Radiation Protection
Contact: Eric Boeldt, ejb6@psu.edu814-865-6391
               Andrew Phillips, amp5075@psu.edu814-865-6391

Radiation Protection Programs are targeted at the protection of people and the environment from all forms of electromagnetic and ionizing radiation. The EHS protection programs are grouped around the sources of that radiation and how their safe use is controlled at PSU.

Radioactive material is a solid, liquid, or gas compound or mixture in which some of the atoms are in an unstable atomic state. These atoms naturally decay to a stable state by the emission of ionizing radiation, normally from the nucleus. Users of this material must comply with SY-14 and the Rules and Procedures for Use of Radioactive Material.

X-rays are a form of ionizing radiation which is similar to that produced by radioactive material. Machines that produce x-rays have different regulations and controls from the regulations for radioactive material. Users of this type of equipment must comply with SY-15.

Non-ionizing radiation is radiation that has insufficient energy to cause the ionization of target atoms. Examples include microwaves, visible light, infrared waves, radio waves and lasers.

Lasers are devices which use a quantum mechanical effect, stimulated emission, to generate a coherent beam of light. Lasers are a form of non-ionizing radiation but are treated separately at Penn State. Laser users must comply with SY-17.

PSU's Radiation Safety Roundtable is held annually in September. This two and a half day event brings together over 60 radiation safety professionals from the academic, medical, corporate and regulatory sectors for an informal but in-depth discussion on current issues and creative solutions to shared problems. A tentative agenda will be available in late July or August. Pre-registration information will be available in late spring. Hotel options and related information about central Pennsylvania are also available.