CU Radiation Safety Officer, Margaret Ashton, is currently serving the second year of a four-year term on the Colorado Radiation Advisory Committee (RAC). The RAC is a state level committee created by legislative statute, charged with advising the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) on matters related to the use of ionizing radiation within the state of Colorado. The governor appoints nine members to this committee: three representing medical arts, three representing higher education/research, and three representing industries such as uranium mining or radiography.
The RAC meets several times a year to review and provide technical advice on radiation-related programs at CDPHE and review proposed regulatory changes. Recent topics of discussion have included changes to x-ray machine regulations, public concerns of increased radon exposure due to fracking activities, regulatory requirements during the COVID-pandemic, and new proposed regulations related to TENORM (Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials).
The Radiation Safety Office operates within the department of Environmental Health & Safety here at CU Boulder. Ms. Ashton is happy to have the opportunity to serve on the RAC and finds it to be an opportunity to learn more about many radiation safety related topics, as well as get a broader view of the reasoning behind regulations the University is required to follow. She looks forward to seeing what the next 3 years bring!