Update
Regulatory Requirement
State and Federal regulations require UCSF to monitor staff radiation exposures and ensure they are below occupational limits. Timely return of radiation dosimetry badges and processing by our radiation dosimetry badge vendor, Landauer, helps us receive radiation exposure results more quickly and with time to make changes needed to keep radiation exposures as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA).
Former Process
Previously, Landauer would ship all UCSF’s badges to our centralized EH&S Dosimetry Coordinator, who would then distribute them via campus mail to each department’s Dosimetry Contact. The Dosimetry Contact would give new badges to radiation workers in their department before each new wear period, and collect worn badges after each wear period. The Dosimetry Contact mailed used badges via campus mail to our EH&S Dosimetry Coordinator, who would collect and mail them back to Landauer.
The middle step of using campus mail to deliver badges between the Dosimetry Coordinator and Departmental Dosimetry Contacts created two problems. The resending of bulky envelopes or bags of dosimetry badges would bog down campus mail unnecessarily, and this step created a delay in the time it takes for UCSF to receive timely dosimetry badge results for our staff.
New process beginning January 2022
Starting with the dosimetry badge wear period beginning January 2022, the Departmental Dosimetry Contacts will receive new badges mailed directly to them from Landauer. Since badges must arrive before the wear period begins, expect to receive the badges during the month before. For example, the first shipment of dosimeters for 2022 should arrive around mid-December 2021. Similarly, the Departmental Dosimetry Contacts will return all dosimeters directly to Landauer, including used, unused and the control dosimeter. With each shipment, Landauer provides a pre-paid return label to put on their 2-way polybag mailers when returning badges to them (no extra postage necessary!). Additional information will be provided directly to departmental Dosimetry Contacts.
Radiation Safety Training
Regulatory Requirement
Employees must be adequately trained in the hazards of their workplace, and for radiation workers this includes radiation safety training taken annually.
Reminder
There are several options on UC Learning Center to complete annual Radiation Safety Training:
- For employees working around X-ray machines, take the course titled 'Radiation Safety for Radiation Machines'
- For employees working around radioactive materials, take the course titled 'Radiation Safety for Radioactive Materials'
- For employees working with both X-ray machines and radioactive materials, take the course titled 'Radiation Safety for Rad Materials and Machines'
Please direct questions or concerns regarding this Safety Update to our UCSF EH&S Dosimetry Coordinator at [email protected].