LOCAL

Lab Recipes

X-ray Lab Safety Protocols

 

 

  1. Only authorized users may operate equipment in the X-ray lab. New users must join the film badge program, obtain specific permission from the safety officer, sign all current user agreements, and be checked out on the equipment by the safety officer. Visitors ARE NOT allowed on the X-ray facility without the notification to the safety officer.

  2. Prior to using any X-ray equipment, the user must have reserved the equipment on the appropriate X-ray port reservation list. Days can be reserved in advance. Changes may be made, but the reservation list must be kept current. It is important for everyone using the laboratory to know who is operating each experiment. If you are leaving the experiment unatended, write in the reservation list several phone numbers where you can be reached. The person currently signed up for an X-ray port is responsible for its safe operation. If you are not positive about any procedure no matter how trivial, ask!

  3. You WILL wear your film badge at all times.

  4. The X-ray laboratory must remain locked. The X-ray lab has a radiation detector. Use it routinely to check for leaks. A red light above each rotating anode X-ray generator indicates when the machine is producing X-rays.

  5. The safety officer will survey the laboratory daily. Bring safety violations or concerns you have to the attention of the safety officer as soon as you notice them.

  6. Tag all equipment that needs repair with a large sign. Either send a mail message to the safety officer, or let him know personally about the problem immediately.

  7. USE OF THE X-RAY LAB IS A PRIVILEGE. When you enter, you assume responsibility for yourself and your equipment. However, you cannot assume that your neighbor is taking that responsibility. Your participation in safety and alertness to mechanical problems will help insure a stable environment in which to collect data. If you notice any user without glasses or badges call that person attention. If that person refuses to adhere to the protocol please notify the safety officer. Any user without glasses and film badges or eating and drinking inside the X-ray lab will loose the privilege of using the X-ray facility.

  8. The user may loose his right to use equipment in the X-ray lab for any violation of these regulations.

  9. Take 10 minutes to clean up. Remember that custodial services are not allowed in the X-ray facility so you are responsible of cleaning.

In case of trouble, call:
Safety Officer Duilio Cascio 825-1551
Repairs and Maintenance Officer Kim Ma 206-8337
Responsible Faculty Richard Dickerson 825-5864
Responsible Faculty David Eisenberg 825-3754
Responsible Faculty Todd Yeates 206-4866

 

A. RAXIS IMAGING PLATE DETECTOR

  1. NEVER PUT YOUR HAND IN THE BEAM PATH, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU THINK THE BEAM IS ON OR NOT. CHECKING THE SHUTTER STATUS SHOULD BE A CONSTANT, AUTOMATIC REFLEX AT ALL TIMES.

  2. To operate the Raxis all the shielded glass doors must be closed.

  3. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE AT THE END OF YOUR SCHEDULED TIME TO:

    • Backup all of your files. Delete integrated data and image files, all int,osc,stl,x and log files. You should have fewer than 500 blocks on the disk. ANY FILES OLDER THAN 7 DAYS WILL BE DELETED.

    • Clean the room and remove all your crystals from the goniometer heads. Dispose old capillaries into the sharps waste. Help disposing of any junk on the floor, tables and X-ray machine. Use a broom if necessary. Use the vacuum cleaner stored in the closet to the left of the darkroom.

 

B. SEALED TUBE AND SUPPER BUERGER PRECESSION CAMERA PRACTICE

Adhere to the following general rules when operating precession cameras. These are not operating instructions, but rather guidelines for safe use of the equipment.

  1. NEVER PUT YOUR HAND IN THE BEAM PATH, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU THINK THE BEAM IS ON OR NOT. CHECKING THE SHUTTER STATUS SHOULD BE A CONSTANT, AUTOMATIC REFLEX AT ALL TIMES.

  2. The law requires that all warning and indicator lights must be operational when the equipment is on. If a bulb burns out the X-ray generator should turn off automatically, but you should not depend on this.

  3. All X-ray tubes require constant cooling to prevent overheating and consequent total failure. The cooling water must be on and under adequate pressure before power can be turned on. Make certain that water is flowing by checking the pressure gauge.

  4. Adjust the cameras, and mount and dismount crystals with the X-ray shutter closed. Everything should fit together smoothly and securely when assembled correctly. If anything has to be forced, or is loose, then something has been put together improperly, and should be corrected. See the safety officer.

  5. When you use the precession motion, watch the operation of the camera through at least one full revolution to make sure that none of the moving parts collide. This can happen if, for example, the layer line screen is too close to the film plane, or the capillary bends too close to the beam stop.

  6. Never operate the X-ray shutter without having the beam stop properly adjusted and in place.

  7. The tubestand power supply can generate more power than the X-ray tube can handle. Normal operating conditions are 45 kilovolts X 35 milliamperes, or 25 kv. X 64 ma. The Seifert X-ray tube has a maximum input rating of 2 kilowatts. The Siemens power supply has a maximum rating of 55 kilovolts. Please do not exceed 80% of either of these values.

  8. The power supply for the X-ray tube generates lethal current output, and can store dangerous charges for hours after being turned off. If the power supply fails, do not attempt to fix it.

 

C. ROTATING ANODES and Enraf-Nonius CAMERAS

  1. NEVER PUT YOUR HAND IN THE BEAM PATH, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU THINK THE BEAM IS ON OR NOT. CHECKING THE SHUTTER STATUS SHOULD BE A CONSTANT, AUTOMATIC REFLEX AT ALL TIMES.

  2. Do not attempt to align a camera yourself. The safety officer checks camera alignment periodically.

  3. Disabling a safety interlock is against the law.

  4. You may not modify any equipment. NEVER change the collimator, shutter, or camera position or crystal to film distance. If you wish to change the collimator size or change any camera parameter or you suspect that the beam is too weak or the camera is not aligned, label the camera immediately as misaligned and report the problem to the safety officer. NEVER lean on the monochromators. NEVER use pliers on the ENRAF-NONIUS cameras. If anything has to be forced, or is loose, then something has been put together improperly. Call the Maintenance Officer.

  5. Safety shields are provided for each X-ray generator. Close the shielding doors when you leave an experiment to run, the shutter will not operate unless all the doors are closed.

  6. Do not attempt to perform any experiment unless you know how to operate the equipment and know exactly what you are doing. If you are not positive, ask!

  7. After completion of your experiment, clear off the generator table and return the accessories to their proper locations. Please put any alignment tools or layer screens not in use back in the appropriate slot in the NONIUS box.

  8. Throw your old capillary tubes away. Please don't leave them lying on the generator table. All capillaries left on the table belong in the garbage.

  9. The shutter timers control the opening and closing of the X-ray ports when the Rigaku shutter controller switch is flipped to ``External". One switch controls power to the timer. When you turn on the power, the timer resets and gets ready to start the countdown all over again. The other switch will open the X-ray shutter if:

    • The time shown on the timer is not zero.

    • The Rigaku shutter switch is on external.

    • The power switch on the timer is on.

    The switch will retain the time shown on the face of the timer when turned off. That way when you need to open the shielding you can close the shutter without losing the countdown on either port. Remember to close the shutters on both camera ports before making an adjustment to your crystal. Also, the Rigaku generator's shutter control switches will open the shutter independently of the timer controllers.

  10. Prior to leaving an experiment to run, check to make sure that there will be no collisions between moving camera parts and the X-ray generator, other camera parts, or anything else. If your goniometer heads collides with the collimator it will most certainly destroy the collimator tunnel. Some collision with the clay will plug the collimator. Do not attempt to remove the collimator at any time. Call the Safety Officer immediately.

    Clean the area around the camera. The only capillary present on the generator table should be the one mounted on the camera. All the other capillaries must be removed and disposed in the sharps waste. Goniometer heads not in use should be stored in the rack by the darkroom. All the wrenches should go into the plastic container on top of the generator.

    If you find that any film cassete is leaking light, immediately inform the Maintenance Officer so he can replace the black paper or repair the cassette.

  11. Use the radiation detector to check for leaks outside the radiation enclosure.

  12. Wear your glasses. Wear your glasses. Wear your glasses.