Radiation Exposure Monitoring & Radiation Badges
EHS Radiation Safety maintains an exposure monitoring program for users and radiation areas in order to promote safety and regulatory compliance. UH contracts with Landauer to provide monthly and quarterly radiation monitoring devices, also known as radiation badges or radiation dosimetry or dosimeters.
Not all radiation users are required to wear dosimeters. Most x-ray devices are self-shielded and allow almost no radiation to escape from the machine housing. However, some x-ray users and all radioactive material users should request and wear radiation dosimeters.
Some radiation users may also require a ring badge. Workers whose hands may be exposed to radiation, due to working in x-ray fields or working with radioactive materials, will be provided a ring badge as well as a whole body badge. Radiation Safety will be able to let you know if you require a ring badge.
Radiation dosimeters may be requested by completing our badge request form and returing it to EHS Radiation Safety.
Badge wearers can request their monitoring results from Radiation Safety at any time.
Radiation workers who become pregnant may declare that pregnancy to the Radiation Safety Officer to recieve monthly dosimeters to monitor radiation dose to the fetus. Workers who normally wear a badge for themselves will receive an additional badge. Workers who do not normally wear a badge will receive one for the duration of the pregnancy. More information is available in this UH Radiation Safety pamphlet.
Complete the Voluntary Pregnancy Declaration Form (.docx, 35KB)
Radiation Badge Rules
- Wear your badge at all times while working with a radiation source
- Do not share a badge, if you need one or yours is lost, contact Radiation Safety
- Do not deliberately expose a badge to radiation
- Each lab should store all badges in a central location. This location should be away from radiation sources and accessible to EHS for badge exchange
- Do not take your badge home
- If working with liquid radioactive materials, wear your body badge under your lab coat, and your ring badge under your gloves. Otherwise they may become contaminated with radioactive materials.
- Contact Radiation Safety if you are leaving the radiation lab or the university so your badge can be cancelled