Office of Research & Innovation
Info For:
Radiation Safety

Contact Us

Radiation Safety Office
3250 Chestnut Street, Suite 3010
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Phone: 215.762.4050
Fax: 215.762.1248
Email Radiation Safety

Authorization Process

Laboratory Research

To become an authorized user for radiation use in laboratory research you must:

  • Become familiar with applicable radiation safety requirements which can be found in the University Radiation Safety Manual.
  • Meet the qualifications for an authorized user.
  • Apply for authorization through the Radiation Safety Officer to the Radiation Safety Committee.
  • Upon approval from the Radiation Safety Committee and before receiving a source of radiation, contact the Radiation Safety Office (215.762.4050) to set-up your facility (e.g., posting and labeling) and a post approval interview.

Clinical Application

To become an authorized user for clinical application of radiation to patients you must:

  • Contact the Radiation Safety Officer for specific requirements based on type of clinical application.

To administer radiation or radioactive materials to human research subjects you must:

  • Submit application along with IRB submission to the Office of Research Human Subject Research Program. The Office of Research IRB coordinator will provide a copy to the Radiation Safety Officer for review.

Qualifications of an Authorized User

Unless there are compelling reasons otherwise, Radiation Safety Committee will only approve faculty members as authorized users. An authorized user must have previous experience working with radioactive materials which require similar radiation safety precautions. An individual does not need previous experience working with similar radioactive material to work with radioimmunoassay kits, or generally licensed radioactive material.

An inexperienced applicant may gain experience by one of the following methods. The Radiation Safety Officer/Radiation Safety Committee will determine which is most appropriate.

  • Perform dry run of proposed procedure under the review of the Radiation Safety Officer or designee.
  • Perform a limited activity run of the proposed procedure.
  • Perform the procedure under the supervision of an authorized user which has approval to perform the same procedures.

Application Instructions

  1. Complete Application for Possession and Use of Radioactive Materials in Basic Research and submit to Radiation Safety Officer. An unsigned electronic copy can be submitted for initial review, but a signed copy must be submitted for the records.
  2. If more radioisotopes are needed than the application form provides for, complete the Supplemental Sheet for Additional Isotopes or Chemical Forms and submit with primary application.
  3. If you will be administering radioactive materials to animals, complete the Radioactive Materials in Laboratory Animals Questionnaire and submit with primary application. Note that Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee approval is also required.
  4. The Radiation Safety Committee meets four times per year but conducts business between meetings via email.

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