Radioisotope Tracking

Radioisotope Tracking Software

Track Radioisotopes with Real-Time Decay

Compliance with strict radioactive substances permit conditions and limits is critical to a facility’s operations. Monitoring where, how, how much and by whom radioisotopes are used provides real-time information that can be reviewed instantly so that necessary adjustments can be made.

Through easy-to-use menus and options, our Radioisotope Tracking System (RTS) monitors facility permits, isotope limits, location limits, radioactive use authorisations, decay, disposal, and reporting.

Our RTS addresses all the unique issues associated with the acquisition, approval, storage, use, decay, monitoring, disposal and regulatory reporting of radioisotopes.

Radioisotope Tracking

ChemicalSafety’s Radioisotope Tracking Software System is designed to help manage the flow of radioisotopes in a multi-user and multi-facility environment. Good safety practices as well as strict regulatory requirements require that radioisotope use be managed from the facility permit down to an isotope’s smallest denomination. By dynamically decaying isotopes in real time, the Radiation Protection Supervisor or Radiation Protection Adviser has a real-time view of individual isotope activity at each facility, location, radioactive use authorisation and individual experiment. The system automatically alerts the Radiation Protection Supervisor and Health and Safety staff via email when an event occurs that has or may cause an issue of compliance or safety. The RTS is easy and intuitive to use and operate through smart menus and actions; it reduces the time required to keep information up to date, simplifies movement, monitoring and disposal, and helps ensure compliance with facility and isotope permit limits.

Radioactive Mixed Waste

The EMS waste management module has tools that simplify the recording, disposal and reporting of radioactive mixed waste. EMS has simple and intuitive tools that allow authorised personnel to record mixed waste activity that is being disposed of. EMS has built-in radioisotope decay calculations, so whether in inventory or being disposed of, radioisotope activity can be calculated with accuracy and precision, which supports compliance monitoring.

Project and Task Management

The EMS task management system allows you to create and manage projects including cost, personnel, department and due dates, as well as each task necessary to complete any project. The task management system also assists in monitoring data for conditions that could indicate a problem or require attention. For example, the EMS can be configured to alert you when waste containers are approaching their limit, unauthorised purchases have been made, or regulatory deadlines are approaching.

Integrated Adhoc Reporting System

The EMS ad hoc reporting system provides on-demand custom reporting. It provides self-service integrated reports that customers can customise without extensive database knowledge. From simple to complex reporting, the interface is easy to learn and use. While the reporting has great out-of-the-box functionality, it is also easily edited depending on the users’ needs.

Radioisotope Tracking Case Study

The regional laboratories in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina have been using ChemicalSafety’s EMS Radioisotope Tracking (RTS) Software to manage the acquisition and disposal of low-level isotopes.

The Challenge

A leading government institution located in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina needed software that would manage the acquisition, storage, use and disposal of low-level radioisotopes. Isotopes were purchased centrally under the facility’s radioactive materials licence, and used in various project experiments without set project oversight and monitoring. Isotope decay was not calculated, and this resulted in uncertainty as to the proper use of isotopes. Disposal of used or spent isotopes was also not managed efficiently.

The Solution

ChemicalSafety was tasked with implementing the EMS-RTS software solution that addressed these issues efficiently, maintaining current and accurate isotope inventories, setting project authorisation limits, utilising barcode labels and smartphones and tablets to easily update information, and monitoring compliance with permit limits.
ChemicalSafety configured EMS on a cloud server, transferred location, isotope vial and waste container data from disparate data sources into a single database, cross-referenced the isotopes with permit limits and trained lab and research personnel on ways to update information using smartphones and tablets quickly and easily.
The solution provided by ChemicalSafety was the implementation of processes centred around our comprehensive RTS management software. With EMS-RTS, Radiation Protection Supervisors were able to set, monitor and manage user authorisation and isotope limits per project.

RTS Tags are used to track and group the waste vials and decay them automatically during storage. Tags constitute the intermediate step before the waste handler starts the collection operations. The solution was well received by all involved within the organisation. Regular reporting has validated the accuracy and effectiveness of the EMS-RTS software solution.