In this presentation, our radiation safety expert provides the guidance you need to prove your facility is safe, compliant and inspection-ready. Learn how to get your paperwork in place, including proper documentation and licensing; train your employees on radiation safety; and gain best practice techniques to optimize your radiation safety program.

1. The Nuts and Bolts of an Effective Program
Radiation Safety:

2. Meet Your Moderator:
James Ciccone

3.  All lines will be muted – please communicate via the
questions tab in your webinar panel.
 There will be live, interactive polling.
 There will be a Q&A session at the end of the
presentation – submit your question(s) anytime
throughout the webinar.
 Stick around for an exclusive offer at the end of the
webinar.
Webinar Overview

4. Meet Your Presenter
Tony Gemmellaro
EHS Manager/Senior Consultant
• Radiation Safety Officer for several biotech
companies
• Wrote license applications and amendments
• BS/MS Biological Sciences

5. Tragic Example #1
In the 1920’s, women worked in
factories painting radium onto the
dials of watches to make them glow
in the dark.

6. Tragic Example #1
When they put the tips of their
brushes on their tongues to make a
finer point for painting, the workers
ingested small amounts of radium,
an alpha and gamma emitter.
Many died from anemia (a shortage
of RBC) and bone cancer.

7. Our Key Message
Protection from radioactive material
exposure or contamination and
compliance with regulations is the priority

8. Who Is This For?
Biotech
New Drug
Development
Healthcare
Patient Care
Universities
R&D
Compliance

9. What Will You Learn?
Fundamentals of Radiation Safety
Laboratory Procedures and
Practices
Hazards and Controls of
Restricted Areas
Legal Requirements

10. Poll Question
True or False: Radioactive
isotopes are everywhere in
nature, including ordinary things
like rocks, food, and even inside
our bones?

11. Agenda
Program Oversight
Training & Education
Documentation
Summary/Q&A

12. Tragic Example #2
In the 1990’s, MIT researcher contaminated with radioactive
material:
• Collected samples
• Final results
•Investigated by Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).
•Now MA DPH enforces Radiation Program.

13. Radiation Overview
•When working with radiation, diminishing
exposure should be the top priority.
•Ionizing radiation can have serious
health effects at high doses which can
compromise safety.
•This webinar will provide you with
guidance keep your facility safe,
compliant and inspection-ready.

14. What Is
This?

15. Fundamentals of Radioactivity
Radiation is defined as energy that is transmitted through space.
• Alpha
• Beta
• Gamma
• Neutron
Ionizing and non-ionizing
radiation

16. Shielding Comparison
Alpha






Beta
Gamma
Neutron
Skin,
Paper Plastic
Lead,
Concrete
Water,
Poly
1
0n

17. Hazards of Ionizing Radiation
Can deposit energy in neighboring atoms
resulting in the removal of electrons.
Why is exposure to ionizing radiation potentially
dangerous?
When atoms in living cells become ionized one of
three things usually happen:
• The cell dies
• The cell repairs itself
• The cell mutates incorrectly and can become cancerous

18. Biological Effects
• Radiation passing through the body may cause
ionization of atoms, molecules and cells.
• The effect that radiation has on the body depends
on how much dose the body receives and how
quickly it receives it.
• Occupational Dose limits

19. Poll Question
What is a major risk of
occupational radiation
exposure?

20. Curium, named
after Pierre and
Marie Curie, is
very radioactive

21. “Ionizing Radiation ”
-NCRP Report

22. NCRP Report No. 160, Ionizing Radiation
Exposure of the Population of the United States

23. Medical
15 %
Consumer
2 %
Consumer
2 %
Early 1980’s: 360 millirem/year
2006: 620 millirem/year
Exposure Category
NCRP 93
1987
NCRP 160
2006
Ubiquitous background 300 311
Radon 200 228
Other 100 83
Medical 53 300
Computed tomography (2006) 147
Radiography / fluoroscopy (2006) 33
All diagnostic (1980) 39
Nuclear Medicine 14 77
Interventional (2006) 43
Consumer 5 – 13 13
Industrial security, medical,
educational and research
0.1 0.3
Occupational 0.9 0.5
Total 360 620
Effective Annual Dose per Individual in
the U.S. Population (mrem)
Occupational /
Industrial 0.1 %
Occupational / Industrial 0.3%
Background 83%
Medical 48 %
Background 50%

24. Typical Doses
Average Dose to US Public from All sources 620 mrem/year
Average Dose to US Public From Natural Sources 300 mrem/year
Average Dose to US Public From Medical Uses 300 mrem/year
Coal Burning Power Plant 0.2 mrem/year
Average dose to US Public from Weapons Fallout < 1 mrem/year
Average Dose to US Public From Nuclear Power < 0.1 mrem/year
Occupational Dose Limit for Radiation Workers 5,000 mrem/yr
Coast to coast Airplane roundtrip 3-5000 microrem
Airport screening 20-30 microrem
Dental X ray 10 mrem
Chest X-ray 10 mrem
Shoe Fitting Fluoroscope (not in use now) 170 mrem
CT (head and body) 1,100 mrem
Therapeutic thyroid treatment (dose to the whole body) 7,000 mrem

25. Agenda
Program Oversight
Training & Education
Documentation
Summary/Q&A

26. Personnel Monitoring
•Dosimeter Badges and Rings
•Whole body badges
•Ring badge

27. Survey Requirements &
Techniques

28. Shepherd Mark I Irradiator

29. Poll Question
What does ALARA
stand for?

30. Radiation Safety in the
Laboratory - ALARA
• Time
• Distance
• Shielding
• Contamination Control

31. Poll Question
For which of the
following is radiation
protection training
required?

33. Rules in Restricted Areas
• Be aware of warning signs and labels.
• Ask laboratory personnel if you need
assistance.
• Do not handle radioactive materials, wastes, or
objects labeled with a warning symbol.
• Use of badge reader mandatory for all entrants.
• You must wear a laboratory coat and safely
glasses.
• If you hired a contractor or other service
provider, you must supervise their work - do not
leave them unattended.

34. Agenda
Program Oversight
Training & Education
Documentation
Summary/Q&A

35. Legal Requirements
• Regulated by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health
(MADPH) Radiation Control Program (RCP).
• The MADPH issues a license to use radioactive substances.
• The conditions in the license are legal conditions, which must be
adhered to.
• Failure to maintain compliance with MADPH regulations and license
conditions can result in enforcement actions - including license
suspension/revocation.

36. Example: Massachusetts DPH
• MDPH 105 CMR 120.750
• “Notices Instructions and Reports to Workers: Inspections”
• Your Rights and Responsibilities as a Radiation Worker
• MDPH 105 CMR 120.200
• “Standards for Protection Against Radiation”
• Control the receipt, possession, use, transfer and disposal of
sources of radiation
• License & Registrations
• Includes special conditions
• State inspects every two to three years
• As well as surprise inspections

37. Program Responsibilities
• Employee Responsibilities
• Radioistope Users
• Radiation Safety Officer

38. Inventory Controls
• All sources/radioactive material locked up
• An up-to-date inventory record including use
logs of all stock must be kept with the material.
• Daily close-out and use log
• Date, isotope used, contamination cleaned,
material secure, and user’s initials
• When radiation workers are the means for
security, they must challenge unknown persons
entering the lab.

39. Waste Disposal
Special waste considerations before new
procedures:
• Consider chemicals and agents involved.
• Will the use of a hazardous
chemical/agent make disposal difficult?
• When in doubt, ask RSO.
• Should ID issues before work begins.

40. When Do You Contact the RSO?
• New protocol/use of licensed
material
• Missing radioactive material
• Dosimetry
• New x-ray/radiation producing
equipment
• Shipping radioactive material
• Need special training
• Need a loan
Tony Gemmellaro

41. Documentation!

42. Agenda
Program Oversight
Training & Education
Documentation
Summary/Q&A

43. Poll Question
What are you most
concerned about when
it comes to radiation
safety?

44. Our Key Message
Protection from radioactive material
exposure or contamination and
compliance with regulations is the
priority

45. Summary
Safety is a Value, Not a Priority
Management Support
Engage Employees
Communicate Hazards & Controls

46. QUESTIONS?

47. Thank You For Attending!
Contact Tony Gemmellaro:
agemmellaro@triumvirate.com
Call Us!
1-888-834-9697
www.triumvirate.com
Request a Free Gap Analysis!
http://info.triumvirate.com/radiation-safety-gap-analysis