Re: Minors

["Jeffery G. Derge" <derge@dtpax2.ncifcrf.gov>]

We (our RSO and the Rad Safe Committee together) have taken the position NOT
to limit minor's use of isotopes, per se.  The uses permitted are kept in
perspective of their reduced exposure limits, but they are not prohibited.

Any use by a minor must be submitted and approved on a case by case basis.
All training, etc requirements must be met ahead of time.  And we also
require parental/guardian consent.

Our general intent has been to permit exceptional students  to work on a
unique project, especially if no other straight forward methods exist to
avoid isotope use.   What we try to prevent is having a casual summer
student come in and just do a little of everything that is going on,
especially the lowly tasks no one else wants.

The extra paperwork and scrutiny has pretty much accomplished our intent.
In fact, more than one lab has used their summer student project to
investigate a new non-isotopic method alongside the work the authorized
users are doing.

This also touches on a previous question.  We often have authorized and
non-authorized technicians in the same lab.  As long as there is no external
exposure hazard from the adjacent operations, there is not a problem.  


Dr. Jeffery G. Derge
NCI-FCRDC, Frederick, MD
Derge@dtpax2.ncifcrf.gov