Cs-137 Irradiator Access

Last Revised: March 18, 2025

Federal and State regulations require that all persons with unaccompanied access to irradiators must be background checked in order to determine whether they are trustworthy and reliable. This process includes fingerprinting and an FBI criminal history check. The NRC regulations (10CFR Part 37) can be found HERE.

Each employee or student needing to use an irradiator must complete an application and receive approval from Environmental Health and Radiation Safety prior to irradiator use.

In order to be granted access to the irradiator, you will need to complete the following steps in the order listed:

  1. Complete and submit the online Irradiator Access Request Form to process your background check. Do not submit any PDFs or previous versions of this form.

  2. Submit your SSN for background check purposes via Penn Secure Share. *IMPORTANT: do not provide your social security number in any other format. If you are not a Penn employee or cannot access Secure Share, please contact Kelsey Lewitt (215-651-0549) to help process your application via another method.

    1. Login to Penn Secure Share.

    2. Search for Kelsey Lewitt (Kelsey Lewitt [kelseyev, 86394075]) and select “add”.

    3. Subject Line: [Your Name] irradiator access. *Do not include your SSN in the subject line.

    4. Leave your SSN in the encrypted message and Send.

  3. Read and sign the Disclosure Form agreeing to submit to a background check. Please provide a handwritten signature. A digital signature will not be accepted.  Please understand that you may withdraw your consent at any time by contacting EHRS and we will not continue the background investigation. However, please be aware that withdrawal is sufficient cause for denial or termination of unescorted access. Your rights to background check requirements can be found in the regulations. Once signed, email the form to Kelsey Lewitt. We cannot start the background check process without this signed document.

  4. Complete the Irradiator Access Supervisor Approval form with your supervisor's signature and email to Kelsey Lewitt.

  5. Fingerprinting will be used to secure a review of your criminal history record. You will have the right to review and revise the record or add explanations to the record. Please sign our Criminal History Consent Form to initiate this process. Fingerprinting will be performed at Penn Police. These sessions are held for individuals by appointment only and will be arranged after your initial background check is complete. At that time, we will also check a form of government photo ID as a verification of true identity. Please email Kelsey Lewitt to make an appointment.

    1. You will need to come to the Penn Police Station at 4040 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19104. Please bring form of government ID and your Penn/HUP ID.”

  6. Security training is also required for anyone seeking access to an irradiator or Gamma Knife. Please contact Kelsey Lewitt to set up an appointment. 

  7. Online Irradiator training is required for those operating the machines. When you click on "Enter Training" you will be directed to a list of modules. Choose "irradiator training" in Section 5. You will be asked for contact info and a PI. Please select the PI for the requested irradiator, not your supervisor.

  8. In person hands on training is required to help users learn to operate the machine. We will provide you with further instructions when you meet with EHRS.

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Additional Application Instructions for Step 1
  • The more information you can provide on your Irradiator Request Form, the faster it is for the company that performs the check, (Certiphi), to verify the information.
  • It may help to notify all employers and references that they will be receiving these calls/emails from our background check company, Certiphi Screening, Inc.
  • Regulations require that all employment and education history must be checked for 7 years prior to the date of the application or until the applicants eighteenth birthday. (This includes high school/secondary school if you attended after your 18th birthday and less than 7 years).
  • Background checks must include current employment or education in process.
  • Reference checks may not be conducted with any person who is known to be a close member of your family, including but not limited to your spouse, parents, siblings, or children, or any individual who resides in your permanent household. References must be able to attest to your character and therefore should be individuals you have known at least a year.
  • Phone numbers or contact information of people who can verify employment/education (such as HR departments or bursar's offices) significantly speeds up the process.
  • Background checks are not limited to the U.S. Certiphi uses translators to assist in accommodating non-English speakers.
  • Many educational establishments outside of the USA require a copy of any diplomas before they can verify education. If you provide this in the beginning, it will speed up the process.