Re: Security and physical inventories of licensed material

[a.zapantis@qut.edu.au (Alex Zapantis)]

>I got a copy of the NRC Quarterly Progress Report on Enforcement Actions
>(NUREG-0940 Vol. 13, No.3, Part 3, July-September 1994) in the mail today.
> etc


The School of Physics here at QUT was recently inspected and the issue of
security and controlled areas was one which received much attention.

The laboratory operated by the School of Physics where both undergrad
experiments and postgrad research projects using sealed and unsealed sources
are completed was required to become a controlled Radiation Area. That is,
only authorised personnel have been issued with keys (the locks have been
changed) and students or unauthorised personnel must be supervised at all
times by an authorised person whilst in the lab. We were also required to
cease using one of the doors which accesses the lab. This door is now unable
to be opened from the outside (electronics lab) but may be opened from the
inside so that it may be used as a fire exit. When this was first
implemented there were rumblings of discontent from some quarters but now it
works quite well and I believe that it was a positive step.

As you mentioned, inventories of sealed sources are relatively easy to
maintain. For unsealed sources, we plan to initiate a system whereby each
time a user removes from storage a quantity of material, he/she is reqired
to record in a log book the details eg date, activity (or volume etc,
whatever is applicable) radioisotope etc. A system similar to this has been
in place for ages however it is not as comprehensive as it should be.

Similar records are also maintained for disposal of unsealed sources so that
at any time we can balance the books. At least that is how it is supposed to
work!






                        Alex Zapantis
                        Radiation Safety Officer                               
                        Queensland University of Technology          
                        Health & Safety Section                             
                        Locked Bag No.2
                        Red Hill Qld 4059
                        AUSTRALIA

                        Ph     : 61 7 864 3566
                        fax     : 61 7 864 3993
                        email  : a.zapantis@qut.edu.au