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2.0
General Policy
2.01
Introduction
The radiation dose received by
any person from external or internal exposure to ionizing radiation in a
radiation installation (a controlled area in which radioactive material
or machines generating ionizing radiation or both are used) must be held
to the lowest possible value consistent with effective use of the
installation and must never exceed the legally maximum permissible
value.
Union College's radiation protection
guidelines set forth a dose limitation system which is based on three
principles:
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Justification. There
should not be any occupational exposure of persons to ionizing
radiation without the expectation of an overall benefit from the
activity causing the exposure.
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Optimization. A
sustained effort should be made to ensure that collective doses, as
well as annual, committed, and cumulative lifetime individual doses,
are maintained as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA), economic and
social factors being taken into account.
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Limitation.
Radiation doses as a result of occupational exposure should not
exceed specified limiting values, contained in NYSHD Part 16,
"Ionizing Radiation."
Every effort should be made to
avoid contamination of work areas, and, in any case, release of airborne
or waterborne radioactivity should never exceed legal limits.
Every effort should be made to avoid accidental releases. Disposal
of all radioactive waste must be in accordance with procedures contained
in Section 12.
The radiation dose received by
any person from external or internal exposure to ionizing radiation in a
noncontrolled, general public area must be held as close to natural
background levels as possible and must never exceed the legal maximum
permissible level of 100 mREMs per year above the natural background
level.
Legal maximum permissible dose
levels are those specified in the current edition of the New York State
Department of Health Sanitary Code, Chapter I, Part 16, Ionizing
Radiation; and in Title 10, Part 20, of the Code of Federal Regulations
(10 CFR 20) Radiation Protection. These two documents contain
definitions of terms used in this document. Because of their size
and frequency of changes, they are stand-alone documents, but part of
these rules. Copies of these documents are available from the Office of
Radiation Safety (ORS).
2.02
ALARA Program
Control of radiation exposure is
based on the assumption that any exposure involves some risk.
However, occupational exposure within accepted limits represents a risk
that is very small compared to the other risks voluntarily encountered in other
work environments.
The policy of Union College is
to maintain occupational exposures of individuals within allowable
Radiation Exposure Guides and the individual and collective dose to
workers as low as is reasonably achievable (ALARA).
ALARA is a part of the normal
work process involving people working with ionizing radiation.
Management at all levels and in all areas, as well as each individual
worker, must take an active role in minimizing this radiation exposure.
ALARA Program Objectives
In accordance with Union
College's commitment to keep occupational exposure as low as is
reasonably achievable, an ALARA program will operate within the
following guidelines:
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The annual effective dose
(rem) to individual workers shall be maintained ALARA with maximum
annual whole body radiation exposure to any individual not to exceed
1.250 rem.
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A radiation exposure in one
month in excess of 0.100 rem shall be brought to the attention of
the Campus Radiation Safety Officer (RSO). The radiation
safety officer shall investigate the exposure, determine why the
exposure occurred, and take steps to prevent its reoccurrence.
The incident shall be brought to the attention of the Radiation
Safety Committee (RSC) and be an agenda item at its next scheduled
meeting.
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The collective dose
(person-rem) to all personnel at Union College shall be maintained
ALARA.
To ensure effectiveness of the
ALARA program, it is administered through assignment of specific responsibilities
to individuals and committees at both management and user levels.
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The Radiation Safety
Committee will provide an overview of the ALARA program
implementation at Union College through a series of audits.
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This committee provides
guidance to assure that Union College's policy and ALARA is
incorporated into work planning, design changes, and construction at
Union College.
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The Radiation Safety Officer has
the authority and responsibility to coordinate the ALARA program
consistent with Union College policies.
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This individual shall
maintain the necessary records, procedures, and data bases for ALARA
implementation.
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He/She shall be provided
with the staffing necessary for support of the program by Union College
management.
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ALARA considerations shall
be incorporated into the normal work process, new work procedures
and new design modifications, training and planning at Union
College.
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He/She shall provide
technical assistance to supervisors of radiation installations and
users of ionizing radiation when requested for implementation of
ALARA concepts and ALARA reviews.
ALARA Practices
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Interpose shielding by
permanent or temporary barriers as necessary to reduce radiation
areas and exposure.
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Minimize time spent in
radiation areas to that only necessary to perform the task.
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Place as much distance
between the user and the radiation sources as practicable.
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Decontaminate areas of
radioactive contaminants before proceeding to the next task.
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Use engineering concepts to
maintain radiation exposures to low levels.
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Order and use only the
amount of radioactive materials necessary to perform experiments.
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Assure all individuals
working in your installation have had proper training in their use
and safety of ionizing radiation.
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