The University of Utah (U of U) has implemented a series of Procedures and Guidelines for radiation workers across campus. These, in conjunction with an appropriate safety culture, aid the University in abiding by rules and policies laid out by the State of Utah’s Division of Waste Management and Radiation Control.
University Health and Safety Policy (Policy 3-300) authorizes Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) to have oversight of all known workplace hazards employed at the University of Utah. The Radiation Safety Division within EHS is authorized and responsible for the oversight of all radiation source hazards, ionizing and non-ionizing. The Radiation Safety Policy Manual addresses radioactive material and ionizing radiation equipment issues. This manual outlines the overarching expectations of radiation workers at the University of Utah, including the basis used for radiation protection purposes. The expectations outlined here are based on the regulatory requirements found in the Utah Division of Waste Management and Radiation Control (UDWMRC), which can be found in the Utah Administrative Code (UAC) in Title R313 – Waste Management and Radiation Control, Radiation. The State of Utah is an Agreement State, meaning that it has entered into an agreement with the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC) under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to regulate radiation and radioactive material use at the state level, rather than federally. Therefore, the regulations found in UAC R313 are largely similar to those found in the Code of Federal Regulations, however are specific to use within the State of Utah.
The University outlines many standard procedures to ensure the appropriate use of radiation and radioactive materials, outlined in a series of Radiation Procedures and Records (RPRs). The RPRs are intended to provide users with standard procedures that the University has deemed adequate to address the necessary components of the Radiation Protection Program as outlined in the Radiation Safety Policy Manual.
For users wishing to implement their own set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for unique lab work, please work with EHS for review and approval.
The USNRC has published numerous guidelines pertaining to the safe use and measurement of radiation. These can be found here: https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/reg-guides/index.html#guides
In addition to the USNRC, numerous guides can be found in the form of reports from the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) or National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP). Both of these groups bring together multidisciplinary experts on reports regarding radiological sciences, including many of the bases for regulatory limits. ANSI Standards are also used to establish the basis for non-ionizing radiation issues.
Questions regarding any of the resources provided here can be directed to EHS at 801-581-6590 or questions@ehs.utah.edu.
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