Office of Radiation Safety

Statement of Commitment

The University is committed to maintaining exposures of radiation to faculty, staff, students and the public, resulting from the use of radiation sources in teaching and research, As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA). The Radiation Safety Committee, the Office of Environmental Health and Safety and the Radiation Safety Office will advise and assist faculty, staff and students in all matters regarding radiation safety. The Committee will recommend to the campus administration, through the Office of Environmental Health and Safety, policies and procedures to be required for maintaining radiation exposures ALARA through the safety handling, storage, use transport and disposal of radiation sources and will assist in the interpretation of the rules and regulations of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Minnesota Department of Health and any others that pertain to the protection against radiation. Sources of radiation include: materials and equipment that are capable of emitting ionizing or non-ionizing radiation. Ionizing radiation sources include radioactive material, nuclear reactors, particle accelerators, x-ray machines and electron microscopes, Non-ionizing radiation sources include lasers, high-intensity sources of ultraviolet light, microwave transmitters and other devices that produce high intensity radio-frequency radiation. Both types are of concern and are under the purview of the Radiation Safety Office and the Office of Environmental Health and Safety . Policies and procedures for radiation safety are delineated in the MSU,M Radiation Safety Manual. Question relating to radiation hazards should be directed to those offices.