Purchasing
Receiving Radioactive Material
- Verify that the radioactive material in the package is what you ordered.
- Sign for radioactive material packages when they are delivered to your laboratory.
- Have a trained radioactive materials users visually inspect the package immediately upon receipt for integrity of the security seal and evidence of crushing, breakage or damage during transport. Look for stains or discolorations on the box that may indicate leakage.
- Put on protective gloves and a lab coat before proceeding with package receipt. Move the package to a designated radioactive work area. When receiving volatile radioactive materials, process the package in a vented hood.
- Open the inner package, remove the stock vial with appropriate remote handling devices and verify it that it is what you ordered. Contact the RPO immediately, if there is a discrepancy.
- Wipe test the external surface of the stock material vial. Survey the wipe with a survey meter unless you are receiving 3H or 14C. Use a liquid scintillation counter when monitoring for 3H or 14C. Notify the RPO immediately if contamination is over 1,000 counts per minute.
- Deface ALL radioactive material symbols and labels.
- Treat all packaging material as potentially contaminated until surveyed and confirmed to be uncontaminated. Use a survey meter to monitor the package liner, shielding, radionuclide container and Styrofoam packing inserts for contamination before disposal in the regular trash. Dispose of any material with a count rate more than 100 counts per minute above background as radioactive waste.
- Dispose of all contaminated packaging as radioactive waste.
- If the package was not delivered to the lab by RPO staff, document this package receipt survey on the Receipt Form and FAX to 617-496-5509.
- Complete a radioactive materials inventory form.
- If the material will not be immediately used, secure it from unauthorized removal or access by locking either the room or the container.
Email radiation_protection at harvard dot edu to send comments and suggestions to the Radiation Protection Office
