The Radiation Safety Office Newsletter

Volume I Number 1 For the University of Maryland Campus October 1, 1997

The Radiation Safety Office at the University of Maryland shall publish on the first of each month a Newsletter on topics concerning Radiation Protection and Use of Radioisotopes and Radiation Producing Devices. In this first issue I would like to acquaint you with the history of the Office (RSO) and its present role on our campus.

Prior to 1962 individual researchers were responsible for obtaining and maintaining their own radioactive material license. In 1968 the first radiation safety officer was appointed, Mr. Lee Howard. In 1974 the office was merged with the Facilities Management Safety Division and the Department of Environmental Safety was born. At that time the RSO was located in the basement of the chemistry building with 2 full time and 2 part time workers. In 1977 the office boosted its staff to 5 full time and 3 part time positions, and found a new place to set up shop, occupying 3 rooms in the chemical engineering building. The operation was much the same then as it is now. The staff ordered materials, logged them in and notified researchers that their material was ready for pickup, inspections were conducted monthly, instruments were calibrated on site, something we no longer do today, and film badges were given out to everyone and anyone if they had anything to do with radioactive materials or radiation producing devices such as accelerators and x-ray machines. In 1977 there were 70 authorizations and 130 individual users. Today there are 129 authorizations and well over 600 individual users working in 128 laboratories.

Today we do not issue film badges to everyone, they are not required for all labs. For example if your lab uses only H-3, C-14, and S-35 then no one in the lab needs a badge. Why? The energy of these beta particles is not sufficient to penetrate the light tight packet that holds the film. The tritium beta particle cannot penetrate the outer layer of the skin, and the fraction of Carbon-14 and Sulfur-35 that is transmitted through the outer layer of skin is approximately 10%. These betas therefore only present a problem when in contact with the skin, in the case of contamination, or as an internal emitter as a result of accidental inhalation, ingestion or absorption through the skin. If you work with P-32, gamma emitters such as I-125, beta emitters with an energy greater than 200 kev, or with accelerators or devices producing x- rays then you are required to wear a film badge. Are you required to wear a badge if someone in your lab is using P-32 ? The answer is NO. Monitoring is required if there is the potential for an individual to get 10% of the yearly limit. In most cases individuals who do not work with radioactive material in a lab that uses P-32 have no need for a film badge.

Today the staff consists of a Radiation Safety Officer and two Health Physicists. We still have 3 rooms in chemical engineering on the second floor. At some point prior to 1985 the office moved upstairs to room 2124 and between 1985 and 1987 we converted it from a classroom to an office type atmosphere. In the fall of 1996 our inspection frequency changed from monthly to quarterly, training programs were updated and made available on almost a daily basis, and we branched out into new territories such as laser and microwave safety. Our staff looks forward to bringing you important information on radiation protection and use in our next newsletter. Until then please remember to work safely with radioactive material and radiation producing devices.

We would greatly appreciate your feedback about this site.

UM Home | Directories | Search | Admissions | Calendar
Maintained by Department of Environmental Safety
Direct questions and comments to safety@umd.edu