title: Simple physical, chemical, and biological safety assessments as part of a routine institutional radiation safety survey program.
abstract: To assist in providing comprehensive surveillance for potential health and safety hazards, simple assessments of physical, chemical, and biological safety concerns were incorporated into traditional radiation safety facility surveys for a biomedical research and clinical care facility for a 1-y period. Customized training was provided to radiation safety staff members concerning each of the hazard areas identified and a brief checklist was developed. During the 1-y period 802 laboratory and clinic surveys were performed, and of the 372 safety issues noted by the staff, approximately 55% were identified as not related to traditional health physics surveillance activities. The utilization of these simple safety audit tools as part of a routine radiation safety surveillance program can serve as a cost effective way to assist in maintaining a teaching, research, and clinical environment that is free from a variety of recognized hazards.
authors.affiliation: Clinical & Laboratory Safety Department, University of Texas-Houston Health Science Center 77225, USA.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Emery
authors.forename: T P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Johnston
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Sprau
mesh_terms: D003625:Data Collection; D004869:Equipment Safety; D006283:Health Physics; D006801:Humans; D016272:Occupational Health; D018788:Radioactive Hazard Release / Q000517:prevention & control; D017751:Safety Management / Q000379:methods*; D013781:Texas