All new and current employees being added as Radioactive Material (RAM) users to a protocol must attend the Office of Radiation Safety training course for RAM users prior to any use of radioactive material.
PI submittal of the New User Amendment and Training Certification form to ORS (fax no. 2-4008, mail MC2106 or deliver to AMB M-031A) is required to add a user to the protocol! Additionally, each individual assigned the lab designee responsibilities must first attend the RAM user training course and then the laboratory designee training course presented by the Radiation Safety Team.
Courses
Radiation Safety Awareness
Radiation Safety Awareness training is administered to all individuals who may work in radioactive material use areas as part of their normal job responsibilities, but are not authorized to handle radioactive materials or devices. The training is specifically tailored to the needs of the worker, based upon their job description and potential hazards. Awareness training includes discussion of radioactive material labeling and postings, the University’s ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) program to reduce occupational radiation exposures, radiation protection measures (time, distance, and shielding), radiation risks, and emergency response procedures. Laboratory safety rules, as well as basic radiation physics, monitoring, and measurement are discussed as appropriate to the worker and their environment.
This course can be taken online via EHSA or in-person on an as-needed basis. Radiation Safety Awareness must be arranged for by contacting the radiation safety team.
Radioactive Material User
The Radioactive Material User course discusses requirements of the University of Chicago radioactive material license, Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA), Division of Nuclear Safety regulations, and radiation safety practices to ensure a safe work environment. The training class is designed to provide the radioactive material users with the necessary information to work safely with radioactive material and maintain compliance with regulatory requirements. Topics discussed include basic radiation physics, occupational exposure limits, general rules for safe use of radioactive materials, dosimeter badges, security, labeling, transportation of radioactive materials, survey instrument use, radioactive material inventory tracking, radioactive waste disposal, conducting surveys (e.g. contamination, radiation exposure), and documentation requirements. This two-and-a-half- to three-hour training class is mandatory regardless of previous experience for first-time radioactive material users at the University of Chicago. Radioactive Material User Training is intended for all faculty, postdocs, students, volunteers, and employees of the University of Chicago who will actively handle and use radioactive material. Therefore, new and current employees to be added to a principal investigator radioactive material protocol for the first time must attend the radioactive material user training class prior to using radioactive material. This includes new principal investigators applying for a radioactive material protocol.
This course is offered weekly and can be taken online via or as a lecture based course. To enroll in either session, please visit EHSA .
Radioactive Material Laboratory Designee
This course discusses the responsibilities of the individual designated by the principal investigator to assist the laboratory in maintaining compliance with radiation safety requirements. The responsibilities discussed include correspondence between laboratory and the radiation safety team, training requirements for laboratory personnel, radioactive material accountability, waste management, surveys, protocol maintenance, policy enforcement, security, dosimeter badges, and documentation requirements. This online training course is mandatory for all individuals designated for the first time to be the laboratory designee for a principal investigator radioactive material protocol. Prior to attending this training class, the individual must have attended the Radiactive Material User Training or must be an approved radioactive material user on a principal investigator’s protocol. This course is available via EHSA. If you need to complete this course, please contact the radiation safety team.
Irradiator Operator
This course is offered in-person on an as-needed basis. Please contact our radiation safety team if you wish to set up individual training.
X-ray Safety and Awareness
This course can be taken online via EHSA.
