Radiation Safety

The Office of Environmental is responsible for assisting the Yale community in the use of radiation and radioactive materials. Various programs and services designed to ensure the safe receipt, handling, use, and storage of radioactive materials are administered by Radiation Safety, under the direction of the University's Radiation Safety Committee.

Radiation Safety evaluates all proposed uses of radioactive materials, and reports findings to the Radiation Safety Committee, which issues authorizations for use of these materials. In conjunction with authorizing researchers to handle radioactivity, Radiation Safety places all orders for radioactive materials to be received at Yale, and subsequently delivers these materials to the laboratories authorized for their use. Radiation Safety provides general surveillance of all radiation safety activities through its laboratory survey program and extensive personnel and environmental monitoring programs.

Interesting and informative radiation safety seminars are provided on a variety of topics related to radiation safety. Seminar schedules are distributed periodically to all authorized Principal Investigators in addition to being posted throughout the University. Specific training sessions are provided to the New Haven Fire Department, Campus Police and Ancillary staff. Specialized seminars and/or small lab trainings/discussions are also provided upon request.

Centralized multiuse radionuclide facilities are maintained and supervised by Radiation Safety for use by Principal Investigators. Specialized equipment is available in these laboratories to allow for the safe performance of high activity experiments.

Radiation Safety responds to emergencies involving radioactive materials including personal contamination incidents. Radiation Safety is also available to provide advice and expertise on handling incidents, spills and radiation safety issues.

Yale's licenses to use radioactive material are issued by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. (Click here for a copy of NRC's Form 3 "Standards for Protection Against Radiation (Part 20); Notices, Instructions and Reports to Workers; Inspections (Part 19); Employee Protection".) Radiation Safety is responsible for ensuring that all activities conducted with radioactive materials at Yale are performed in accordance with the conditions of these licenses and that all required documentation is maintained. Radiation producing equipment and radioactive materials are also registered with the State of Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection. DEP regulatory requirements are also followed.

Additional programs administered include safety programs for lasers, x-ray producing equipment, electron microscopes, uranium and thorium use, irradiators and accelerators as well as radon monitoring of Yale buildings. Requests for clearances of facilities and equipment for unrestricted use are also handled by Radiation Safety. Anyone needing more information about radiation safety is invited to call 785-3550.