
6. Animal Radioactive waste; Decayed waste must be stored for at least 10 half-lives or until no longer detectable with a survey meter with a NaI probe or GM probe, whichever is more sensitive to the isotope being detected. Decayed waste may be disposed of in the regular waste stream after defacing any markings identifying it as radioactive.
7. Radioactive waste will be disposed of in the RCU radioactive waste room or picked up by RCU.
8. Radioactive animal carcasses will be held for decay or disposed of as radioactive waste.