Radiation Safety Policy

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All radiology students are to follow the ALARA concept. ALARA is an acronym for As Low As Reasonably Achievable. This is a radiation safety principle for minimizing radiation doses and releases of radioactive materials by employing all reasonable methods. ALARA is not only a sound safety principle, but is a regulatory requirement for all radiation safety programs. Students are prohibited from holding patients or image receptors during a radiographic exposure.

Dosimetry Monitors
Safety Precautions for Dosimetry Monitors:

Student Dosimeters are Luxel TLDs from MIRION Technologies

  1. Never leave radiation monitor in an area where external radiation is being used.
  2. Never expose radiation monitor to intense sunlight.
  3. Never wash or dry radiation monitor.
  4. Always remove radiation monitor before having any type of radiographic studies.
  5. Most frequent cause of overexposure in x-ray department is holding patients. Restraining devices will be supplied - HOLDING PATIENTS OR IMAGE RECEPTORS SHOULD NEVER OCCUR.
  6. Never place radiation monitor on top of television.

Radiation Monitoring Rules:

  1. Each student is responsible for wearing the radiation monitors in the Clinical Education Center and in laboratory classes. No student will be allowed in the Clinical Education Center or in the laboratory classes without properly dated radiation monitors appropriately worn.
  2. It is the responsibility of each student that if their monitor is lost or damaged, it must be reported to the Clinical Coordinator immediately so that a new monitor can be ordered. If the radiation monitor is lost or damaged and if there is no dosimetry device available for that individual, he/she must not continue to work in the Clinical Education Center where he/she may be exposed to radiation.
  3. Each student is responsible for exchanging radiation monitors at the specified intervals in a timely manner. Monitors should be exchanged the first week of every second month. Monitors must be exchanged prior to the fifth day of every other month.
  4. The Clinical Coordinator receives a dosimeter report from Flowers Hospital. It is the responsibility of each student to review their personal dosimetry report posted in the radiography building.
  5. The reports are reviewed by the Clinical Coordinator and Radiation Safety Officer to ensure students do not exceed the maximum permissible dose to occupationally exposed persons.
  6. The radiation report for a student must not exceed the maximum permissible dosage too occupationally exposed persons as established by state and federal agencies for radiologic health.

In-services will be held on proper exchange of radiation monitor for monitoring students.

A report of radiation dosage is received by the Wallace College Radiologic Technology Program from the Radiation Safety Officer from Flowers Hospital and Southeast Alabama Medical Center. This report is sent to the Clinical Coordinator.

The list is reviewed to identify students who exceed the minimum standards established for students in the Radiography Program. A student will be identified for counseling if his/her monthly radiation report equals/exceeds the following levels:

    5 rems/year or 1250 Mr / Calendar term (Whole body deep)

    75 rems/year or 18.75 Mr / Calendar term (Hands and forearms)

These persons will be listed with individual dosage quantities on a student report. This form will be typed and sent to the Program Director and Radiation Safety Officer. (The minimum standards will appear on the report as well.)

There will be a meeting between the student and Program faculty to determine reason(s) for the recorded dosage. A written summary of each counseling session will be filed in the student’s program folder.