Re: HP lab survey frequency

[Sim Shanks <shankss@odrge.odr.georgetown.edu>]

>How often does your health physics staff visit and survey 
>laboratories in your organization? Wipes, meter survey, that type of
>survey.

The Radiation Safety Office Staff (RSOs) performs a meter and wipe survey of
all posted labs (rooms) once each calendar quarter.

Also at that time is an audit of survey, inventory, and training records
that are required by the Authorized Users (persons approved by the RSC to
Use or Supervise the Use of Radioactive Materials).  Staff who work with RAM
under the authorization are called Radiation Workers.

Authorized Users (AU) must perform a documented survey of their labs (rooms)
once each 7 days or 30 days depending on their possession limit and type of
activity in the room.

>Approximately how many labs do you survey at that frequency?

        220 labs

>Do you usually find contamination during your smear survey and
>meter survey or is it rare to find to find unexpected contamination?

        Out of 11,085 wipes processed by RSOs 181 indicated removable
contamination 
        greater than 100 dpm.  Of these only 57 required some action by the AU.

>If you do find contamination, what is the activity level?

        Our limit for removable activity is 100 dpm.  We are allowed more by
license 
        but given the fact that posted labs in education facilities are
frequently 
        visited and used by non-radiation workers we use the more
conservative number.
        This has not been a burden.

>If you can make a brief statement as to why you are doing surveys at
>the frequency you use, I would appreciate that as well.

        Our license requirement is quarterly.  I would do so even if it were
not so.
        RSOs need to visit the labs to show presence, see the condition of
the labs and
        the performance of the labs.  We offer constructive criticism (if
required) 
        or praise for performance during the visit.


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Sim Shanks, RSO		        		shankss@odrge.odr.georgetown.edu
Georgetown University					(202) 687-4712
Office of Environmental Health and Safety	fax 	(202) 687-5046
3900 Reservoir Road,  N.W.
Washington DC  20007

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