Radiation Control and Radiological Services
History of the UF Radiation Control Program
In the 1940s and 1950s, individual departments, faculty members, and experiment stations applied for and obtained individual radioactive materials licenses from the Atomic Energy Commission. Various committees were appointed at the college level to oversee and coordinate the use of radioactive material on campus. After the establishment of a Radiation Control Committee and a Radiation Control Department in 1960, the university applied for and received broad licenses for human and non-human usage of radioactive materials. Dr. Billy Dunavant was instrumental in obtaining the broad licenses and at this time was appointed Radiation Control Officer.
The human use license was obtained thru the Subcommittee on Human Use of Radioisotopes, a subcommittee of the College of Medicine Isotopes Committee. While obtaining the broad human use license in 1962, the subcommittee changed its name to Committee on Human Use of Radioisotopes (CHUR) to indicate that it had assumed additional responsibilities such as approving users. In the 1990's the committee changed its name to Human Use of Radioisotopes and Radiation Committee to indicate that it was assuming responsibility for the use of machine produced radiation on humans. The members of this committee were originally appointed by the Dean, College of Medicine and since the late 1960s have been appointed by the Chief of Staff of Shands Hospital.
After the establishment of the Radiation Control Committee by President Reitz in 1960, college and department level radiation safety committees began to disband because the Radiation Control Committee was given overall responsibility for the use of radioactive materials at the university. The CHUR acknowledged that the RCC had overall authority at the time of the acquisition of the human use broad license.
Chronological History of UF Radiation Control Program
The following information has been obtained from various memorandum, license documents and correspondence in the Radiation Control Office files. In some cases the exact date is given, in other cases the exact date is not know and is estimated.
| 1944 |
Dr. George K. Davis begins using radioisotopes in the Nutrition Laboratory on campus. |
| Early 1950s |
A Nuclear Policy Committee is appointed by the president to bring the university into the nuclear age. |
| November 19, 1951 |
President J. Hillis Miller appoints Committee on the Use of Radioactive Substances with Dr. George K. Davis as chairman. |
| April 27, 1956 |
AEC (Atomic Energy Commission) License No. 9-1891-4 issued to Florida Agricultural Experiment Station at UF. This is a non-human use broad scope license. License 9-1891-2 which was previously issued to Dr. George K. Davis and License 9-1891-3 which was previously issued to Drs. W. Dugger, Thomas Humphreys, and N. Scully are superseded by 9-1891-4 and are no longer valid. |
| Fall, 1956 |
College of Medicine is founded and establishes an Isotopes Committee. |
| October 1957 |
The Engineering Nuclear Operations and Facilities (ENOF) Committee was established by the Dean of the College of Engineering to oversee use of radioactivity and the reactor in the College of Engineering. Five subcommittees were used: UFTR, Cobalt-60 facility, Subcritical reactors, laboratories, and Nuclear research. |
| Fall 1958 |
Shands Hospital opens and individual physicians obtain AEC licenses. College of Pharmacy obtains its own AEC license. |
| February 5, 1959 |
President J. Wayne Reitz appoints Dr. John D. Reeves of the College of Medicine as Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) for UF. The RSO becomes an ex officio member of the Radiation Safety Committee chaired by Dr. G. R. Noggle. |
| July 23, 1959 |
Dr. Reeves, Chairman, Subcommittee on Human Use of Radioisotopes (SHUR), in a memo to the Chief of Staff indicates that the SHUR, which is appointed by the Chief of Staff, did not approve an individual's AEC license application. Evidently the application was inappropriately approved by the Medical Isotope Committee. |
| November 9, 1959 |
Subcommittee on Human Use of Radioisotopes meeting minutes refers to a Isotopes Committee of the College of Medicine which approves non-medical usages of radioactive materials. |
| June 1, 1960 |
Dr. Billy Dunavant assumes duties of Radiation Control Officer. He is responsible for the day to day control of radioactivity on campus. |
| July 6, 1960 |
President Reitz appoints Dr. George K. Davis as Director of Nuclear Activities. Among his responsibilities are Director of the Nuclear Sciences Building, and Supervisor of the Health Safety Officer (this is actually the Radiation Control Officer, Dr. Billy Dunavant - Dr. Reeves is still Radiation Safety Officer), advisor to the President with respect to nuclear activities. |
| September 1960 | There are some 20 specific licenses on campus. |
| September 12, 1960 | The Nuclear Advisory Committee approves the procurement of a broad scope license for the university and the appointment of a radiation control committee. Dr. Dunavant will prepare the license application. |
| September 23, 1960 |
President Reitz issues memo stating the responsibilities of the Radiation Control Committee (RCC) and the Radiation Control Officer. Dr. Hanrahan is a original RCC member. Dr. John D. Reeves is the committee's first chairman. Oversight of the Committee on Human Use of Radioisotopes is not mentioned in the list of responsibilities for the RCC. The RCC has university wide radiation safety responsibilities. |
| November 30, 1960 | Radiation Control Guide approved by RCC. |
| December 16. 1960 |
Application for non-human use broad license sent to Atomic Energy Commission. |
| December 22, 1960 |
Non-human use broad license issued by AEC to the University of Florida. The RCC will approve users of radioactive material. |
| January 30, 1961 |
At College of Medicine Committee on Non-Human Use of Radioisotopes meeting, Dr. Dunavant discusses university-wide radiation control program. Bottom line- Committee on Non-Human Use of Radioisotopes (probably the Medical Isotopes Committee) actions and matters of radiation safety must be approved by RCC. |
| March 22, 1961 |
Subcommittee on Human Use of Radioisotopes discussed the pros and cons of applying for a broad license for medical use. The SHUR would need to assume additional responsibilities like approving users. It was agreed that a broad license be obtained and that the name of the subcommittee be changed to Committee on Human Use of Radioisotopes (CHUR). It was further agreed that this committee would not be subordinate to any committee except the RCC. | |
| March 28, 1961 |
Dr. John Reeves, Chairman, Subcommittee on Human Use of Radioisotopes requests approval by the Medical Policy Board to take action to obtain a human use broad license and change the name of the committee to Committee on Human Use of Isotopes (and that this committee be subordinate to the RCC and report to the Medical Policy Board). | |
| April 5, 1961 |
At the RCC meeting, Dr. Reeves commented on the relationship of the RCC to the ENOF (Engineering Nuclear Operations and Facilities) Committee, the Medical Isotopes Committee of the College of Medicine and the Subcommittee on Human Use Committee. It is the opinion of the RCC that the ruling body on radiation safety activities is the RCC. | |
| October 15, 1961 |
The Executive Committee of the College of Medicine approves the request that the Subcommittee on Human Use of Radioisotopes apply for a broad human use license. The Executive Committee also approved the change in title to Committee on Human Use of Isotopes to report directly to the University Radiation Control Committee. | |
| February 20, 1962 |
CHUR approves broad human use license application. The CHUR is the committee designated in the application as having authority to approve authorized users. | |
| May 15, 1962 |
The RCC reviewed the responsibility and relationship of the Committee on Human Use of Radioisotopes (now the HURRC) to the RCC. | |
| May 15, 1962 |
An AEC broad scope medical use license (#9-901-4, Amendment 7 dated April 5, 1962) is issued to Health Center. This license specifies that individual will be approved by the local "isotope committee" although a "Committee on Human Use of Isotopes" is listed in the license application | |
| June 6, 1962 |
Committee on Human Use of Radioisotopes meets and discusses new human-use broad scope license. | |
| July 2, 1962 |
Application for the use of radioisotopes in human subjects form and first draft of regulations regarding the medical use of radioisotopes in the health center are approved by CHUR. | |
| January 23, 1964 |
ENOF recommends transfer of its responsibilities to the RCC. The RCC has functions and responsibilities similar to the ENOF and in the interest of centralizing control of nuclear activities it was recommended that the ENOF transfer its function to the RCC. A UFTR Subcommittee is a subcommittee of the ENOF. |
| March 1, 1964 | RCC assumes responsibilities of ENOF. |
| July 1, 1964 |
Florida becomes an agreement state. Governor, C. Farris Bryant designates the Florida State Board of Health as the regulatory agency for radiation matters. |
| November 1964 | Dr. Clyde Williams is appointed Chairman, CHUR. |
| November 18, 1964 |
At the RCC meeting Dr. Dunavant recommended that the College of Medicine Non-Human Use Radioisotope Committee be abolished since it is serving no useful purpose. The RCC agreed with this action. |
| March 1965 | Dr. Ward Noyes is appointed Chairman, CHUR. |
| January 19, 1966 |
President Reitz appoints Dr. B. G. Dunavant as Director of Nuclear Sciences Program effective January 1, 1966. Dr. George Davis was appointed Director of Biological Sciences. |
| Dr. Dunavant’s responsibilities include: Supervising the activities of the Radiation Control Officer who would report to the President through the Director on budgeting and related matters. The Radiation Control Officer would maintain direct authority from the President in the enforcement of a safety program. | |
| October 4, 1971 |
Dr. Dunavant, Secretary, Committee on Human Use of Radioisotopes, in a memo to the Chief of Staff recommends that the Veterans Administration Hospital human use committee and the health center human use committee be combined as one committee as serve both facilities. |
| June 1977 | Thomas Bauer is appointed Radiation Control Officer. |
| October 1981 | Don Munroe is appointed Radiation Control Officer. |
| 1993 |
Dr. Phillip Toskes appointed Chairman, HURRC, replacing Dr. Ward Noyes. |
Shands Hospital
Board of Directors
Shands Hospital Dean, College of Medicine
Chief Executive Officer Assoc. VP for Clinical Affairs
Chief of Staff
(Asst. Dean for Clinical Affairs, College of Medicine))
Medical Staff of Shands Hospital
Standing Committees
HURRC
other committees include:
Cancer Committee
Credentials Committee
Infection Control Committee
Operating Room Committee
Duties and Responsibilities of the Radiation Control Committee
September 23, 1960, J. Wayne Reitz memo to committee members
Review and grant permission for, or disapprove, the use of radioactive isotopes or other sources of ionizing radiation within the institution from the standpoint of radiation safety.
Prescribe special conditions and requirements that may be necessary (such as physical examinations, additional training, designation of limited areas or location of use, disposal methods, etc.) to assure radiation safety.
Prepare and disseminate information on radiological safety for use and guidance of students and staff.
Pass judgment on the adequacy of safety measures for safeguarding University research workers. Committee approval of health and safety measures must be obtained before initial use of radioisotopes or other ionizing radiation is undertaken or before substantially different uses from those originally approved by the committee are undertaken. After the issuance of a restraining order by the committee, the staff member concerned would have a final recourse to the President after approval for such action by his Dean or Director.
Keep records of the actions taken in approving the use of radioisotopes and other sources of ionizing radiation, and other transactions, communications, and reports involved in the work of this committee.
Delegate to the Radiation Control Officer the authority to act for the committee between meetings. (His actions will be reported to the committee for review at appropriate intervals.)
Review plans for all new buildings and modifications of existing structures where radioisotopes are to be used.
Recommend and implement procedures for radioactive waste disposal.
Duties and Responsibilities of the Radiation Control Committee
May 16, 1969, Billy G. Dunavant, Chairman, RCC memo to President Stephen C. O’Connell
January 20, 1972, Billy G. Dunavant memo to Assistant to the President
Review and grant permission for, or disapprove, the use of radioactive isotopes or other sources of ionizing radiation within the institution from the standpoint of radiation safety.
Prescribe special conditions and requirements that may be necessary (such as physical examinations, additional training, designation of limited areas or location of use, disposal methods, etc.) to assure radiation safety.
Prepare and disseminate information on radiological safety for use and guidance of students and staff, including State and Federal Regulations governing ionizing radiation.
Pass judgment on the adequacy of safety measures for safeguarding University research workers. Committee approval of health and safety measures must be obtained before initial use of radioisotopes or other ionizing radiation is undertaken or before substantially different uses from those originally approved by the committee are undertaken. After the issuance of a restraining order by the committee, the staff member concerned would have a final recourse to the President after approval for such action by his Dean or Director.
Keep records of the actions taken in approving the use of radioisotopes and other sources of ionizing radiation, and other transactions, communications, and reports involved in the work of this committee.
Delegate to the Radiation Control Officer the authority to act for the committee between meetings. (His actions will be reported to the committee for review at appropriate intervals.)
Review plans for all new buildings and modifications of existing structures where radioisotopes are to be used.
Recommend and implement procedures for radioactive waste disposal.
Periodically review actions of the following Sub-committees of the Radiation Control Committee:
a. University of Florida Training Reactor Sub-committee.
b. University of Florida Sub-Critical Sub-committee
At least annually review, from a radiation safety standpoint, the activities of the Committee on Human Use of Isotopes.
Radiation Control Guide May 1966
"This Radiation Control Guide sets forth procedures and policies approved by the Radiation Control Committee. The regulations set forth in this guide are applicable to all radiation facilities under the administration of the University of Florida."
No information pertaining to human use of radioisotopes is in the Guide.