The USDA Radiation Safety Staff is the operational office for the USDA Radiation Safety Program for all USDA agencies. We work with the USDA Radiation Safety Committee, which consists of representatives from each agency. The Radiation Safety Committee establishes program policies and oversees RSS as well as all agency radiation users. RSS works with radiation users to implement a radiation safety program that ensures that all agencies maintain compliance with all Federal regulations regarding the control, safe use, and disposal of radioactive material and x-ray producing equipment. We advise APHIS employees on how to use radiation safely and we visit each APHIS location to determine whether they are complying with requirements.
The Radiation Safety Staff coordinates USDA’s role in the Federal response to nationally significant radiological emergencies through the USDA Office of Homeland Security and agency emergency response offices.
The agencies we currently provide radiation safety services for are:
• Agricultural Research Service
• Agricultural Marketing Service
• Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
• Food Safety Inspection Service
• Forest Service
• Natural Resource Conservation Service
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