Playing it safe: a review of security measures to protect a nuclear medicine department

Learning Objectives 1. Describe 2 checks that need to be performed for individuals who have access to radioactive materials 2. List and describe three layers of protection to ensure safeguards for nuclear material stored and used in the nuclear medicine department 3. List and describe four physical barriers and administrative safeguards to prevent the theft of nuclear materials used in the nuclear medicine department 4. Describe the two safeguards to ensure off hours delivery of nuclear materials are done with proper security precautions 5. Describe the method for testing the radioactive materials safeguards that have been put in place to provide radioactive materials security in the nuclear medicine department.

Maintaining effective control over nuclear material is essential for mitigating the risk of theft or unauthorized removal and is a condition of the nuclear materials licenses issued by regulatory agencies. Nuclear medicine facilities must be able to provide safeguards to ensure the prevention of intrusion and theft of nuclear materials. This security is first provided by identifying three layers of defense against unauthorized access to nuclear materials; the first level of protection is performed by site security personnel at the hospital entrances, the second level is restricted access within the radiologically controlled area of the nuclear medicine department, and the third layer of security takes place at the entrance to the area where radioactive materials are stored, typically, the “hot lab”. Physical protections that can be implemented within the department include signage, video cameras and door locks. Remote radiation monitoring with within sensitive areas can act as an early warning to potential thefts. Off hours delivery of nuclear medicines must be coordinated and supervised by hospital security. Detailed inventories as required by radioactive materials licenses must be kept up to date. Periodic unannaunced drills are used to test and verify the established security programs that have been implemented.