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| The NIH Radiation Safety Program
is designed to achieve strict compliance with applicable Federal
Regulations. Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 19,
Section 12, "Instructions to Workers" (10 CFR 19.12)
is the regulation requiring training of individuals working
in or frequenting any portion of a restricted area associated
with radioactive materials or radiation. To meet the regulatory
mandates on the training of users and others, the DRS operates
an extensive training program. |
| The NIH Radiation Safety Program
requires that all individuals working with or around radioactive
sources receive entry level radiation safety training as well
as periodic refresher training. Note that many of the training
items pertain to circumstances and license conditions specific
to the NIH; therefore, it may not be assumed that this initial
instruction has been adequately covered by prior radiation safety
training at another institution. |
| Under the current NIH broad license
agreement with the NRC, the Radiation Safety Branch must establish
and implement the model training program that was published
in Regulatory Guide 10.8, Revision 2(1987), Guide for the Preparation
of Application for Medical Use Program. Included under the model
program is a requirement for refresher training on a regular
basis. Also included under the irradiator licenses are training
requirements for irradiator users. Records of this training,
including documentation of attendance, are required to be maintained
for review by NRC inspectors. All training determinations are
incorporated by reference into the current NIH license; any
breach of such agreements constitutes a license violation. |
Registered User Types and Training Required
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| Definitive policies exist for what
type of initial and refresher training is required. All personnel
(e.g., researchers) working with radioactive materials and all
ancillary (e.g., nurses, housekeepers, security, maintenance)
personnel whose duties may require them to work in the vicinity
of radioactive materials must receive instruction about radiation
hazards and appropriate precautions as specified in 10 CFR 19
and Regulatory Guide 10.8. For new or returning users
to NIH training requirements
are found here. |
| When a person is registered with
the Radiation Safety Branch, they are assigned a user type code
according to the nature of their involvement with sources of
radiation at NIH. The type of radiation safety training required
depends on their assigned user type. |
DRS Training Courses |
| The NIH Radiation Safety Training
Program is comprised of a number of regularly scheduled courses
and many specialized training sessions tailored to the specific
needs of certain occupational groups, as well as periodic refresher
training for radioactive materials users and support personnel
who may have occasion to frequent a restricted area. |
Regularly Scheduled Courses |
| Those courses that
are routinely scheduled include Radiation
Safety in the Laboratory (RSL), Radiation
Safety for Authorized Users (RSAU), Refresher Training (REF),
and Radiation Safety - Nurses Orientation (RSNO). |
Specialized Courses |
| In addition to the
regularly scheduled radiation safety courses, specialized training
sessions are given for certain occupational groups whose duties
may require them to work in the vicinity of radioactive materials.
Typically, these groups include the firefighters, the security
police, instrument repair staff, maintenance and engineering
staff, transportation personnel, animal handlers, irradiator
users, Operating Room staffs, Intensive Care Unit staffs, housekeeping
staff, patient-care personnel for patients who have received
a procedure involving radioactive material, clinical laboratory
staff who may be handling specimens from patients given radioactive
drugs, and others. These courses are tailored to the specific
needs of each occupational group and are designed to inform
the personnel about radiation hazards and appropriate precautions.
The sessions typically last about an hour or as long as needed.
There is no regular schedule for these courses; rather, they
are conducted on an as-needed basis. For a complete list of
specialized coursed refer to this page. |
Self-Study Training Courses |
| The Radiation Safety
Training Office has developed both self-study and Authorized
User training materials for a number of groups at NIH. |
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The Branch has developed an orientation information
packet for new NIH research personnel. This orientation information
is recommended minimum training for NIH and special appointment
personnel prior to engaging in the use of radioactive materials.
The new user is oriented by the Authorized User using the
information provided by the Branch. The radiation safety orientation
facilitates new NIH personnel to perform work safely with
radioactive materials prior to any further training that may
be deemed appropriate. The orientation training of the individual
is documented to DRS using a form, "Radiation Safety
Training Orientation Documentation." This training document
is also available online and in the following languages: Spanish,
Italian, German, French, Korean, Chinese, Russian, and Japanese.
Self-study radiation safety training packages have been developed
for use by the patient care personnel, the irradiator users,
and the patient services personnel.
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Computer-Based Training Courses
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Currently the Radiation Safety Training Office
is coordinating and planning for the use of computer-based
training techniques for various radiation safety courses.
The NIH Clinical Center Nursing Education Department, in cooperation
with the Radiation Safety Branch, have inaugurated a computer-based
radiation safety training course for patient care personnel.Other
computer-based training materials are under development.
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| Users may Radiation Safety Training Office (drstraining@mail.nih.gov) for additional course
information. |
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