Radiation Guidelines for non-users of Radioisotopes

As of December 2009, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission requires that awareness training be provided to individuals who are not certified to work with radioisotopes, but who work in a laboratory where radioisotopes are used or stored.

This awareness training consists of:

  • reading a five page guideline document,
  • having any questions answered by the radioisotope permit holder for the lab (or by the UofA Radiation Safety Officer) and,
  • signing a training record sheet that they have read the guidelines

The permit holder should keep a record of who has signed the record sheet and send the original to the Radiation Protection Officer at the Office of Environmental Health and Safety. Compliance with this requirement will be monitored when a lab is inspected by the UofA Radiation Safety Office and/or the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.

This requirement applies to both teaching and research labs where radioisotopes are present. It does not apply to people who have attended the UofA Radiation Safety Course as they already have this information nor does it apply to custodians, plumbers or other university employees who have specific training pertinent to their work activities.

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