Decommissioning a Radioisotope Laboratory

Updated: March 2023

Standard Operating Procedures:

  1. A permit holder who wishes to delete a laboratory from the permit, must ensure that:
    1. all signs and labels have been removed from the laboratory
    2. the laboratory rules have been removed
    3. all waste containers have been removed (contact Environmental Protection Services for disposal and removal of waste).
    4. all radioactive substances have been removed
    5. the radiation field is measured with a survey instrument and compared to the background radiation
    6. if the radiation field is above background, the source of the radiation must be determined and removed or cleaned until the radiation field is equal to the background radiation level
    7. swipe samples are taken with filter paper covering a minimum of 100 cm2 in various locations
    8. swipe samples are counted by a Liquid Scintillation Counter with the energy windows wide open
    9. if any samples indicate an activity greater than 0.5 Bq/cm2, the area must be decontaminated/cleaned
    10. submit a written notice to the Radiation Protection Service (RPS) by e-mail to Vanieshree Ranganathan.
  2. In the absence of the PH (retired/left the University), the Department is responsible for all of the above.
  3. After receiving notice from the Permit Holder/Department a Health and Safety Officer (HSO) will visit the laboratory. The HSO will audit all of the above and complete the “Laboratory Decommissioning Report.”
  4. The HSO will submit a report to the Designated Radiation Safety Officer, who will approve the Permit revision and/or archive the Permit.
  5. All of the related paperwork will be filed and stored for three years by the RPS.