About Us

The WVU Radiation Safety Department, along with members of the Radiation Safety Committee and its sub-committees, are committed to the ongoing development and implementation of the current radiation safety program that includes WVU Campuses, the Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center, Jefferson Medical Center, WVU Hospitals Inc., and Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute.

All research activities involving the use of radioactive materials, radiation producing devices, and the diagnostic and therapeutic use of radiation in humans, non-humans, and animals is overseen by the Radiation Safety Department and the committees. In managing this program, the Radiation Safety Department will provide guidance and enforcement to guarantee a safe working environment for all individuals working with radioactive materials or devices located within these facilities.

The WVU Radiation Safety Officer (RSO), with regard to US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (U.S. NRC) regulation, has been granted sufficient authority, organizational freedom and management prerogative by the institution to identify all radiation safety problems, initiate or provide corrective actions in order to stop unsafe operations, and suspend any operation that is found to cause an excessive radiation hazard as rapidly and safely as possible in carrying out his duties.

All responsibilities of the Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) are carried out under the direct supervision of the WVU Provost, President of WVU Hospitals, Vice President for Health Science Center, and the University's Chief Executive Official. It is also the responsibility of the WVU Radiation Safety Officer(RSO) to provide timely reports to the U.S. NRC and the West Virginia Radiological Health Program (WV RHP) as appropriate and required by regulation.

The responsibilities of the Radiation Safety Officer and the Radiation Safety Department include the following:

To furnish consulting services to any potential user of ionizing radiation and to advise the potential user on radiation safety procedures.
To ensure that all license obligations and regulations of the federal and state government are met.
To provide general surveillance of all health physics activities, including assisting all personnel in discharging their responsibilities.
To supervise the procurement and receipt of all radioactive materials coming to the university and the hospital.
To provide for individual and laboratory monitoring.
To instruct university and hospital personnel in radiation safety.
To administer a radioactive waste disposal program.
To perform leak tests on sealed sources and provide radiation surveys after installation of radiation producing machines.
To supervise decontamination in case of accidents.
To provide a continuous program of environmental radiation hazard evaluation and hazard elimination.
To provide advice and assistance in the acquisition of dosimeters and monitoring equipment.
To provide maintenance and calibration of survey instruments in the Radiation Safety Department.
To maintain all centralized records pertinent to the radiation safety program.
To develop and refine radiation detection, shielding and health protection techniques.
To be responsible for the overall day-to-day administration of the radiation safety program.
To suspend any operation causing excessive radiation hazard as rapidly and safely as possible. (In carrying out this duty the Radiation Safety Officer will report directly to the President of the hospital or the Provost of the university or the Chair of the Radiation Safety Committee).
To present periodic reports to the various committees on matters related to their functions.
To keep each department chair informed of all Authorized Users in the department who are conducting projects approved by a radiation safety committee.
To provide timely reports to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the West Virginia Department of Health as required by regulation.
To maintain an inventory and accountability record of the radioactive material used at the university and the hospital to ensure compliance with license limits.