Le travail en présence de rayonnements ionisants dans des laboratoires universitaires

The increasing use of radioactive material in research laboratories has genera­ ted new risks for laboratory workers. In universities, new students arrive cons­ tantly, posing a specific problem for radiation-protection. Using methods deri­ ved from ergonomie studies, we analysed the conditions of use of radioactive substances in four different laboratories - molecular biology (2), chemistry (1) and geology (1) in two universities in Quebec. We observed two or more wor­ kers in each of the laboratories during a total of 34 hours of handling of radioactive substances. We also measured radioactive contamination by sur­ face sampling techniques in all laboratories. Work practices and regulations varied among laboratories and according to workers' experience. Contamina­ ted sites were principally those in common use or those assigned to new stu­ dents. Dosimeters were not worn with sufficient regularity for us to be confi­ dent that radiation doses were being accurately measured. Our results permitted us to classify conditions at risk for exposure to radiation in three categories : 1) those associated with equipment, e.g., insufficient size of protective screen ; 2) those associated with laboratory installations, e.g., only one laboratory maintained a specific area for the handling of radioactive substances ; 3) those associated with training of personnel, resulting in use of techniques to control contamination of the worker or surroundings. * Groupe de recherche-act ion en biologie du travail, CINBIOSE, Universite du Quebec a Montreal, Departement des sciences biologiques, CP. 8888, Suce. A, Montreal, Canada, H3C 3P8.