Re: Restricted Areas

[fegallag@uci.edu (Frank E. Gallagher, III)]

Applying the definitions of Restricted Areas to most academic research labs,
while it may be required by current NRC/State regulations, is a considerable
"overkill".  The radiation safety procedures we use in academic labs are
based on the much higher activities used a decade or two in the past--Ci
levels of H-3 and 50-100 mCi of P-32 for labeling, while today typical
experimental procedures may use a few tens of uCi 

We generally have a few areas with much higher hazard potentials that are
truly restricted areas--PET radiochemistry, TRIGA reactors (at least for a
short while), some nuclear medicine areas, and a few fluoroscopic x-ray
areas.  We need to be able to concentrate our limited resources on those
areas that could ACTUALLY cause real exposures.

The whole concept of using radioactive materials at research universities is
ripe for "REGULATORY REFORM".
   

Frank E. Gallagher, III, CHP
RSO, Univ. of California, Irvine   92717-2725
Voice: (714) 824-6904, Fax: (714) 824-8539
E-mail: fegallag@uci.edu