PM-30 - Radiation Protection Program

June 1, 2000

This memorandum supersedes PM-30 dated 10/06/97

An LSU System Radiation Safety Committee is established to develop and implement a program to assure the proper and safe usage of radioisotopes and other sources of ionizing and non-ionizing radiation within the LSU System with the exception of the Medical units associated with the Health Care Services Division. The position of Coordinator is created to control and coordinate the University System's radiation safety program.

Membership on the LSU System Radiation Safety Committee shall be as follows:

 

a.	The Coordinator of the LSU System Radiation Safety Program,
b.	The Secretary of the LSU System Radiation Committee
c.	The Chair from each of the campus radiation safety committees, or the equivalent,
d.	The System Radiation Safety Officer.

At a minimum, the Committee shall meet three times per year. Meetings may be by teleconference or other electronic means. The Coordinator shall serve as Chair of the Committee. A Vice Chair shall be elected from those members of the Committee representing another campus of the University System. The Coordinator, Vice Chair, Secretary and System Radiation Safety Officer shall serve as an Executive Committee with authority to conduct official business after polling the other committee members by telephone or mail.

The President shall designate as Coordinator any member of the University System Faculty who is knowledgeable in the use of radiation and radioactive materials. The Coordinator shall be administratively responsible for the radiation safety necessary in the use of radiation and radioactive materials required in the University System research, instructional, and service programs. This requires surveillance of all properties owned or controlled by the University System and all personnel on or about these properties where the possibility of occupational exposure to radiation or radioactive materials exists.

The President shall designate as Secretary any member of the University System Faculty who is knowledgeable in the use of radiation and radioactive materials. In addition to keeping the minutes the secretary will be responsible for preparation of meeting agenda and arranging for meetings.

When medical exposure to patients occurs in University-owned facilities for the purpose of diagnosis and/or therapy, the amount of exposure to the patient is the responsibility of the administering physician. The overall radiation safety program for all other personnel, including the attending physician(s), is vested in the Campus Radiation Safety Officer of that campus.

The individual Chancellors, with the approval of the Coordinator of the System radiation safety program, shall appoint a Campus Radiation Safety Officer(s) and a Campus Radiation Safety Committee(s) if nuclear materials or other sources of ionizing or non-ionizing radiation are in use on the campus. These individuals shall be selected from those faculty and staff members having knowledge and work experience in the areas of radiation and radioactive materials.

The Campus Radiation Safety Officers and Campus Committees will be responsible to the System Coordinator for the proper control and supervision of projects utilizing radiation and/or radioactive materials on his/her campus. On campuses where the only sources of radiation and radioactive materials consist of small teaching sources or those in analytical instruments, the Chancellor is only required to appoint an individual responsible for radiation safety on the campus.

The LSU System Radiation Safety Committee shall have direct responsibility for (a) licensing of all matters requiring and/or affecting the campus use of the University System's license or registration, and (b) supervision of the activities of each Campus Radiation Safety Committee and of the Radiation Safety Officer on those campuses without a Committee. The Committee also will have oversight of those organizations which use radiation-producing equipment or possess a license to use radioactive material and who are administratively independent of the LSU System, but reside in or on LSU System property.

Approval of the Campus Radiation Safety Officer and the Campus Radiation Safety Committee are required in:

 

a.	Personnel - all responsible persons desiring to use radioactive materials and radiation snail nave acceptable training or experience.
b.	Procurement - all requisitions for radioactive materials and radiation sources.
c.	Projects - all academic programs, research and development projects and other University activities involving radiation and radioactive materials.
d.	Contracts and Grants - all contracts and grants requiring use of radiation or radioactive materials.
e.	Facilities and Radiation Monitoring Equipment - all University activities requiring radiation or radioactive materials shall have suitable facilities and radiation monitoring equipment to provide acceptable radiation safety.
f.	OSHA Regulations Pertaining to Ionizing Radiation - all University activities falling within the purview Of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, Section 1910.1096, entitled "Ionizing Radiation" are the responsibility of the Campus Radiation Safety Officer.
g.	Regulations Pertaining to Non-Ionizing Radiation - all University activities falling within the purview Of the LSU System Non-Radiation Safety Procedure are the responsibility of the Campus Radiation Safety Officer.
h.	Implementation of Portions of the Electromagnetic Radiation Act (1968) - all University activities utilizing equipment which potentially generates non-ionizing radiation incidental to its main purpose, such as microwave devices, video display terminals and television monitors, are the responsibility of the Campus Radiation Safety Officer with regards to occupational radiation safety.

The LSU System Radiation Safety Officer is directly responsible for implementation and review of compliance with the regulations and policies established by the System Coordinator and the System Radiation Safety Committee. The System Radiation Safety Officer is vested with the authority to act immediately in all matters pertaining to radiation safety involving LSU System personnel engaged in University-sponsored activities or any other personnel on University property. The Safety Officer's authority and actions, as defined in this memorandum, are subject to review by the System Radiation Safety Committee. This assigned authority shall not relieve the individual from the normal review and authority of his/her departmental administration.

At the spring meeting, the LSU System Radiation Safety Committee will prepare a budget for the next fiscal year. Each administrative unit which uses radiation and/or radioactive material shall pay a proportional share of this budget. The proportion shall be determined by the Committee. Should the Committee be unable to agree on proportions, the decision will be made by the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Each administrative unit will be invoiced in July of each year. Administration of the . budget shall reside with the System Radiation Safety Officer.

Periodic revisions of PM-30, when necessary, shall be accomplished after consultation with the LSU System Radiation Safety Committee, since the membership of that Committee is comprised of persons with experience, training, responsibility and authority necessary to implement the University System's radiation safety program.

A current list of the individual members of the LSU System Radiation Safety Committee and their telephone numbers is attached to this memorandum as an "ADDENDUM".

William L. Jenkins
President

cc: System Offices

Addendum to PM-30 (as of December 2003)

Membership of the LSU System Radiation Safety Committee