Answer to Question #3035 Submitted to "Ask the Experts"

For large licensees, the Radiation Safety Committee (also called the Radiation Protection Committee [RPC]) is required by US regulators. The purpose of the RSC is:

• to oversee the actions of the Radiation Safety Unit and the Radiation Safety Officer,
• to perform periodic audits of the radiation safety program,
• to recommend and administer corrective or disciplinary actions in the case of regulatory and policy violations,
• to set overall policies for the use of radiation (usually in consultation with the Radiation Safety Officer [RSO] or at the request of the RSO), and
• to provide advice to the RSO in areas that are outside his/her direct expertise.

Most organizations try to select RSC members to meet several requirements:

• provide technical expertise in a variety of areas
• keep senior management or administration involved in the committee
• have members who are respected among their peer (and whose decisions will be respected)

At our university and medical center, the RSC has 15 members. They are:

• the Radiation Safety Officer
• two members of senior university administration
• two members of senior medical center administration
• one member from radiation oncology
• one member from nuclear medicine/radiology
• one member from nuclear cardiology
• four medical researchers
• three nonmedical researchers (currently physics, biology, chemistry)

The RSC is typically responsible for overseeing ALL use of radiation and radioactivity at a particular facility. This includes dose to the public and to patients as well as to workers. RSC members will perform periodic audits of various aspects of a program so that the entire program is checked on an annual basis, and the RSO is required to report annually on his/her activities to the RSC. The RSC will then report on its activities to the administration (in our case, to the University President).

In addition, the RSC approves new radioactive materials permit holders, authorizes physicians to administer the use of radioactive materials in medical treatment (to ensure they meet regulatory requirements—NOT to judge their medical credentials), and helps to support the RSO in the event that disciplinary or corrective actions are necessary.

Perhaps the most important position in the RSC is that of Chair. The RSC Chair must be senior enough to command the respect of the committee and the researchers and physicians who may have to receive disciplinary or corrective actions from the committee. The RSC Chair must also be willing to administer punishment if necessary and be willing to support the RSO when necessary. A good RSC Chair must be willing to give some time to the job, must be willing to stand up for the RSO when necessary, and must not be afraid of insisting that things be done correctly. At the same time, the Chair must recognize that the RSO is the expert and must let the RSO administer the day-to-day operations of the program with minimal unnecessary interference. In general, the RSO should NOT be the RSC chair, and neither should be the RSO's direct supervisor. However, a senior researcher, a department chair, or a member of senior management can do an excellent job, provided his/her personality and management style is suited for the position.

Andy Karam, CHP, PhD