Routine radiation and contamination monitoring surveys are conducted by the Radiation Safety Office as part of good radiation safety practice and to ensure compliance with our license requirements as described in Appendix II.

To protect both the radiation worker and members of the public, laboratories are required to perform radiation area and contamination surveys designed to characterize any radiation fields within the laboratory and identify potential contamination areas.  

The laboratory Authorized User shall ensure that radiation surveys are performed when appropriate and that the survey results are properly recorded.  

Surveys shall include a contamination survey and, if appropriate, an area radiation survey.  Laboratories which use radioisotopes which do not pose an external radiation hazard (such as C-14 or H-3) are not required to perform radiation area surveys but are required to perform contamination surveys.  Radiation workers who wish to review proper radiation survey techniques may consult Appendix VII of this manual or may contact a member of the radiation safety office.  

The following is a list of required laboratory radiation surveys: 

  1. Radiation and contamination surveys (as applicable) when a radiation source is used and especially immediately following the transfer of radioactive materials from stock solutions.  
  2. After each experimental run if there is a possibility of a change in radiation levels or contamination. 
  3. After packaging or unpacking a radiation source.
  4. After a radioactive material spill. 
A log of the surveys and an inventory of material shall be kept by each Authorized User.   Form AU-2 is a generic survey form recommended for use in campus radiation laboratories.  A copy of this form is included in Appendix IX.