Authorizations
Obtaining A Permit
Only individuals who have applied for and have been issued a radioisotope permit can order and use radioactive material at Harvard University. An individual must meet the outlined experience and training criteria. Once the permit application is submitted and reviewed by the Radiation Protection Office (RPO), it is submitted to the Radiation Safety Committee(RSC). The RSC reviews and approves or denies individual applications. Approved applications are valid for two years.
The applicant must have pertinent experience handling the types of sources and radiation quantities commensurate with those requested in the application. In addition, the applicant must:
- hold a Corporation Appointment
- has the primary scientific, financial, and legal responsibility for the research program and will assume the primary responsibility for radiation safety in facilities under his or her control, and
- have at least 40 hours of training and experience in the safe handling of Radiation Training. This training needs to include the characteristics of ionizing radiation, units of radiation dose and quantities, operation of detection instrumentation, and biological hazards of exposure to radiation that are appropriate to the type and form of Radiation Training to be used.
Exemptions shall be reviewed on a case by case basis by the RSC.
Application Procedure
Submit a completed Application for Authorization to Use Radioactive Material. For an amendment submit the completed application form containing only the desired changes. The application includes the following information:
- The applicant's name, academic degree, department, faculty title, office building and room number, and phone number. Also include the name of the alternate permit holder who will be responsible for the laboratory in your absence and the person to send general correspondence (the contact person).
- A list of all rooms where Radiation Training will be used or stored. Specify Radiation Training work areas and waste storage locations.
- A list of each isotope for which possession authorization is requested with the following information:
- isotop half-life,
- maximum activity to be possessed,
- chemical form or class of compound, and
- physical form (e.g. liquid, gas, powder, sealed source).
- For each experimental procedure that is performed provide:
- a descriptive summary, such as a published paper with the procedure highlighted,
- approximate frequency,
- approximate amount of isotop activity per procedure, and
- list any chemical or biological hazard, including reference to a material safety data sheet(s) (MSDS), or the MSDS itself.
- If the procedure involves the use of animals, include a copy of the protocol submitted to the Animal Care and Use Committee.
- The formal training of the applicant including training location and duration.
- Laboratory training and experience using the requested radioisotope(S).
- Names of all thos who will be working with Radiation Training, their training in radioactive material use and laboratory experience. Note: Everyone who is going to use radiation needs to take the Radiation Safety Seminar regardless of prior experience.
- List the detection equipment such as liquid scintillation counters, gamma counter, and survey meter, to be used. Include the manufacturer and model of each, as well as the probe type [Geiger-Mueller (GM) or sodium iodide].
- A description of the radiation safety hazards that these procedures may produce and the methods used to minimize those hazards. For example:
- radiation shielding,
- radiation surveys,
- storage location and methods for radioactive material security,
- personnel dosimetry
- control technologies such as self-contained work boxes for iodinations.
- List the form and type of waste expected from the procedures, and the method of disposal and what will be done to minimize the volume of radioactive waste.
Email radiation_protection at harvard dot edu to send comments and suggestions to the Radiation Protection Office
