General requirements: Any person who will be handling unsealed radioactive material must receive radiation safety training before starting work. Normally this involves reading written material, attending an orientation presented by Radiation Safety (RS), passing an exam, and receiving lab-specific instruction. Experienced users may start work before attending the orientation by completing a provisional use agreement. A refresher training course (now offered online) is required at three year intervals.

New user orientation

  • Call RS (541-737-2227) or email [email protected] to sign up for an orientation session. Orientations are presented once per month as needed and last 3.5 hours, including exam. RS will send a confirmation one week prior to the orientation.
  • Prior to the orientation, read the Unsealed Radioisotope User section in the OSU Radiation Safety Manual.
  • Attend the orientation at the scheduled date and time. You will take a written exam at the end of the orientation. A score of 75% is required to be approved to work with radioactive materials.
  • RS will send you a memo if you fail the exam. You will be given two weeks to retake. Failure on the second attempt will require that you attend another orientation session prior to taking the exam a third time.
  • After successfully completing the exam, you will be mailed a copy of the Orientation Acknowledgment/Prior Dose Statement form. This document serves as your training certificate; you should preserve it for future reference.
  • Your Program Director will receive copies of exam retake memos and your Orientation Acknowledgment/Prior Dose Statement form.

Lab-specific training

Lab-specific training should be given by the Program Director or his/her designee. The person providing the training should be knowledgeable about radiation use and safety for all work conducted under the Radiation Use Authorization. Lab-specific training should include:

  • Safe handling procedures for the protocols to be used in the lab.
  • Areas designated for use of radioactive material in the lab.
  • Recording radioactive material usage (inventory).
  • Location of radioactive waste containers and any special waste procedures applicable to your work, including waste logsheets, etc.
  • Procedures for post-work surveys and routine documented surveys.
  • Maintaining security of radioactive material.

Refresher Training

  • Refresher training is required every three years. The refresher course is available online here
  • RS will notify you when your refresher training is due. You should complete the online training and submit the email acknowledgement form prior to your due date. Failure to complete refresher training will result in loss of your individual authorization to use radioactive materials.

Provisional Use Agreement

  • Personnel with previous radioisotope handling experience may start work before completing the orientation by completing a provisional use agreement (PUA).
  • Contact RS to request a PUA form.
  • Read the unsealed radioisotope training section in the Radiation Training and Reference Manual.
  • Complete lab-specific training (above).
  • Sign the PUA form; have your Program Director sign the form.
  • Send the form to RS. Upon RS's receipt of the form, you will be authorized to work with radioactive material under supervision of an authorized person pending completion of the orientation.
  • The PUA allows you to work for up to two (2) months prior to attending the orientation. Failure to attend a regularly scheduled orientation session will cause you to lose the authorization to work with radioactive material.