ionradpenesign
The penetrating power of different ionising radiation types

Ionising radiation: Guidance notes

See an organisation chart for Radiation safety.

University of Exeter (Exeter Campuses and the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry)

Permitted holdings, unsealed sources

Tritium 1.5 Gigabecquerel
Carbon 14 500 Megabecquerels
Sulphur 35 500 Megabecquerels
Phosphorus 32 300 Megabecquerels
Phosphorus 33 100 Megabecquerels
Calcium 45 100 Megabecquerels
Iodine 125 100 Megabecquerels
Other (non alpha emitters) 500 Megabecquerels

Permitted disposals, unsealed sources

Organic liquid

Any (non alpha emitting) radionuclide            24 MBq in total

Dustbin

No alpha emitting radionuclides to be disposed of by this route.

  • Tritium + Carbon-14:        400 KBq per item (10.8 muCi)            4 MBq per .01 m3 (108 muCi)
  • Others:                             40 KBq per item (1.08 muCi)              0.4 MBq per 0.1 m3 (10.8 muCi)

Aqueous

Monthly disposal limits:

Tritium  150 Megabecquerels
Carbon 14 30 Megabecquerels
Sulphur 35 200 Megabecquerels
Phosphorus 32 200 Megabecquerels
Calcium 45 20 Megabecquerels
Iodine 125 40 Megabecquerels
Others (non-alpha) 20 Megabecquerels
Sodium 22 10 Megabecquerels
Chlorine 36 10 Megabecquerels

To air

Daily disposal limits:

Sodium 22 10 Kilobecquerels
Chlorine 36 10 Kilobecquerels

Accumulated solid waste

32P         Activity limit:     20 MBq  Max. volume: 1 m3                      Max. period:      200 days

University of Exeter in Cornwall (Tremough Campus)

Permitted holdings, unsealed sources

To be updated on issue of license.

Action levels for incidents involving radionuclides

A B C D E F
Nuclide Bq cm-2 Bq cm-2 Bq Bq Bq Bq
3H 300 3000 3x104 3x104 1x1012 1x1010
14C 30 300 3x103 3x105 1x1011 1x108
110Ag 3 30 3x102 3x103 1x1010 1x107
36Cl 3 30 3x102 3x103 1x1010 1x107
45Ca 3 30 3x102 3x103 1x1010 1x108
134Cs 3 30 3x102 3x103 1x1010 1x105
137Cs 3 30 3x102 3x103 1x1010 1x105
125I 30 300 3x103 3x104 1x1010 1x107
131I 3 30 3x102 3x103 1x1010 1x107
22Na 3 30 3x102 3x103 1x1010 1x107
32P 3 30 3x102 3x103 1x1010 1x106
33P 30 300 3x103 3x104 1x1011 1x109
210Pb 3 30 3x102 3x103 1x108 1x105
35S 30 300 3x104 3x105 1x1012 1x1010
65Zn 3 30 3x102 3x103 1x1010 1x107
Thorium 0.3 0.3 30 3x102 1x106 1x104
Uranium 0.3 3 30 3x102 1x106 1x104

Notes

Col A Maximum contamination level allowable in a non-radiation zone. This level must be achieved by decontamination procedures on all surfaces if a laboratory is to be decommissioned, or if contamination occurs outside a designated radiation area.

Col B Maximum contamination level allowable in a radiation zone. It is preferable that Column A figures be observed.

Col C Should an unconfined spill occur that does not exceed this activity, it may be dealt with by the workers involved. The group RPS should be informed.

Col D Should an unconfined spill occur that exceeds the activity in column C but is less than that in Column D, the SRPO must be informed as soon as emergency containment procedures are in hand, and must supervise the decontamination. On completion, a brief memorandum must be sent to the URPO. Should the SRPO be unavailable, or should the activity level exceed that in column D, the University Radiation Protection Service must be contacted.

Col E Any spillage of activity equal to or exceeding this requires a mandatory report to the Secretary of State, and to the Environment Agency.

Col F The loss or misplacement of an amount of activity greater than this requires a mandatory report to the Secretary of State and to the Environment Agency.