L6 safety and security of radiation sources

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5th BAERA Training Course on Radiation Protection for
Radiation Control Officers (RCOs) of Industrial Practices
Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority
Agargaon, Dhaka
06-09 November 2017
L-6 : Safety and Security of Radiation Sources

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1. Introduction
The Safety and Security of radiation sources
is extremely important
Vide Rule-17 of NSRC Rules-1997, Licensee
shall establish physical controls and
administrative procedures to prevent damage
to, theft, loss or unauthorized removal of
radiation sources
Loss of control over radiation sources has
caused a number of serious accident

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1.1 Purpose
The purpose of a safety and Security is to
answer three questions:
 What can happen?
 How likely is it?
 What are the consequences?

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2. OBSERVATIONS OF THE ACCIDENTS RECORDED
IN VARIOUS DATABASES
 Ir-192 sources are the most common sources
involved in accidents, followed by Co-60 and Cs-
137 Sources are third most.
 The main causes of accidents are operator errors
(75%) and equipment errors (25%)
 Sealed sources or their containers are used as
scrap metal
 Lack of Regulatory control and sources
becoming “orphan”

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What are "orphan" radioactive sources?
Radioactive sources that are outside of regulatory
control are called "orphan sources" for short.
They may never have been subjected to under
regulation, or they may have been regulated initially
but then were abandoned, lost, misplaced, stolen, or
removed without authorization.
Some sources may not be formally "orphaned" but
their control may be weak and therefore vulnerable to
being mishandled or lost.

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3. General Protocols for Ensuring Safety
and Security of Radiation sources
According to NSRC Rules-1997 The licensee shall ensure
the safety and security of radiation sources at all times and
should take into consideration the following;
 Control of sources is not relinquished without prior
notification to the Regulatory Authority (RA)
 A sources is not transferred unless the receiver
possesses a valid authorization
 All workers appreciate the need of and importance of
radiation source security
 Suitable permanent and purpose designed radiation
source stores are to be established at the operating
premises

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3. General Protocol for Ensuring Safety and
Security of Radiation sources security
 Suitable temporary stores are to be established
where necessary at the site
 Identification of potential ways in which sources can
be lost or stolen, in particular the risks of theft during
temporary storage and transporting radiation sources
 An effective system for accounting for radiation
sources implemented and is fully complied with by all
workers
 The system should be capable of detecting losses
quickly

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4. Stages for measuring the safety and security
4.1 Manufacture and production
4.2 Distribution, transfer, receipt and storage
4.3 Transport
4.4 Installation and commissioning
4.5 Servicing and repairs
4.6 Use
4.7 Disposal

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4.2 Distribution, transfer, receipt and
storage of Radiation sources
 Radioactive material may be transferred many
times during its life cycle. Hence it is important
that these transfers be performed correctly to
ensure a seamless movement of the radioactive
material from one location to another or from one
person to another.
 The seamless transfer of radioactive material
between consignor, consignee, and carriers and
within authorized facilities should include
cooperation between all employers involved in
transfers and transport.

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 The authorization received to ship a radiation
source should be maintained on file for a defined
period, as per the countries national regulations
or until the radiation source has been received by
the consignee.
The consignor and carrier should obtain the
required import and export permit from the
various regulatory authorities along the transport
route. The package should not be transported
until these authorizations have been obtained

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 Storage facilities should be provided for
temporary storage of radiation sources
 long term storage of radiation sources such as
disused radioactive sources should be limited to
facilities specifically designed and authorized for
this purpose.
 A storage facility should be designed and built
with the appropriate physical security and access
control features to provide radiation safety and
prevent unauthorized access.

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4.2 Distribution, transfer, receipt and storage
of Radiation sources
When not in used or under the direct surveillance of the
sources with locked container shall be kept in a suitable
store that has the following features;
 It shall be lockable to prevent removal or tampering with
the radioactive sources
 It should be protect equipment from mechanical
damage and harsh environmental conditions
 It should provide protection from against fire
 Should provide adequate shielding against all sources
 The Entrance door to the store should be labeled
clearly and durably with a radiation CAUTION SIGN.

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4.3 Transportation
 The consignor (shipper) should ensure that all the
requirements set in the IAEA regulations are followed.
This would include such activities as identifying the
correct package, the transport labels, markings and
shipping documents.
 As part of packaging, the consignor should ensure that
the correct radioactive material has been placed in the
appropriate package.
 The shipping documents, which accompany the package,
should provide information on the consignor, the
consignee, the type and quantity of radioactive material,
emergency numbers as well as other information useful
in the transport of packages

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4.3 Transportation
 The transport company (carrier) should have a system of
accountability for the package during transport.
 A system of accountability should be maintained for
portable devices such as industrial radiography, oil well
logging sources and moisture density gauges
 Physical controls of the package should be maintained
throughout the transport cycle.
 The consignee should ensure that incoming packages
are properly stored and received. The area where the
packages are delivered should be controlled.

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4.4 Installation and commissioning
 Prior to the work commencing the organization who is
carrying out the installation or the commissioning of
radiation sources should ensure that the recipient has
the appropriate authorization from the Regulatory
Authority.
 Physical security should be provided for all radiation
sources throughout the installation and commissioning
process.
 If radiation sources are to be stored on the users
premises prior to installation, the user should provide
storage facilities that are appropriate to the category of
source

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4.5 Servicing and repairs
 Most radiation sources will require some form of
routine servicing to ensure proper function and
operability and to ensure the continued safe use of
the product.
 schedules should be established and followed.
 Servicing and repairs can potentially lead to a loss
of security, and this should be addressed in the
service and repair procedures.
 Physical security should be provided for all
radiation sources throughout the servicing or repair
process.

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4.6 During Uses
a) All users should identify an individual, referred to as the
Radiation Control Officer (RCO), as responsible for the
safe operation and use of the radiation source
a) Access controls are essential to prevent unauthorized
or inadvertent access to, or removal of radiation
sources during installation commissioning, use,
servicing and repairs, and decommissioning and
disposal.
a) Administrative controls should include the user
maintaining a written (record) inventory of all materials
and devices in use. The inventory should include:

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4.6 During Uses
 the unique identification of each radiation source
 location (installed location or authorized use location)
 authorized use(s)
 indicate the type and amount of radioactive material
contained in each sealed source or device,
 indicate dates received and removed from inventory,
 indicate where received from or where transferred to.
 if combined with the storage inventory, indicate the
status of the radiation source (in use or storage)

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4.7 Disposal
The following management options shall be available to
the user;
 Storage for decay
 Operational storage
 Transfer to another user
 Return to the manufacturer/supplier
 Conditioning and interim storage
 Disposal

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5. Accountability of Radiation Sources
 For Mobile Radiation Sources Licensee shall ensure
that accountancy procedures are applied for all
sealed sources together with ancillary equipment and
Exposure containers incorporating radioactive
material (depleted uranium)
 The accountancy procedures should be documented
and have a number of elements which together
provide defense in depth against deficiencies

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5.1. Central Records of Radiation Sources
Licensee shall maintain a central and definitive record
of all their sources as per following documents and
details;
(a) For each sealed sources;
-detailed of source supplier
- date of receipt into operation organization
-Serial number
- Radionuclide and activity with reference date
-normal storage location
-local identification number
-Original manufacturers leak test certificate
-date, method and destination for final disposal

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(b) For exposure Container or source changer
- Detailed of container supplier
- date of receipt into operation organization
-Serial number
- Container type and model number
-Transport code
-Maximum activity of source allowed to be used
-Quantity of depleted uranium in Kg
-date, method and destination for final disposal
All these records shall be securely kept by the operation organization

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5.2. Source movement records
Source movement records shall be maintained for every mobile
radioactive source or exposure container or source changer. These
records the daily movements of the source. Detailed should be
recorded as follows;
- Source identification number
- The Radionuclide
- Date and the time that the source is REMOVED from the store
- Name and signature of the personnel REMOVING the source
- The place where it will be taken
- Date and the time it is RETURNED to the source store
- Name and the signature of the personnel RETURNING the source
The source movement record shall be completed EVERY time the
source is moved and the RCO shall regularly check to ensure
that these records are being correctly completed

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5.3. Radiation Source Audits
As an additional level of security the RCO shall carry out monthly
audits of exact location of exposure containers and radioactive
sources. The should be done for every source and exposure
container including those not in currently used and those which
are in fixed installation and include;
- Identification from the central records
- Preparation of a check list of these sources
- Confirmation by visual inspection by the RCO that every
sources and ancillary equipment is accounted for
- Confirmation that source movement records are being correctly
completed with no discrepancies
- A written record that the audits results are satisfactory
- All relevant personnel signature who carry out audits

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6. CONCLUSIONS
Intuitively safety and security is understood to
mean that all necessary measures have been
taken to
- protect people from the harmful effects of
the radiation source by keeping doses
ALARA during normal exposures and
- preventing accidental exposure throughout
the entire life cycle of a source, from
manufacture to disposal.

L6 safety and security of radiation sources

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