05-27-94 Statement on Radiation

OHIO STATE RESPONDS TO NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION INSPECTION

     COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State University officials responded
today (5/26) to possible violations that arose during a routine
inspection by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission last fall.  The
officials said that the majority of the problems cited had
already been detected, investigated and corrected by the
university.

     The final NRC report is expected to be released within a
month.

     The officials emphasized that the NRC inspectors found no
"significant problems" with the way radioactive materials are
used throughout the campus research programs.  The report also
found no problems with the "facilities or equipment used to
support the nuclear medicine program."

     At no time during the period covered by the NRC
investigations were any patients, staff, faculty or students
injured or harmed because of the problems cited by the NRC.

     "We don't want to diminish the seriousness of some of the
NRC's findings," said Ronald St. Pierre, associate vice president
for health services.  "But we do want to point out that the
university's own monitoring programs had already identified and
corrected most of the past problems the NRC cited.

     "In effect, our own good stewardship of radioactive
materials provided all of the information on which the NRC
charges were made."

     Along with the specific violations, the NRC said that the
university showed a "significant lack of management control over
licensed activities and reflects a need for strengthening both
the Radiation Safety Officer and management, including the
(campus) Radiation Safety Committee" which oversees the program.

     St. Pierre said that many of the general concerns raised
over the university's programs can be traced to the impact that
years of budget reductions have made on the Office of Radiation
Safety.  Based on a self-assessment made in late 1991, the office
needs at least three additional professionals to adequately staff
its programs.  University officials had already decided to add
two new professionals to the office's staff during the next
fiscal year, St. Pierre said.

     The university holds eight separate NRC licenses for
research, education and medical therapy uses and its use of
radioactive materials is spread across more than 600 laboratories
on campus.  More than 250 individual research supervisors are
responsible for the proper use of these substances and for
preventing the public's exposure to them.

     The NRC charges follow a two-month routine inspection of the
university by the agency from September to November 1993.  During
that time, the NRC inspected records in the Office of Radiation
Safety, examined laboratories and other facilities, and
interviewed faculty and staff involved in the program.
                                
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Contact:  Ronald St. Pierre, (614) 292-4761
          Robert W. Brueggemeier, (614) 292-5231.
           (Brueggemeier is chair of the university's
           Radiation Safety Committee.)


[Submitted by: GERSTNER  (gerstner@ccgate.ucomm.ohio-state.edu)
               
Fri, 27 May 1994 08:56:32 -0500 (EST)]
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