Radiation Safety

ABOUT US: RADIATION SAFETY

The Radiation Safety Section (RSS) is responsible for ensuring a safe environment for all personnel and members of the public at the University of Connecticut with regard to radiation from X-rays, isotopes, and lasers. These sources of radiation are restricted primarily to research laboratories and have very little impact on workers in non-laboratory settings. In the event that a worker has to enter a radiation lab, precautions are taken to ensure that this person is trained and never comes in contact with radioactivity. Personnel who work in or near a radiation lab where they may be exposed are provided with training and monitors to measure their exposure. This documents that their radiation exposures are within the regulatory guidelines and are as low as reasonably achievable. Those personnel who work with radioactive materials are classified as radiation workers and have explicit training and licensure requirements that include approval by the Radiation Safety Committee, limits to the amount of radioactivity they may possess, quarterly inspections and required personal monitoring. The RSS oversees all aspects of the federal regulations that regulate the use of radioactive materials under the auspices of the license issued by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to the University of Connecticut.

Staff:

Martin C. Graham, Radiation Safety Officer and Manager 486-1108

• All questions and issues relating to ionizing radiation and laser radiation

Amy Courchesne, Radiation Safety Specialist, II 486-5399

• Inspection of and questions pertaining to radiological material and analytical x-ray laboratories, radiological surveys, training, personnel monitoring, inventory control

Roy Brown, Radiation Safety Specialist, II 486-0925

• Inspection of and questions pertaining to radiological material laboratories, radiological surveys, inventory control, radioactive material waste management

Dawn Kemp, Administrative Services Specialist, II 486-1105

• Radioactive material requisitioning, inventory control, personnel monitoring, committee secretary, general guidance on radiation safety policies and procedures