RAD SAFETY STAFFING AT PET FACILITIES

["Frank E. Gallagher, III" <fegallag@uci.edu>]

Radsafers,

I would like to ask a couple of questions about radiation safety staffing at
academic PET facilities that operate cyclotrons to produce their own
radiopharmaceuticals (18F and others).  If you are able to assist, please
reply privately to my email address fegallag@uci.edu.

The questions are:

What is the workload?
     _____ Ave. # of times per week that the cyclotron is operated to
produce PET radionuclides.

How much radiation safety staffing is provided to the PET facility?
     _____ FTE health physicists.
     _____ FTE health physics technicians. 

Who provides the staff to perform routine radiation safety duties?
     _____ Central radiation safety office/section.
     _____ Operating department (e.g., nuclear medicine/radiology/etc.).

If the staffing is provided by the central radiation safety office, how is
the funding provided?
     _____ Directly out of radiation safety funds.
     _____ Directly by the operating department.
     _____ By recharge to the operating department.
     _____ Not applicable.

Please comment on how well your arrangement works, and whether or not the
radiation safety staffing information includes any time devoted to the
operation of the facility (such as running, or performing maintenance on,
the cyclotron).

Thanks very much for your assistance.