Clinical Radiation Safety
1. Radiation Safety Training
All individuals working with (or in the vicinity of) radioactive materials or radiation-producing equipment will receive clinical radiation safety instruction before assuming their duties. Additionally, refresher training will be provided annually and whenever there is a significant change in duties, regulations, terms of the license / permit, or type of radioactive material or therapy device used. The training programs are developed and presented by the Columbia University Department of Environmental Health and Safety in both live and on-line formats.
Clinical radiation safety refresher training is required annually.
- If you have been assigned a UNI (CU email) you can take the refresher training in Rascal (course code: TC5400). https://www.rascal.columbia.edu/
- If you have been assigned a CWID (NYP email) you can take the “General Radiation Safety” training in Sabacloud.
- Radiation safety team provides annual refresher in-person training for some clinical departments. Please ask your manager if this is applicable for your department.
For any questions regarding your refresher training, please contact the radiation safety team at (212) 305-0303 or [email protected].
2. Dosimetry
3. ALARA
ALARA is an acronym for "As Low As Reasonably Achievable." It means making every reasonable effort to maintain exposures to ionizing radiation as far below the dose limits as practical.
Details of the ALARA Program may be found in the Radiation Safety Manual.
4. Working with Radiation
The Radiation Safety Manual. includes the policies and procedures of the Radiation Safety Program that govern all work involving the use of radionuclides, radiation–generating equipment and other sources of ionizing radiation. Please review the Radiation Safety Manual and contact the Radiation Safety Office for any questions.
A. Surgery of Patient with Radioactive Material
B. Lead Aprons
5. Shipping Radioactive Material
If any department has interest in shipping radioactive material they should inform the Radiation Safety Office via phone at 212-305-0303 or email at [email protected].
6. Approval of Physicians to Use or Prescribe Radioactive Material for Diagnosis or Therapy
7. Physicians Authorized to Use or Prescribe Radioactive Material for Diagnosis or Therapy