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Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a Supervised User of radiation if you are a graduate student, undergraduate student or a volunteer?
With the help of the Approved User who will be supervising your work, complete a Radiation User Authorization form, which may be accessed from the Office of Laboratory Safety Web site. Send the completed form as an email attachment to labsafe@gmu.edu. After the form is reviewed and approved, you will be notified via email that you are registered for an online basic radiation safety course.
Upon successful completion of the online course, the Radiation Safety Officer will meet with you in the laboratory where you will be using radiation to provide training specific to George Mason University policies and procedures. After successful completion of this training, you will be authorized to work with radiation while under the supervision of your Approved User.
How do you become an Approved User of radiation if you are a Principal Investigator, Laboratory Supervisor or Course Instructor?
Complete a Project Review Form, including Addendum D and/or Addendum E, and a Radiation User Authorization form. (All forms may be accessed from the Office of Laboratory Safety Web site.) Send the completed forms as email attachments to labsafe@gmu.edu.
Your Project Review Form will be reviewed by the Radiation Safety Committee. When your proposal is approved, you will be notified via email that you are registered for an online basic radiation safety course.
Upon successful completion of the online course, the Radiation Safety Officer will meet with you in the laboratory where you will be using radiation to provide training specific to George Mason University policies and procedures. After successful completion of this training, you will be authorized to use radiation and to supervise graduate students, undergraduate students, and/or volunteers in their use of radiation.
What training is offered to Supervised Users and Approved Users of radiation?
Basic radiation safety training is offered as an online course through the Radiation Safety Academy. This basic course includes the following topics:
- Radiation Risk Perceptions
- Sources of Radiation
- Atomic Structure and Radioactivity
- Interaction of Radiation with Matter
- Radiation Health Effects
- Radiation Protection Regulations
- Radiation Detection Instruments
- Radiation Safety Surveys
- Radioactive Wastes
- Radiation Safety Programs
Upon successful completion of the online course, the Radiation Safety Officer will meet with you in the laboratory where you will be using radiation to provide training specific to George Mason University policies and procedures and will include the following topics:
- George Mason University Roles & Responsibilities
- Radiation Detection Instruments
- Radiation Safety Surveys
- Radioactive Wastes
- Emergency Procedures
- Spill Procedures
- ALARA Procedures
- Reporting Violations
- Occupational Dose >100mrem
- Dosimetry
Each subsequent year, the Supervised Users and Approved Users of radiation will be contacted and will attend radiation safety refresher training. Additional training will be scheduled with the Radiation Safety Officer when a need arises or a request is made.
How does the Approved User of radiation place an order for radioactivity?
All orders for radioactive materials are placed by the Office of Laboratory Safety. The Radiation Safety Officer and designee are the only individuals authorized to place orders and receive shipments of radioactive materials.
Approved Users shall notify their Radiation Safety Supervisor of their radioactive material request and then email their request to the Office of Laboratory Safety at labsafe@gmu.edu. After the package has been received by the Radiation Safety Officer or designee at the appropriate campus, the Approved User will be contacted to arrange pick up.
How do I register for radiation training?
Those seeking training to become authorized users of radiation, either Supervised Users (graduate students, undergraduate students or volunteers) or Approved Users (Principal Investigators, Laboratory Supervisors, or Course Instructors) must first complete a Radiation User Authorization form, which may be accessed from the Office of Laboratory Safety Web site. Send the completed form as an email attachment to labsafe@gmu.edu. After the form is reviewed and approved, you will be notified via email that you are registered for an online basic radiation safety course.
Upon successful completion of the online course, the Radiation Safety Officer will meet with you in the laboratory where you will be using radiation to provide training specific to George Mason University policies and procedures.
If you are currently a Supervised User or Approved User of radiation and have particular training needs, please contact the Radiation Safety Officer via email to labsafe@gmu.edu. |
