Radiation Safety Officer

Radiation Safety Officer
Place of Performance: VA Central Western Massachusetts Healthcare System Leeds, MA

General Description:

Work requested covers three aspects. First: To be named Radiation Safety Officer for the limited scope medical permit. This permit could also be for broad scope research use in the future. Second: Is for health physics consultation for the Radiation Safety Program and Research. Third: Is for diagnostic medical physics services; including x-ray, MRI, CT, and ultrasound performance evaluations.

Specific Tasks:

• Perform the functions of the Radiation Safety Officer for the VA Central Western Massachusetts Healthcare System diagnostic imaging program.
  1. Provide recommendations for applications, renewals, and draft amendments to NRC Licensing and Compliance Divisions also compliance with 10-CFR Part 20 & Part-35. This includes recommendations for preparing updates of necessary ALARA documentation. Permit draft amendments shall be provided to the permittee for review and signature upon request.
  2. Participate on site in permit inspections from NHPP or NRC.
  3. Participate on site in accreditation or OIG inspections as necessary.
  4. Attend (in person) quarterly Radiation Safety Committee (RSC) meetings.
  5. Review personnel monitoring records for federal compliance, and ALARA considerations. Summarize findings for presentation at the RSC meetings.
  6. Immediately review personnel monitoring records which exceed ALARA thresholds.
  7. Provide routine updates to the RSC regarding accreditation program changes such as, The Joint Commission.
  8. Provide quarterly updates to the RSC regarding NHPP program changes/memos.
  9. Provide fetal dose assessments for patients and staff with summary at the RSC meetings.
  10. Provide patient dose assessments for imaging studies conducted at the VA CWM with summary at the RSC meetings.
  11. Provide Radiology practice review at permittee request.
  12. Provide shielding evaluations meeting NCRP 147 at permittee request.
  13. Provide skin dose assessments for any patient exceeding facility thresholds meeting TJC and NHPP requirements. Turnaround time of skin dose assessments is expected to be less than 48h from receipt.
  14. Provide template documentation for annual RSO audit, review and summarize at least annually for RSC.
  15. Provide in-service radiation safety training of research, nursing, or any other personnel as necessary. Training provided should be approved for nursing CE credit. Training is to be set up with the requesting department and Radiology.
  16. Provide fluoroscopy training material for non-radiologist fluoroscopists which meets NHPP directives, TJC accreditation requirements, and best practices.
  17. Provide a backup RSO plan meeting NHPP requirements.
  18. Provide evidence that the RSO can be available on site within 2 hours and available via the phone within 30 minutes.
  19. At least quarterly, review procedures with personnel to determine and assure compliance with ALARA requirements. Recommendations as necessary to further reduce exposure.
  20. Check of ventilation control equipment, survey instruments and dose measurement equipment with calibrations of portables to be accomplished with a two (2) week turn around. Ascertain that each instrument is currently calibrated, working properly, and within specifications.
  21. Attendance in person required at the quarterly Radiation Safety Committee meetings. Center’s Radiation Safety Officer will coordinate.
  22. Provide access to template material necessary to facilitate radiation safety program.
  23. Provide radiation safety training to radiology staff which includes ASRT CEUs.
  24. Provide ongoing assistance and guidance with occupational dose monitoring vendor including recommendations for correction of records.
  25. Provide Form IV and Form V equivalent documentations for each occupational worker as necessary.
  26. Provide annual accuracy testing and report of dose calibrator meeting most recent version of ANSI N42.13.
• Perform the function of a diagnostic medical physicist for the VA Central Western MA.

1. Provide shielding integrity checks for all new installations of x-ray equipment.
2. Provide recommendations for validation of workload from x-ray imaging equipment to confirm shielding recommended is adequate to meet public dose regulations.
3. Provide MRI safety I and II training to staff member who require it.
4. Provide guidance on appropriateness of MRI scanning protocol for MRI conditional devices.
5. Provide CT dose optimization training to CT technologists on an annual basis which includes ASRT CEUs.
6. Participate in quarterly CT subcommittee meetings in person providing guidance on CT protocols and patient doses.
7. Provide local policy review and guidance to meet most recent NHPP, TJC, and professional society practices (for example, patient gonadal and fetal shielding).
8. Oversee footprint management for x-ray equipment used at facility.
9. Provide training to clinical engineering staff for dose output testing on all necessary makes and models of equipment for post repair testing.
10. Provide evidence that the diagnostic medical physicist can be available on site within 2 hours and available via the phone within 30 minutes.
11. Conduct initial testing of x-ray producing imaging equipment upon receipt and prior to clinical use. Annual follow up testing will be performed on a quarterly schedule. The performance evaluation is conducted with non-invasive x-ray analyzers and includes a comprehensive computerized detailed report including the establishment of skin-entry doses for routine procedures on each unit in compliance with NHPP regulations and The Joint Commission accreditation requirements. Assessments must include all radiation protection aspects of each room and each system in terms of x-ray generation operating parameters, image performance, and scatter radiation. According to the current interpretation of the regulations by NHPP inspectors, all x-ray equipment requires physics testing prior to initial clinical use. Further, the vendor shall conduct testing of X-ray equipment as necessary following major repair, tube replacement, or questionable performance. The testing frequency will follow the previous year’s annual testing with the timing of annual testing to be determined by the COTR.
12. Conduct initial testing of non-ionizing imaging equipment upon request, annually, and where applicable, prior to clinical use.

• All updates of information will be provided to Chief Radiologic Technologist VAMC Central Western Massachusetts.
• All equipment, stationary and portable, will be catalogued with the dates and type of service rendered noted thereon. A written report of each inspection and calibration will be furnished to the Contracting Officer or the Center’s Radiation Safety Officer. The contractor will obtain the signature of the supervisor in charge of the equipment to certify as to services performed and will leave a copy of the document containing the signature with the Contracting Officer or COTR.

Qualifications:

• Shall obtain all necessary licenses and/or permits required to perform work as a Health Physicist and Radiation Safety Officer under the NRC, NHPP and Joint Commission rules and regulations.