School Radiation Safety Officers Responsiblities

The School Radiation Safety Officer is an integral and important component of the radiation safety programme at UWA. The SRSO's specific duties include to:

• Assist the S&H and ultimately the Vice-Chancellor in ensuring that the school complies with the Radiation Safety Act and its regulations involving the registration of premises and licensing of major radioisotope users.
• Ensuring the school upgrades and maintains its facilities to a standard suitable for the use of radioisotopes and for the procedures being undertaken.
• Assist in the preparation and enforcement of local laboratory safety rules.
• Ensuring all radiation users receive the necessary training, instruction and supervision to perform their duties safely.
• Ensuring that radiation users submit protocols to the S&H for approval before commencing work with radioisotopes.
• Ensuring all orders for radioisotopes are processed through the S&H and that radioactive waste is properly packaged and delivered to the S&H for eventual disposal.
• Ensuring the legal transport of radioactive materials within and between departments.
• Ensure monthly wipe tests are performed, any contamination investigated and all reports submitted to the S&H for auditing.
• Ensuring all monitoring equipment is maintained and regularly calibrated
• Ensuring all radiation personnel are monitored and where appropriate, undergo biological monitoring.
• Investigate any radiation exposure or radioactive contamination incidents.
• Report to the Head of School, or if necessary direct to the S&H, of any radiation hazards within the school or any non compliance with established procedures by radioisotope users.

The SRSO is expected to maintain records of:

• Registration information, protocols and all orders placed and received.
• Radioisotopes received, their use, movement and disposal.
• Monitoring results from film badges, biological monitoring and wipe tests.
• Calibrations of radiation detection and monitoring equipment.
• Reports on any incidents or accidents.