Minutes of the Radiation Safety Committee
for October 25, 2002

PRESENT: S. Carlson (Chair), D. Pham, G. Wood, L. Anderson (Assist. RSO), Chris Evans, Paul Mohazzabi,
ABSENT: Ed Wallen (RSO), Rick Walasek

BUSINESS:
1. Minutes of May 9, 2002 were approved as submitted.

2. Current Approved User List: There are no changes to the approved user list.

3. Contamination/Compliance Surveys and Status: The Assistant RSO conducted surveys on October 22, 2002. All survey components were acceptable.

4. Room Use Status: The only change is for room GRNQ 370 which has not been used for radioactive work in a number of years. All radiation signs and stickers were removed from doors and hoods this summer.

5. GRNQ 365A Status: A health and safety inspection conducted March 20, 2002 found several issues related to radioactive waste storage in GRNQ 365A. All wastes were removed from the room during a cleanout of laboratories conducted over the summer. Those wastes that demonstrated hazardous characteristics were combined with other laboratory wastes for eventual shipment and destruction off site.

6. Survey Instrumentation Status: An agreement has been reached with the Environmental Health, Safety & Risk Management Department at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to provide annual instrument calibration checks for UWP. S. Carlson has volunteered to arrange for drop off and pick up of the instrument.

7. Waste Storage and Waste Log Status: During the summer laboratory cleanout, all "decayed in storage" waste was removed from the radioactive waste storage area. In addition, approximately 300 pounds of scintillation vials and their contents were also removed and packaged for shipment and destruction off site. Waste remaining in storage includes small amounts of H-3 and C-14 wastes and a small amount of P-32 and S-35 waste, the latter two for in-storage decay.

8. Proposed License Modification and Updates: Based upon the results of an internal program review and recommendations contained in the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) guidance document NUREG 1556, a draft updated and modified license amendment and Radiation Safety Program were prepared. Because of proposed fees for submitting license amendments by the State of Wisconsin once they assume licensing of radioactive materials next year, UWP should complete any license changes while still under the NRC which does not charge a fee. The NRC approved license will be grand fathered into the State of Wisconsin program. D. Pham and G. Wood volunteered to assist with the license and program update. It was also suggested that the RSC should contact D. Higgs to assist in the update, as his laboratory is a regular user of radioisotopes. A follow up meeting will be scheduled to discuss the license update.

9. DHFS Application for Agreement State Status: S. Carlson attended a program on 10/24/02 sponsored by the State of Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services (DHFS) that provided information about assumption of radioactive materials licensing by the DHFS in 2003. The DHFS has submitted their application for Agreement State Status to the NRC. They are anticipating approval from the NRC by July 2003. The DHFS will be charging a $1000/year licensing fee for academic users with specific licenses such as UWP. License amendments will vary from $0-400 per submittal.

The meeting was adjourned at 1:10 pm.
Respectfully submitted, Steven Carlson, Chair, Radiation Safety Committee