Radiation safety and source security is becoming an increasing concern across all market sectors, with the illegal possession and illicit movement of radioactive sources having potentially severe consequences to site workers and both national and global communities. A necessary precaution taken by numerous facilities to ensure source security is the use of fixed area radiation monitors which provide the dose rate levels of source storage bunkers and Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) radiography bays.
In addition to ensuring the safety of workers and visitors on site, regulators expect organisations to guarantee source security to avoid incidents of source theft, loss and unauthorised possession and transportation. In this blog we will discuss three benefits of using an installed radiation monitoring system to ensure radiation safety and to demonstrate to regulators that radioactive source areas are secure.1. Missing source alarm
The missing source alarm of an installed area monitoring system works by continuously assessing and monitoring a typical dose rate around an installed source. Similar to a low level trip alarm, if the source is removed without prior planning or consent, the area monitoring system will detect a change in the ambient dose rate and will trigger a warning. The missing source alarm can also notify off-site workers if the alarm is triggered by transmitting remote alerts by email and/or SMS text messages, adding another security measure to prevent the tampering or theft of a source.
2. Portal monitoring
Installing radiation detectors at the entry and exit points to a facility containing radioactive sources is also essential to maintaining source security. Portal monitors that include smart inputs and outputs such as door interlocks, proximity switches and alarm beacons are integrated within the area monitoring system and can be widely used to identify and prevent unplanned source movements. As with the missing source alarm, the portal monitors can be configured to provide remote notifications to communicate when the alarm threshold has been breached, if the site is vacant.
3. Remote access with a floor plan view
Source accountancy is an important part of any radiation management system and a critical element of a radiation site security plan. By installing a fixed area radiation monitor, sources can be accounted for through increased visibility of the source locations. Complete with software that can display and measure dose rates from multiple detectors in places where sources are stored, the floor plan view provides a clear visible display of source locations. The software is also obtainable via a web server, providing access to the control units and radiation data from remote locations 24/7.
ObservaTM , the latest innovation form Tracerco’s award winning range monitors, is an installed radiation monitoring system that displays live dose rates and alarm status. ObservaTM is highly flexible and has been designed to help our customers safely manage radiation risks in line with the on-going regulatory drive for source security and radiation safety.
To find out more about how ObservaTM can meet all of your radiation safety and source security requirements, request more information here.
