Radioactive material (including machinery producing ionizing radiation) can only be used by authorized Oakland University permit holders or under the supervision of a permit holder. User permits are issued by the Oakland University
Radiation Safety Committee (RSC). User permits are issued to the full-time OU faculty members or principal investigators only. All others must work under the supervision of a full-time faculty member.
Full-time faculty members can apply to the RSC for a user permit by submitting a Radiation User Permit Application. Please contact Radiation Safety Officer, Domenico Luongo, to get the electronic copy. The committee will issue a user permit only after reviewing the application. Three-year user permits are issued after an initial probationary one-year user permit. Permit holders are responsible for the proper use of all radioisotopes or radiation producing machinery, proper maintenance of the facilities used for research, and proper maintenance of all required records. The specific, detailed instructions on procedures and requirements for the use of radioactive materials at Oakland is referenced in the Oakland University Safety and Procedures Manual for the Use of Radioisotopes in Laboratories (pdf).
Permit holders are responsible for meeting Oakland University training requirements and standards. Every individual working with, or in the vicinity of radioactive materials, must receive instruction and training commensurate with their duties before beginning any work. In addition, all individuals must be retrained once every three years and/whenever there is a significant change in duties, regulations, or terms of the university’s license of the investigators user permit. A description of these requirements can be found in the Oakland University Safety and Procedures Manual for the Use of Radioisotopes in Laboratories (pdf).
Permit holders should know that federal and state agencies routinely conduct inspections – some unannounced – including inspections of records maintained by permit holders. In addition, periodic audits of laboratories, and inspections of isotope records, are conducted by the Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) or a member of the RSO’s staff. All inspections, including inspections of records, will be done as to minimize the disruption of normal laboratory functions. They will be unannounced.
For questions regarding radiation safety and/or radiation permits contact Domenico Luongo, RSO, at 248-370-4314, email luongo@oakland.edu or visit the Laboratory Safety and Compliance web page.