Chemical substances, biological material and radiation protection

Guidelines

• Chemical safety
• Biologic material

Other documents

• Requirements for the operation of the chemical database
• Requirements for the use of the exposure registry
• Function description of the chemical database contact
• Risk assessment
• Reporting deviations
• Waste disposal

User manuals 

• Registration of substances in ECOonline
• Risk- and substitution assessment in ECOonline
• Registration in the exposure registry in ECOonline

Radiation, radiation protection and use of radiation sources

The use of radiation sources can cause harm to humans and the environment, and all use and handling of radiation sources is regulated by separate regulations, national and international norms, and guidelines. 

Radiation sources must be handled in such a way that the risk is minimal for own and others' health and safety, the working environment and the external environment. 

All radiation use at OsloMet must be justified – the use of radiation must be necessary and entail as small doses and low exposure to the surroundings as practicable. 

The most important distinction in the context of radiation protection is between ionising and non-ionising radiation:

• Ionizing radiation sources; radioactive substances, X-ray machines, electron microscopes. 
• Strong non-ionizing radiation sources; lasers class 3B, 3R and 4, magnetic resonance machines (MRI), shortwave ultraviolet radiation (UVC), other sources with potentially harmful electromagnetic radiation, ultrasound.

High energy radiation has great penetrating capacity and such radiation can cause damage to health. Before starting work with radiation sources, it is therefore a prerequisite that you have received sufficient training in work with radiation and radiation protection.

Radiation sources must be handled in such a way that the risk is minimal for own and others' health and safety, the working environment and the external environment. 

Risk assessment

• Before all work with radiation sources commences, a risk assessment must be carried out and the risk assessment documented.  
• The responsible and/or professional supervisor is responsible for mapping risk factors and any risk assessment, adapted training, safety equipment and emergency preparedness. 
• Documentation of completed risk assessments shall be retained; The Radiation Protection Regulations and the Internal Control Regulations. 

Non-conformities in connection with radiation sources must be reported. 

The units locally have developed local guidelines and procedures for steel protection and the use of radiation sources.

Guidelines for radiation protection and use of radiation sources

HSE guidelines for radiation protection and use of radiation sources at enterprise level are under revision, and will be published during January 2025. 

Before work gets underway 

• The local radiation protection coordinator shall be kept informed and consulted about radiation sources and their use, location, movement, procurement, disposal and the like. 
• Necessary training must be undergone. 
• Safety delegates and external personnel must be made aware of the activity and any precautions that must be taken. 
• A risk assessment when working with the radiation source(s) in question must be carried out. 
• Necessary shielding, technical safety systems, personal protective equipment and suitable measuring equipment for radiation protection control shall be available. 
• Before procurement or use, one must know how to properly store and dispose of the radiation sources in question. 
• Emergency procedures shall be developed by unit. Accidents involving radiation sources must be immediately notified to the local and central radiation protection coordinator, in addition to notification of the route (in the line), and must be reported as HSE nonconformities. 
• When procuring new radiation sources, the radiation protection coordinator must be informed, and this person shall arrange for registration with the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority or an application for approval for use if the source is not covered by the university's general use permits.

Ionizing radiation

• Access to rooms with ionising radiation shall be limited, doors shall be access-controlled. 
• Users shall receive training in locally developed guidelines and manuals, the use of measuring and protective equipment, waste management and local emergency preparedness plans.
• Always consider whether it is possible to use methods that do not involve the use of ionizing radiation sources. 
• Use as low radiation activity as possible.
• Contamination control shall be carried out using open sources. 
• Purchase, use and disposal must be recorded.
• Sources, equipment and the workplace (part or all of the room) must be properly labelled. 
• Radioactive sources and waste must be stored properly. 
• Pregnancy should be made known to your immediate superior as soon as possible. If a pregnant woman is to work with ionising radiation, the dose should be calculated and this should not exceed 1 mSv for the remainder of the pregnancy. 
• The central radiation protection coordinator must be notified of all users who may be at risk of exposure to radiation doses exceeding 1 mSv/year. 

Open radioactive sources 

All work above the exemption limits described in the appendix to the Radiation Protection Regulations must only take place in approved laboratories, class B or C, and for these, an emission permit must be applied for from the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority 

Closed radioactive sources

• The return or disposal scheme must be clarified before procurement. 
• Enclosure must be ensured to prevent leakage in normal use and accidentally. 

X-ray machine 

The instrument responsible shall assess and approve in writing all users' competence with regard to using the X-ray machines properly. 

Electron microscope 

Service and maintenance shall be performed by qualified personnel.

Non-ionizing radiation 

The use of nonionising radiation sources shall be entered in the logbook attached to the source. An information sperm must be located at the source in accordance with local regulations. 

External resources

• Arbeidsmiljøloven (lovdata.no, in Norwegian)

• Strålevernloven (lovdata.no, in Norwegian)

• Strålevernforskriften (lovdata.no, in Norwegian)

• Forskrift om systematisk HMS-arbeid i virksomheter (internkontrollforskriften) (lovdata.no, in Norwegian)

• Forskrift om forurensningslovens anvendelse på radioaktiv forurensning og radioaktivt avfall (lovdata.no, in Norwegian)

• Avfallsforskriften (lovdata.no, in Norwegian)

• Forskrift om utførelse av arbeid, bruk av arbeidsutstyr og tilhørende tekniske krav (forskrift om utførelse av arbeid) (lovdata.no, in Norwegian)

• Forskrift om tiltaks- og grenseverdier (lovdata.no, in Norwegian)

• Veileder 2. Bruk av åpne radioaktive kilder i laboratorium (dsa.no, in Norwegian)

• Veileder 14. Veileder om strålebruk innen odontologi (dsa.no, in Norwegian)

• Retningslinje for håndtering og avlevering av farlig avfall og problemavfall, radioaktivt avfall og eksplosivt avfall (uib.no, in Norwegian)