Frequently Asked Questions

If you have a Radioactive Materials License through the EH&S Department, the Principal Investigator will need to apply for an amendment to their Radioactive Materials License by completing an Amendment to Radioactive Material License Request Form and submitting it to the Radiation Safety Officer. 

All laboratory members will need to take Radiation Safety Training with Einstein’s Radiation Safety Officer and pass an exam. The laboratory personnel will also need to obtain a dosimeter to track their radiation exposure depending upon the radioisotopes used within the laboratory. If the laboratory plans to work with x-ray producing devices or a gamma irradiator, please contact the Radiation Safety Officer regarding other trainings and steps required. 

Please contact the Radiation Safety Officer for more information. 

Radioactive waste requests are handled through iLab. Log into iLab and go to the Environmental Health & Safety core page. Under the “Request Services” tab you will see the first option is for a Radioactive & Decayed Waste Disposal Request. On the right side of the page, click “initiate request”. Complete the request form and submit. Once the form is submitted the Radiation Safety Officer will receive the request via email. Please allow a few days for the waste to be picked up by the EH&S Dept. 

Ring dosimeters should be worn when handling P-32 in amounts greater than 500 uCi.

Yes, the EH&S Department provides 5-gallon metal containers and 10-gallon plastic containers for radioactive waste storage. The container must be lined with a durable plastic bag/liner prior to adding waste into the container. The laboratory should add the appropriate shielding around the containers if needed.   

The EH&S Department’s Radiation Safety Officer reviews all dosimetry records. To review any current or past dosimetry records, please contact the Radiation Safety Officer.

Working with radioactive materials at Einstein may require having a radiation survey meter such as a Geiger counter or a sodium iodide detector (NaI) present within the laboratory. Laboratory’s may purchase their own survey meter, or they can rent a meter through the EH&S Department for a monthly fee. The Radiation Safey Officer can provide recommendations on meters to be purchased. Please see the “Survey Meter Calibrations and Repair" webpage for more information. 

Volunteers are allowed to work with radioactive materials if they take the required trainings through the EH&S Department, are not a minor (must be at least 18 years old), and obtain a dosimeter to track their radiation exposure. Please refer to the Volunteers Working Around Radioactive Materials & Radiation Producing Equipment form which has more information and is required to be completed for volunteers working with or around radioactive materials and radiation producing equipment.