It shall be the policy of the University of Nevada Las Vegas to properly control radioactive materials in accordance with the requirements of the UNLV Radiation Safety Manual and the Nevada Administrative Code.
The following issues are addressed in this policy:
- Security of Radioactive Materials in Storage Areas
- Security of Radioactive Materials in Laboratories
All areas where radioactive materials are used shall be posted with a "Caution Radioactive Materials" sign. All radioactive materials shall only be used by trained personnel. All personnel working in a laboratory where radioactive materials are in use shall be aware of the presence of the material in the lab. All radioactive materials not in use shall be in a locked container. These four statements form the basis of security of radioactive materials at the university.
It is most desirable to have two levels of security for all radioactive materials at the university. However, it is recognized that this is inefficient for some situations and may cause more radiation exposure than if the sources were not handled as much. In this regard, at least one level of security shall be in effect to prevent the removal of sources from all laboratories and storage areas.
Example I
If there are no personnel present in the laboratory, then removable radioactive sources shall have two levels of security in effect. One level is the locked storage container and the other the locked lab door(s). Keys to the locked radioactive materials storage areas shall not be stored in unlocked areas of a laboratory (in drawers, cabinets, etc.).
Example II
If personnel are in a laboratory conducting an experiment, they shall be aware of all radioactive sources that are not in storage and shall have the responsibility to ensure the sources are placed in a locked storage container when they leave the lab. One level of security is the trained person, the other is the locked cabinet.
If at any time radioactive materials are identified as missing from the laboratory, RSO Brian Rowsell shall be contacted immediately at 702-895-4419. Contact numbers for the RSO and Alternate RSO are also posted in each laboratory using radioactive materials.