A reliable, calibrated survey meter must be operating and within the radionuclide laboratory wherever unsealed sources of high energy beta or gamma emitters are being handled. Each laboratory is expected to procure their own meter for this purpose. Each meter must be calibrated to an NIST traceable source at least annually. A free calibration service is offered by the Radiation Safety Program for several types of University owned meters. Meters that can not be calibrated at UWM must be sent out to a reputable, licensed calibration service. As Authorized Users are responsible for all charges related to off campus calibration of their survey meters it is highly advisable to consult with the Radiation Safety Program prior to purchasing a meter to ensure it can be calibrated "in house" at no charge.

Note, too, that in order to comply with our NRC license conditions all new survey meters must be calibrated to a radiation beam before they can be used in the laboratory. So called "electronic" calibration, which is offered by many vendors, is not acceptable. Therefore, insist on a beam calibrated instrument or arrange with radiation safety for calibration when a new meter is purchased. All new survey meters must be registered with the radiation safety so they can be added to the calibration schedule. Radiation Safety typically calibrates meters in January and July.

Radiation Safety will affix an operational check source to each meter when it is calibrated for the first time. Users of survey meters must verify meter operability with this check source before each use. The check source reading, as well as the background reading, must be documented on the area monitoring survey form every time that a survey is performed.

Individuals using low energy beta emitters must have access to a liquid scintillation counter (LSC) or a gas flow counter. Standards for calibrating LSC's are available, on loan, from the Radiation Safety Program.