Environmental Health and Safety

Radiation Safety

The teaching and research activities at Dalhousie University employ numerous and varied sources of radiation in the form of nuclear substances and radiation emitting devices. The policies and procedures described herein are designed to provide a reasonable and practical standard of safety for the use of nuclear substances in the university and to assist in compliance with all applicable regulations and codes as well as the ALARA principle.

In Canada there are several bodies which have jurisdiction over aspects of the use of ionizing radiation. Under the Nuclear Safety and Control Act, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) licenses the acquisition and use of all nuclear substances and certain radiation emitting equipment such as nuclear reactors and accelerators. The Health Protection Branch of Health Canada and in particular the Radiation Protection Bureau formulates regulations relating to the standard of functioning of new radiation equipment under the aegis of the Radiation Emitting Devices Act. This group also prepares certain “Safety Codes” to provide for some national guidelines. Many provinces also have their own regulations regarding the use of radiation emitting equipment. In general the recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) are used to formulate the rules and conditions under which radiation-emitting devices or nuclear substances are used.

Dalhousie University has a Nuclear Substance and Radiation Device License issued by the CNSC. To view sections 1-5 of this document, please access Nuclear Substance and Radiation Device License No. 07154-2-22.4 [PDF - 3.2 MB]