Guide to the Safe use of Radionuclides at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Section 23: General Safe Handling Considerations for Radioactive Materials
23.1 Precautions When Working With Unsealed Sources of Radioactive Materials
- Wear a lab coat, disposable gloves and safety glasses or a face shield. When leaving the lab, remove these items and survey your hands, clothes and work area for radioactive contamination.
- Cover work areas with plastic backed absorbent material and/or utilize a nonporous tray to contain any spill that may occur.
- Assume all radioactive material containers are contaminated.
- Do a "dry run" without radioactive materials to learn or develop new procedures.
- Radiation Workers should be thoroughly familiar with the properties of the radionuclides they are using. Information sheets on various radionuclides are available from the Radiation Safety Program. If you are uncertain about whether a procedure is safe, please call us for assistance.
- Employ the three basic rules of radiation safety when working with radioactive materials to maintain exposures As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA):
- Decrease the time you are exposed to radioactivity,
- Increase the distance between you and the source material, and
- Increase the shielding around the source material.
- Know the location of your laboratories spill kit and be familiar with campus emergency procedures.
23.2 Some Important Cautions
- DO avoid working with radioactive materials if you have an open wound.
- DO use pipette bulbs when pipetting radioactive materials.
- DO store personal belongings outside the "active" area of the lab.
- DO leave all food, beverages, or smoking materials outside radionuclide labs.
- DO remember to wear protective clothing, e.g. disposable gloves, lab coats, eye protection, when handling radioactive material.
- DO use appropriately labeled sharps boxes for disposal of all syringes, needles, pasteur pipettes, blades and other sharp objects.
Updated March 4, 2008 by SAK