Chemical Hygiene Plan - Queensborough Community College ...

Ionizing radiation can also be produced by certain electrical equipment, including X-ray
machines and particle accelerators. Radiation levels produced by this equipment are also very
low because of shielding. You can tell if a room contains a source of ionizing radiation because
each entrance is plainly marked by warning labels. Within the room, additional labels and
warning tape will be found on each piece of radiation producing equipment and on all areas used
to work with or store radioactive material.
18.2 Potential Hazards
Like any form of energy, ionizing radiation can be harmful if a person is exposed to an excessive
amount. Exposure to ionizing radiation causes chemical damage to body tissues and can be
harmful. Just as with exposure to any toxic chemical, the human body can tolerate exposure to
ionizing radiation up to a point without producing any immediate injury. However, just as with
toxic chemicals, high levels of exposure can cause serious injuries including skin burns, hair
loss, internal bleeding, anemia and immune system suppression. In addition, exposure to high
levels of ionizing radiation has been proven to cause an increased lifetime risk of cancer.
18.3 How to Protect Yourself
Responsibility for protecting themselves, co-workers, and others from exposure to ionizing
radiation is delegated by the Radiation Safety Officer to the P.I. or area supervisor and to each of
the individual users. Appropriate safety requirements that are specific to each use and location
are written into each approval granted by the Committee. Every user is trained in radiation
safety principles and on the specific safety requirements of their operations before they are
allowed to begin working with radioactive material.
Other individuals in these areas, who are not trained to use radioactive material or radiation
producing equipment, need to follow the safety procedures established for those working with
ionizing radiation. Primarily this means:
1) Never operate equipment that produces ionizing radiation.
2) Never handle items or containers that are labeled with radioactive material warnings or
that are within areas marked as storage or use areas for radioactive material.
18.4 Control of Ionizing Radiation
All use of material or equipment that produces ionizing radiation requires prior approval by the
College Radiation Safety Committee. This group of faculty and staff set policies and personally
review each operation to ensure safety and compliance with state and federal regulations. The
Radiation Safety Officer and your EHS Office provide training and other services to help
individuals work safely. In addition, they perform routine inspections of all use areas and
require correction of all violations of radiation safety requirements. It is strongly recommended
that each college using material or equipment that produces ionizing radiation have a Radiation
Safety Manual which gives detailed, written information on a college’s radiation safety program.
The performance of the Radiation Safety Program is reviewed continuously. The Radiation
Safety Committee should meet several times each year to keep policies up-to-date, resolve
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