The Transition from Radioactive Source Based Irradiators to Alternative Technologies

How the Cesium Irradiator Replacement Program Was Implemented at the University of Alabama at Birmingham

Robert Heath, Jr., MPH, RSODirector of Radiation Safety

Department of Occupational Health & Safety (OH&S)The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)

rheath@uab.edu (205) 934-2487

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)

INTRODUCTION• The first gamma irradiator license was issued by the

Atomic Energy Commission in 1959• To the University of Alabama Medical Center

• Co-60 Teletherapy Device – Disposed: 2005

• The last gamma irradiator was installed at UAB in 2006• Gamma Knife – Co-60

• 6 total – Clinical and research applications• 2 disposed of in 2005

• 4 disposed of in 2017

• Hardening and removal discussions both began in 2015

CATEGORY 1 & CATEGORY 2 QUANTITIES OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS

• Category 1 sources:

Could very likely cause injury that is permanent if handled or contacted for periods such as minutes to hours. This usually occurs when the materials are not protected and managed as required. Could be fatal in extreme cases.

** Category 2 sources:

Could very likely cause injury that is permanent if handled or contacted for more than a short period of time. This usually occurs when the materials are not protected and managed as required. Could be fatal if unshielded amount of material is handled for hours to days.

https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/glossary/category-of-radioactive-sources.html

COLLABORATIONS• Alabama Department of Public Health Office of Radiation

Control • UAB Police Department• City of Birmingham Police Department• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

• U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)• National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)• U.S. Department Energy (DOE)• Sandia National Laboratory (SNL)• Los Alamos National Laboratories (LANL)• Radiation Safety Partnership (RSP)

• Formerly - Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI)

COLLABORATIONS

• JL Shepherd & Associates• Best Theratronics• Southway Crane & Rigging• Maxim Crane & Rigging• The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Departments

• Medicine

• Facilities Division

• Occupational Health & Safety

• Radiation Safety Program

• Transportation

• Risk Management

• Council

• Communication

POTENTIAL CHALLENGES & LESSONS LEARNED

• Communication & Coordination (Multiple time zones)• Sensitive information

• Funding (Police??)

• Logistics (Internal & External)

• Road Closures

• Security

POTENTIAL CHALLENGES & LESSONS LEARNED

• Weather

• Office of Communications/Risk Management

• Scheduling Services

• Deadlines

• Perceptions and honest lack of understanding

BENEFITS OF THE PROCESS

• Reduced workload and man-hours:• Alabama Department of Public Health Office of Radiation Control

inspection team

• Sub-licensees of Category 1 and Category 2 quantities of radioactive materials

• Human Resources and Police Departments

(Criminal background checks and fingerprinting)

• UAB Radiation Safety Office for the licensees of Category 1 and Category 2 quantities of radioactive materials

• Continuity of Experiments, Wait time for experiments

Gamma Knife: GE/AB Elekta 43047 -Clinical Applications

Gamma Knife: GE/AB Elekta 43047: Clinical Applications

• Radioisotope: 60Co

• Original Activity: 6,190.8 Ci (30.80 Ci X 201 sources)

• Assay Date: September 28, 2010

• Disposal Activity: 2,596.9 Ci (12.92 Ci X 201 sources

• Decay Date: May 1, 2017

• Half Life: 5.3 years

Tuesday August 1, 2017 6:41 p.m.

August 1, 2017 7:49 p.m.

TYPE B(U) PACKAGE

August 1, 2017 8:01 p.m.

August 1, 2017 8:31 p.m.August 1, 2017 8:31 p.m.

August 1, 2017 9:30 p.m.

August 1, 2017 10:40 p.m.

Blood Irradiator: IBL/CSL-15: Clinical Applications

Blood Irradiator: IBL/CSL-15: Clinical Applications

• Radioisotope: 137Cs

• Original Activity: 1,700 Curies X 3 sources

• Total activity: 5,100 Curies

• Assay date: July 10, 1991

• Disposal Activity: 938 Curies X 3 sources

• Total activity: 2,814 Curies

• Decay Date: May 1, 2017

August 8, 2017 1:28p.m.

The loading dock located on 18th

street between 6th

and 7th avenues South is the primary loading dock that services Spain-Wallace and West Pavilion Hospitals

August 8, 2017 1:39 p.m.

August 8, 2017 4:28 p.m.

August 8, 2017 5:33 p.m.

August 8, 2017 5:34 p.m.

August 8, 2017 5:37 p.m. August 8, 2017 5:44 p.m.

August 8, 2017 6:08 p.m. August 8, 2017 6:21 p.m.

August 8, 2017 6:21 p.m.The crates below contain components for a mobile radiological survey/monitoring and testing and analysis lab.

August 8, 2017 7:49 p.m. August 8, 2017 7:54 p.m.

August 8, 2017 8:47 p.m.

August 8, 2017 8:46 p.m.

August 8, 2017 8:48 p.m.

August 8, 2017 11:48 p.m.

August 8, 2017 11:51 p.m.

August 8, 2017 12:09 a.m.

August 8, 2017 12:25 a.m. August 8, 2017 12:35 a.m.

August 8, 2017 5:37 p.m.

August 8, 2017 12:45 a.m.

August 8, 2017 1:56 a.m.

August 8, 2017 2:09 a.m.

August 8, 2017 2:17 a.m.

Gamma Cell 40: MDS/C44: Research Applications

Gamma Cell 40: MDS/C44: Research Applications

• Radioisotope: 137 Cs

• Original Activity: 1,743 Curies X 2 sources

• Total activity: 3,486 Curies

• Assay date: January 10, 1979

• Disposal Activity: 731 Curies X 2 sources

• Total activity: 1,462 Curies

• Decay Date: September 27, 2016

August 22, 2017 10:00 a.m. August 23, 2017 8:13 a.m.

August 23, 2017 9:04 a.m. August 23, 2017 9:18 a.m.

August 23, 2017 11:24a.m.

Gamma Cell 1000: MDS/C-1001: Research Applications

• Radioisotope: 137 Cs

• Original Activity: 680 Curies X 3 sources

• Total activity: 2,040 Curies

• Assay date: January 10, 1979

• Disposal Activity: 297 Curies X 3 sources

• Total activity: 891 Curies

• Decay Date: September 27, 2017

August 23, 2017 12:29 p.m. August 23, 2017 1:33 p.m.

August 23, 2017 1:41 p.m. August 23, 2017 1:49 p.m.

August 23, 2017 1:51 p.m. August 23, 2017 2:22 p.m.

August 23, 2017 3:37 p.m.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS• Robert J. Heath, Jr. MPH, RSO, is the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Director of Radiation

Safety (Radiation Safety Officer).

• Pamela Bounelis, Ph.D., Research Integrity Officer (RIO), the Assistant Vice President for Research and the Associate Professor in the Department of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

• Samuel C. Cartner, DVM, Ph.D., Associate Vice President for Animal Research Services and Director of the Animal Resources Program (ARP) at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB).

• Greg Parsons is the Assistant Vice President for Facilities Planning at the University of Alabama at Birmingham

• Robert Sharpe, CHC, CHFM, Director of Construction for Facilities Planning at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

• Danielle Sylvester, MLS ASCP, Supervisor for Laboratory Services for the Blood Bank at the University of Alabama at Birmingham

• Sherry R. Polhill, Director of Labs and Respiratory Care at the University of Alabama at Birmingham

• Erik D. Dohm, BS, DVM., Senior Clinical Veterinarian for the Animal Resources Program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham

• Mark Baumann, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM, USA

• Frank Cocina, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, USA

• Lance Garrison, Office of Radiological Security, National Nuclear Security Administration, Department of Energy, Washington, DC, USA.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS• Alabama Department of Public Health Office of Radiation

Control • UAB Police Department• City of Birmingham Police Department• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

• U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)• National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)• U.S. Department Energy (DOE)• Sandia National Laboratory (SNL)• Los Alamos National Laboratories (LANL)• Radiation Safety Partnership (RSP)

• Formerly - Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI)

• JL Shepherd & Associates• Best Theratronics• Southway Crane & Rigging• Maxim Crane & Rigging• The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Departments

• Medicine

• Facilities Division

• Occupational Health & Safety

• Radiation Safety Program

• Transportation

• Risk Management

• Council

• Communication

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS