Office of Research Services

1. ​Proper planning and staging prior to working with radioactive material is encouraged. Save time and reduce the potential for accidents by ensuring that all materials, reagents, and tools are available before starting a procedure
   
2. Allocate an adequate amount of time for procedures involving radioactive materials to accommodate for any radioactive spills that may occur 
   
3. Use absorbent paper or pads as required when working with radioactive material to contain potential spills and splatter
• Used absorbent paper or pads are always assumed to be contaminated and should be changed frequently
• Used absorbent paper or pads should be disposed of as dry radioactive waste unless proven to be free of radioactive contamination
4. Use an approved sharps box (small: NSN-6530-01-196-0284; medium: NSN-6530-00-L03-5923) as required to dispose of sharp instruments such as needles, syringes, and glass pipettes. The boxes or containers should be replaced when they are three-quarters full and picked up as radioactive waste.  Do not recap, bend, remove, or clip needles
   
5. Never pipette by mouth ​
   
6. Ensure that the appropriate​ shielding is utilized for the type and amount of radioactive material being used.  Specifically, lead should not be used as a primary shielding for high-energy beta-emitting radionuclides due to the production of bremsstrahlung radiation. Lead may be used outside of the Plexiglas or Lucite shield. 
   

Contact your  area health physicist  for shielding questions and recommendations​