Leidholdt Edwin M, William Gary E, McGuire Lynn E
VHA National Health Physics Program (115HP/NLR), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2200 Fort Roots Drive, North Little Rock, AR 72114, USA.
Health Phys. 2003 Aug;85(2 Suppl):S15-9. doi: 10.1097/00004032-200308001-00007.
The medical facilities of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) use radioactive material for health care and biomedical research. In the past, a single level of security for all radioactive material was generally deemed to be adequate. The events of 11 September 2001 prompted a reassessment of security. Based on site visits to VA facilities possessing a range of radioactive material typically used in health care and biomedical research, the VA National Health Physics Program has compiled recommendations for the security of radioactive material. A primary recommendation is to evaluate radioactive material from a risk perspective and use security measures commensurate with risk. The risk evaluation should consider activity, half-life, exposure rate constant, ALI, ease of removal/portability, and dispersibility. We concluded that current security measures are likely adequate for the risks associated with most nuclear medicine departments and biomedical research laboratories. However, for radioactive material of higher risk, particularly multicurie sources of long half-life, the radiation safety staff should consult with police/security experts to determine if additional security measures are warranted. This focus on risk should help optimize resource allocation. We also recommend that security evaluations consider both physical security and personnel security, training of staff with unescorted access to higher-risk radioactive material emphasize security issues, and disposal of higher-risk material not likely to be used. Finally, we note that the goals of security can be in conflict with hazard awareness and hazard communication.
美国退伍军人事务部（VA）的医疗设施将放射性物质用于医疗保健和生物医学研究。过去，通常认为对所有放射性物质采用单一安全级别就足够了。2001年9月11日的事件促使对安全状况进行重新评估。基于对拥有一系列医疗保健和生物医学研究中常用放射性物质的VA设施的实地考察，VA国家保健物理计划编制了关于放射性物质安全的建议。一项主要建议是从风险角度评估放射性物质，并采用与风险相称的安全措施。风险评估应考虑活度、半衰期、照射率常数、年摄入量限值、易移除性/便携性和可分散性。我们得出结论，当前的安全措施可能足以应对大多数核医学科室和生物医学研究实验室相关的风险。然而，对于风险较高的放射性物质，特别是多居里的长半衰期源，辐射安全人员应咨询警察/安全专家，以确定是否需要额外的安全措施。这种对风险的关注应有助于优化资源分配。我们还建议安全评估应兼顾实体安全和人员安全，对有权在无人陪同下接触高风险放射性物质的工作人员的培训应强调安全问题，以及处置不太可能使用的高风险物质。最后，我们指出安全目标可能与危害意识和危害沟通相冲突。
