Areas where radioactive materials are used must either be locked, or be under constant surveillance by trained radiation workers who will protect others from the associated hazards. Areas where radioactive materials are stored, but are never opened or used must be locked, or be under constant surveillance by trained radiation workers who will prevent unauthorized "removal [of] or access [to]" the stored materials.
The operational criterion used by inspectors from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to determine whether radioactive materials are properly controlled is as follows:
If an inspector can at any time gain access to a radioactive materials laboratory and discover radioactive materials in any form, without being confronted and asked for identification, then a violation has occurred.
Enhancement of security is provided by locking the refrigerators, freezers, and other storage units used for storing radioactive materials. Some advantage is also gained by storing radioactive wastes, as much as possible, in a centralized secured area. The two previous considerations are not exhaustive with respect to the situations that need to be controlled, especially in the case of a laboratory currently using radioactive materials. For instance, they do not consider radioactive materials that may be in process on the bench top or in appliances such as centrifuges and incubators, and they do not consider small quantities of waste that may be in the process of being accumulated near the area of use. Contact the RSO for assistance on methods of securing your radioactive materials. Most importantly, for operating laboratories utilizing unsealed sources of radioactive material in research or clinical assays, the only generally acceptable solution to the security issue is to emphasize the discipline of requiring that the last person who leaves a given laboratory area at any time must lock the doors to that area.
Any person who is not a fully trained radiation worker is by definition a member of the public. The regulatory and liability issues surrounding potential exposures to members of the public are serious. Prudence dictates that areas where radioactive materials are used must have adequate supervision by trained and qualified radiation workers to prevent inadvertent exposures to such persons, such as by the possibility of contact with laboratory surfaces that are subject to becoming contaminated during operations.
Environmental Health and Safety personnel routinely conduct spot inspections for laboratory security. These inspections check to see if the inspector physically has access to bulk or stock radioactive materials. Experiments in progress are usually not included in the inspection. Storage of samples may be in question depending on whether they are considered experiments in progress or will be stored for a longer period of time. All lab members must do their part to help question the presence of individuals who do not work in their lab, including checking the individual to see that they possess a valid campus picture identification. The front door to the laboratory must be locked when the last person leaves the room. The inspector will return within several weeks if you do not pass a security check and will look for improvements.
