The University Of Chicago

·Risk Management, Audit and Safety·

Office of Radiation Safety

5841 South Maryland Avenue

MC 2106 Room M-031A

Chicago, Illinois 60637

 

 

July 1, 2006

 

To:                   Principal Investigators, Laboratory Designees, and Account Administrators

 

From:               James Marsicek, Associate Director/Radiation Safety Officer

                                   

Re:                   Summary of University Radiation Safety Fee Schedule

 

The Radiation Safety Fee Structure for the Office of Radiation Safety is designed to provide sufficient funds in support of the University of Chicago license conditions and requirements of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA), Division of Nuclear Safety regulations. These fees along with financial assistance from the University’s Budget Office provide the Office of Radiation Safety with funds to ensure that the University of Chicago is a safe environment to work and visit.

 

The fee structure is based on estimated projections provided by the Office of Radiation Safety each year. The radiation safety rates may be adjusted each year to cover any deficit or surplus occurring during previous fiscal years. 

Explanation of Radiation Safety Service Fees:

 

1.      Personnel Monitoring (Radiation Badges)

Since the majority of personnel monitoring dosimeters for the research community have a bimonthly wear period they will be charged at the bimonthly rate. However, if monthly monitoring badges are issued to your staff, a monthly rate will charged for each monitor (e.g. fetal monitors have a monthly wear period). Please note that the Principal Investigator or department will be assessed an addition regulatory fee for delinquent or late badge returns or lost or unreturned badges.

 

2.      Bioassay Procedures

The Office of Radiation Safety does not charge for bioassay monitoring and/or analysis for Iodine or Tritium uptakes. However, if ORS is required to perform an analysis for another isotope a fee will be assessed and if a commercial lab is needed the cost of assay will be charged to the Principal Investigator.

 

3.      Research Laboratory Surveys

The Office of Radiation Safety will survey all research labs on a quarterly basis. These surveys will be charged at the "Routine Survey" rate. Any lab survey that yields a violation will be placed on a monthly survey schedule until there are 3 consecutive surveys without a violation. These monthly surveys will be charged at the “Routine Survey” rate. When a violation is found during a monthly or quarterly survey the Office of Radiation Safety will complete a follow-up survey within 3 to 6 days to ensure the violation has been corrected. This follow-up survey will be charged at the “Special Survey” rate. The Office of Radiation Safety will conduct a closeout survey when a laboratory is moving and/or leaving campus. The closeout survey will be charged at the “Special Survey” rate.

 

4.      Leak Testing of Sealed Sources

The Office of Radiation Safety will conduct leak testing on sealed sources on a semi-annual or quarterly frequency. The leak test frequency is depended on the isotope and the source design. In most instances one test will be used for one source, unless a unit/device has two sealed sources mounted in the same source holder. In this case one test would be used and charged for the two sealed sources.

 

5.      Radioactive Material Procurement Services

The Office of Radiation Safety has developed an inventory tracking system to ensure all radioactive material sources delivered to the University are accounted for. This radioactive material package handling fee covers the ORS staffing time to place the radioactive material orders, survey packages delivered to the University, entering the inventory into the database system, managing the inventory database and costs associated with radioactive waste disposal.

 

6.      Radioactive Material Inventory

The radioactive material package handling & waste fee covers the time for ORS staff to manage the required quarterly inventory program. However, since the quarterly inventory is a regulatory requirement, a deadline is provided for the Principal Investigator to complete this inventory. A delinquent or late inventory surcharge will be assessed to the Principal Investigator that fails to return their inventory record by the deadline. In addition, if there is failure by the laboratory to return the inventory after the deadline, ORS staff will conduct the inventory and the Principal Investigator will be charged for this service at the hourly rate.

 

7.      X-ray Inspection

The X-ray producing machines are inspected on an annual frequency. The IEMA, Division of Nuclear Safety charges an annual registration fee for each X-ray producing machine. This annual fee will be passed along to the researcher or department.

 

8.      Radiation Safety Training

A cancellation fee will be assessed to the Principal Investigator or Department whose staff is registered for an ORS training course and fail to attend the scheduled course without a 24 hour cancellation notice to ORS.

 

9.      Survey Instrument Calibration and Repair

Survey instruments must be calibrated annually and after repair or adjustment. The Office of Radiation Safety charges a fee for the calibration service; however there is no extra charge for staff time for on-site repairs. However, any parts needed for repair or replacement will be charged at cost. Manufacturer calibrations and repairs will be charged at the invoice amount. 

 

10.  General Radiation Safety Services

The University of Chicago license requires that ORS conducted annual audits of the research laboratories. The fee per audit is a flat rate (not an hourly rate). There is no fee for a promptly reported spill or incident; however, if a spill or incident is not reported in a timely fashion a fee may be assessed per incident to cover ORS staff time.

 

11.  General Supplies

The Office of Radiation Safety will charge for lead foil, batteries and instrument parts; however, there is no charge for waste management supplies or warning signs/tape. However, an instrument check source must be returned to ORS when an instrument is taken out of service or prior to a researcher leaving the campus. A researcher that does not return the instrument check source to ORS when leaving the University or looses an instrument check source will be charged a fee to replace the check source.


 Please take a moment to review the fee structure. If you should have any specific questions regarding the cost of our radiation safety program, please feel free to contact our office at 2-6299.