Using RAM and Reviewing Inventories 

HOW TO INVENTORY YOUR RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL

The activity received should be logged; including the isotope, the current activity and the date whether or not you use RS Inventory Form, or use your own form for record keeping.  Be sure to use the activity delivered to you not the activity that you requested from the vendor.  These activities may differ by more than 50% for short half life materials.

As you remove activity from the stock material, note the date, the activity and the balance remaining in the stock. This can also be done through Environmental Health & Safety Assistant (EHSA). For instructions on how to use RAM, watch the Using and Tracking RAM video on the EHSA Tutorial page. You can log into EHSA using your MU Pawprint and associated password through the EHSA Login portal.

Short half life materials, such as P-32, S-35, I-125, Rb-86, P-33 and Ca-45, should be periodically decayed to indicate what activities are present.  Ideal dates for this decay period could be every two or four weeks for P-32 or the last day of each calendar quarter which will correspond with the EHS inventory reports.

Whether you use the Waste Record on the Radioisotope Receipt, Transfer, and Inventory Form, EHSA, or use your own waste inventory log, the isotope, activity and date need to be kept for any material placed in a waste container.  For short half life materials, be sure that the material placed in the container has been decayed to the date of disposal.  Remember waste is included as part of your inventory until it is removed from your premises by EHS.

When you request a waste pickup, all of these individual disposals must be decayed (if short half life material) to the date of the pickup request.

Keep your disposal records so that you can compare these with the Authorized User Inventory Verification Report records.

 

 

HOW TO COMPLETE YOUR INVENTORY VERIFICATION REPORT

Inventory Verification reports cover half a calendar year, starting on January 1st through June 30th and July 1st through December 31st.  These are used by EHS to verify receipt, transfers, disposals and decay of your isotopes in order to meet our commitment of inventory control for the NRC.  Below are some of the areas in the report you should examine to ensure that our records match yours.

  • The general information includes the AU’s name and campus address, AU’s number, survey class, e-mail address, authorization expiration date, office and lab phone numbers, assigned HP initials and RSC Representative.
  • Authorized Areas; lists rooms covered under the authorization.
  • Authorization Data; lists the isotopes, units, forms, and quantities authorized for order and possession. Any special conditions pertinent to the authorization are listed here, such as restricted area modifications, co-authorizations, etc.
  • Isotope Inventory Changes for the half year; Isotopes, including sealed sources, are listed alphabetically with units in milliCuries.  The timeframe is summarized by
    • Starting possession,
    • Total receipts,
    • Total transfers in,
    • Total transfers out,
    • Total waste,
    • Total adjustments,
    • Current possession.
  • All numbers for the above columns are decayed to the last date of the timeframe for calculation purposes.
  • Isotope Receipt from Other Licenses; list of all receipts from other licenses.
  • Isotope Receipt from MU Transfers; list by transfer date and reference who transferred the material to you. 
  • Isotope Transfers out from Authorization; transfer transactions listed by date, isotope, and to whom transfer was to.
  • Isotope Waste Pickups; lists the date that the waste was requested to be picked up and actually was picked up, the isotope, its form (solid, liquid, vials, etc.), requested date activity, and activity at the end of the timeframe.
  • Isotope adjustments made by Radiation Safety Staff; lists any adjustments made to reconcile your inventory records with ours, if necessary.  Contact your assigned HP if you have any questions regarding this column.
  • Sealed Sources Isotope List; lists all sealed sources with the internal inventory number, quantity on hand, type of inspection performed (leak test and/or inventory) and the last leak test date.
  • Worker  (as of date of report); lists current RW’s by name, employee ID or student number, Form 3 date (Training and Experience Form), last formal training program description, last formal training date, and the (tentative) date of the next training update.  You should examine each column and then make any appropriate corrections as noted in the Check off Box area.  You should also write in the information that you wish to be changed in the appropriate area.
  • Instruments (as of date of report); list of all survey and counting instruments which are registered for particular authorization and calibrated by the RSS.  Check to ensure that all instruments are accounted for, that the serial numbers are correct, and that the calibrations are current.  Make corrections as necessary on the inventory verification report.
  • Name and Signature; space is provided for the preparer of the report to sign and date the report form.  Once completed, the form should be given to the AU’s for their review and signature if they were not the preparer.
  • Once the report is completed, make a copy for your records and return the original to your assigned HP.

You can download your Inventory Verification Report at any time using the EHSA login. For instructions on downloading the Report, view the RAM Reports and Quarterly Review video on the EHSA Tutorial page.

Page last updated on June 16, 2022.