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Radiation Safety Program

Radiation Safety Program

The Radiation Safety Program provides comprehensive health physics support service to The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston community. 

The radiation safety mission is to assist in maintaining safe and healthy settings for research and clinical activities. The program fulfills this mission by assisting the institution's Radiation Safety Committee, performing routine laboratory and clinical inspections of radioactive material, x-ray and laser use, providing personnel, area and environmental monitoring, and responding to emergency situations.

Please feel free to contact us at 713-500-5840 or email us at [email protected] if we may be of assistance or if you have any safety concerns to safety concerns to be addressed.

EHS Main Office 713-500-8100 (answered M-F, 8:00AM-5:00PM CST)
EHS Hotline 713-500-5832  (after hours, weekends, holiday for the on-call safety specialist)
For Emergencies, Dial UT Police Dispatch 713-792-2890 or 911

UPDATES:

Monthly Reminder of Contamination Wipe Test

  • Document contamination wipe tests monthly
  • If ONLY STORING radiation this month, document wipe test of storage area
  • If NOT USING OR STORING radiation this month, write on wipe test form
    "No use or storage for ______month"


Monthly Wipe Test


LIBRARY:

Manuals and Standard Operating Procedures

Radiation Safety Manual
Review of Select Radiation Safety Procedures at UTHealth

Lasers

Laser Safety Manual
Laser Safety and Operating Procedures

Emergency Response

Chemical, Radioactive, Biological Spills
Injuries/Illnesses 
Emergency Contact Numbers
Radioactive Emergency Response Procedures


Radiation Safety Guidelines, Forms, and Manuals

Notice to Employees
Radioactive Material or General Radiation Producing Machine Use
Dental X-ray Machines

Primary Investigator Forms
Application for Non-Human Use of Radioactive Material RS-01A (one per radionuclide)
Training, Experience, Laboratory Staff, and Equipment RS-01B
Application for RAM Use in Animals RS-07 (Word document)
Radioactive Materials Authorization Amendment Form
Application for HUMAN USE of Radioactive Material RS-12 (Word document) 

Radioactive Material Worker Forms
Radiation Safety Training and Experience Form RS-02
UTHealth Dosimetry Service Agreement and Exposure History Form RS-03 (PDF)
UTP Dosimetry Service Request Form RS-03 (PDF)
Memorial Hermann Hospital Dosimetry Service Request Form RS-03 (PDF)
Laboratory Wipe Test Report for Radioactive Materials RS-08 (Word document)

Radiation Materials Request Form (Excel Doc) RADMAT replacement


Useful Radiation Safety Links

Online Regulations - Radiation Control, Texas Department of State Health Services
"Ask the experts" - Health Physics Society (HPS)
Find local experts and vendors - South Texas Chapter - Health Physics Society (STC-HPS)

MP Bio-Medicals
American Radio labeled Chemicals
Ludlum


Radiation Laboratory Safety Audits

Laboratory Surveillance Program
Removing Hazards for Maintenance Operations
Caution Radiation Stickers
Request to Add & Delete Labs Authorized for Radioactive Material Use
Signs and Lab Postings
Surplus
Radioactive Material Inactive Status Explanation


Radiation Safety Training

Basic Radiation Safety Training **Required for Radioactive Material Users
Radiation Safety Awareness
Laser Safety Training
X-Ray Safety Training
Dental X-Ray Safety Training 
Radiation Safety Officer Course
Review of Select Radiation Safety Procedures at UTHealth
Wipe Test Procedures for Radiation Contamination
Resident and Fellow X-Ray Safety Training


General Radiation Safety

ALARA Program - Keeping doses As Low As Reasonably Achievable
Personal Radiation Dosimeters
Urine and thyroid bio-assays (radionuclides and radioiodines)
Portable Radiation Detectors
Liquid Scintillation Counters or Gamma Counters
Declared Pregnant Worker Program


Radioactive Waste

Alcove Locations
Radioactive waste disposal procedures


Radiation Safety Committee

Committee Membership
Committee Guidelines


STAFF:

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Janet Gutiérrez, DrPH, CHP, CSP, LMP
Safety Manager
Instructor, School of Public Health
[email protected] 
CYF G.102
713-500-5844

B.S. Radiological Health Engineering, Texas A&M University
M.S. Environmental Sciences, The University of Texas School of Public Health
Dr.PH. Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, The University of Texas School of Public Health

Danette.jpg

Danette Fennesy, Safety Specialist
Licensed Medical Physicist
[email protected] 
CYF G.102
713-500-5834

B.A., Biology, St. Mary’s University of San Antonio
Nuclear Medicine Program, Baylor College of Medicine

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Derrick Abner, Safety Specialist
[email protected] 
CYF G.102
713-500-5839

B.F.A. Studio Painting, University of Houston Main Campus

Teena M.jpg

Teena Mavumkal, Safety Specialist
Licensed Medical Radiologic Technologist, CNMT, RT(N)(CT)(ARRT)

[email protected]
CYF G.102
713-500-5833

B.A. Multidisciplinary Studies (Pharmacology and Biology), Stony Brook University

MBA, Healthcare Administration, Texas Woman’s University

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Johnné Dawson, Safety Specialist
[email protected]  
CYF G.102
713-500-7076

B.S. Biology, Fort Valley State University
B.S. Heath Physics, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
M.S. Health Physics, University of Nevada, Las Vegas