radiation safety Archives

17 Aug 2022

Odyssey Software: How to Buy in 6 Easy Steps

If you’re struggling to effectively manage the complex, ever-shifting responsibilities of a radiation safety program, we have a solution. Odyssey is a proprietary SaaS product designed by radiation safety experts for radiation safety professionals. It has transformed the way RSOs, EHS specialists, medical physicists, and healthcare professionals manage their programs, with an emphasis on streamlined workflows and minimal costs.

But what is the buying process for software like Odyssey? Refer to this guide to help you understand the ins and outs of purchasing Odyssey and get a feel for what the buying process will be like.

What is Software as a Service (SaaS)?

Before diving into what the Odyssey buying process entails, it may be helpful to understand what exactly we mean when we say that Odyssey is a software as a service (or SaaS) product.

It sounds fancy, but all this means is that the software is accessible through the internet, with your individual account made available through a secure, private login. SaaS products like Odyssey are often referred to as web-based software or on-demand software. Whether you’re at your home office, traveling, or doing an on-site inspection, you have access to the software and your data whenever you need it.

The Benefits of SaaS

There are numerous benefits to using a SaaS product like Odyssey for your radiation safety management needs.

For starters, SaaS products are purchased on a subscription basis. The type of subscription can vary depending on the product and company pricing model. Odyssey, for example, is available for purchase on a monthly or annual basis, with discounts provided for yearly subscriptions. These subscriptions are based on what the end user needs rather than offering everything in a lump sum and forcing you to pay for aspects of the software you have no use for.

SaaS products like Odyssey also allow end users to avoid the hefty up-front cost of purchasing a physical software product. There is no hardware management or expensive software upgrades to contend with. Thanks to the software’s base infrastructure, which is common to all users, any updates are completed behind the scenes and integrated automatically into your account.

Because of this SaaS products are easy to customize to accommodate the individual needs of a client or group.

In summary, the major benefits of SaaS software include:

No software installation
No license management on your end
No equipment updates
Cloud-based storage
On-demand access

The Odyssey Buying Process

If you’ve never purchased a SaaS product like Odyssey before, the buying process may seem a little overwhelming. However, it is a simple process that can be broken down into six steps.

Step 1: Schedule a Demo

One of the benefits of using a SaaS product over traditional software is that you get to see how it works first. You can schedule an Odyssey demo with our team whenever works best for your schedule.

Once you’re on the calendar, our Sales and Software teams will reach out to introduce themselves and confirm your appointment. They may ask a few questions to narrow down your role, which Odyssey modules you’re interested in, and the size of your dosimetry or radiation safety program. These questions help our team prepare a demo that meets your specific program needs.

We will also send you a Microsoft Teams meeting link for the day of.

Step 2: Receive a Demo

On the appointed day and time, you will meet with our Director of Sales and our Odyssey Implementation Analyst for a virtual demo. The initial demo will last around 45-60 minutes.

During the demo, our team will walk you through what Odyssey is and its basic functionality. We will cover the aspects of Odyssey that you expressed interest in as well. This is an opportunity for you to see the software in action and ask any questions you may have about access, usability, or pricing.

Additional 60-minute follow-up demos can be scheduled as needed.

Step 3: Review Your Quote

After your demo, our team will send you a custom quote for your Odyssey subscription. The quote will include the license type or modules you discussed during your demonstration, a one-time software implementation fee, and the breakdown of optional training costs.

Step 4: Sign an Agreement

Once you approve your quote, you will receive an End User License Agreement (EULA) for signature. Take your time reviewing this agreement before signing and send any clarifying questions you have directly to our Sales team.

Step 5: Implementation

Once we receive a signed agreement, the Implementation process begins immediately. During this phase, our team works with you 1-on-1 to set up accounts for all Odyssey users and upload your program data. This can include everything from your list of dosimetry wearers to the x-ray machines at your facility. This phase normally takes 2-3 weeks to complete.

Step 6: Additional Training

Odyssey is a user-friendly but comprehensive radiation safety management software. Because of its depth and the number of actions that can be performed throughout the 12 modules, we provide additional training for RSOs and other account holders. Our team of Odyssey experts will train you on each module you’ll use and go over specific workflows to get you started out on the right foot. This step is optional but highly recommended.

Odyssey Customer Support

Another perk of using Odyssey is the continual support you have access to. We don’t just train you and leave you to your own devices (unless that’s what you want!) As you work in the software, questions may arise. You can contact our team directly to submit a ticket to our Support Desk 24/7.

The Takeaway

Odyssey is changing the way radiation safety officers, EHS specialists, and healthcare professionals manage their programs. It streamlines common administrative processes for more organized and efficient workflows, in addition to providing major cost savings.

If you’re considering making a move to a more efficient radiation safety management software, find out what Odyssey can offer by scheduling a demo today.

Want to keep up with Versant Physics and Odyssey software news? Join our email list to receive our monthly newsletter. You can unsubscribe at any time.

29 Jul 2022

Female dial painter at the US Radium Corporation

Health Effects, Radiation Safety, Radium, Radium Girls, Women in Science Versant Physics 0 comment

What the Radium Girls Taught Us About Radiation Safety

The plight of the Radium Girls in the 1920s would teach us a great deal about the radioactive element radium and its effect on the human body. It brought to light the dangers of working with radium and created a universal understanding of the need for occupational and radiation safety measures.

What is radium?

Radium is a naturally occurring radioactive metal formed when uranium and thorium decay. In the environment, radium is present at low levels in groundwater, soil, rocks, and plants.

There are four radium isotopes, all of which are radioactive and have drastically different half-lives.

As radium decays it releases ionizing radiation in the form of alpha, beta, and gamma radiation. This radiation excites certain fluorescent chemicals in the metal and results in radioluminescence. It can also form other elements, such as radon.

Radium was discovered by Marie Sklodowska Curie and her husband Pierre Curie in 1898, although it would be more than a decade before the pair had isolated a sample large enough to work with.

Early Misinformation About Radium

Soon after the Curies discovered radium, medical professionals began using the radioactive substance as a cancer treatment. Before it could be properly studied, this initial use led to an explosion of interest from the American public and a host of false medical claims that radium was “healthful rather than medicinal.”

Radium was initially considered a cure-all for a variety of health conditions, including arthritis, tuberculosis, rheumatism, gout, and high blood pressure. It was also thought to improve vitality in the elderly, treat skin conditions like eczema, and cure insomnia.

Because of its seemingly magical healing properties, major corporations began putting radium into their products and heavily promoting its use. Radium-infused toothpaste, pillows, facial creams, and tonic water were popular amongst the public, as were radium spas and clinics.

Radium-based cosmetics were trendy among women. They used these products to combat signs of aging in the form of wrinkles, crows-feet, and even unwanted body or facial hair.

The radium cosmetics gave the women’s skin a warm and cheerful glow and came to be known as “liquid sunshine.” This further cemented the idea that the products contained restorative properties that would revitalize the body and improve its overall health.

Who Were the Radium Girls?

In 1917, the United States entered World War I. There was a sudden demand for instruments and watches that could be read in the dark by U.S. soldiers. Thanks to a high-tech, glow-in-the-dark paint called UnDark, which was made with radium, this became possible.

With most of the country’s men on foreign battlefields, the United States Radium Corporation (USRC) in New Jersey began hiring young women to paint a variety of radium-lit instruments for use in the trenches. These women were called dial painters.

The dial painters would mix the radium-based paint in a crucible at their workstations and used fine, camel hair paint brushes to paint on the tiny, delicate numbers. The brushes quickly lost their shape after a couple of strokes. Management encouraged the women to use their lips to bring the brushes to a fine point for better precision. They were told repeatedly that radium was safe to ingest, and so continued with the “lip, dip, paint” process while they worked.

However, the dial painters didn’t just ingest the radium at their workstations. Due to its many reported health claims, workers would often paint their teeth or nails with radium-based paint before going out for the evening to impress their dates or amaze party guests. The dust from the hand-mixed paint coated the women’s hair and dresses, giving them a ghost-like glow that earned the women the nickname “ghost girls.”

For many dial painters, who were mostly between the ages of 14 and 20, this work was as desirable as it was glamorous. Radium’s luminous, sparkling appearance gave them a unique status. Furthermore, America’s obsession with its magical healing properties combined with the available compensation for the work had entire families flocking to the factory for a position.

Radiation Sickness

By the early 1920s, medical professionals throughout the area were noticing a frightening increase in the young worker’s health complaints. Many of their female patients complained of stiff and cracking joints, painful toothaches, oozing mouth sores, and listlessness, while others had broken out or developed severe anemia.

Dentists began pulling multiple teeth from young dial painters at a time. There were several instances where, during the tooth extraction, pieces of the woman’s decaying jawbone would come out with the tooth. In many cases, the tooth extractions wouldn’t heal.

Other symptoms of radium poisoning in the dial painters, which would later become understood as radiation sickness, were sterility, cataracts, leukopenia, eosinophilia, leukemia, anemia, and menstruation issues.

Mollie Maggia was the first dial painter to fall ill and die. She first developed increasingly painful toothaches that traveled from tooth to tooth. Severe pain in her limbs also prohibited her from walking.

Although dentists didn’t know it at the time, Mollie had developed “radium jaw.” This occupational disease involved necrosis of the upper and lower jawbones, bleeding gums, ulcers, and bone tumors. At the end of her life, Mollie’s dentists merely lifted her jaw from her mouth to remove it. Mollie died in 1922 just days before her 25^th birthday.

Another 12 women who worked for the U.S. Radium Corporation as dial painters died the following year, with an additional 50 women falling severely ill.

Radium’s Effect on the Human Body

Radium has similar effects on the human body as calcium and strontium when inhaled or ingested. Once it enters the bloodstream, radium concentrates in the bones in high quantities. It emits alpha particles as it decays, which irradiates the cells on the bone’s surface. Over time radium will settle into the bone where it wreaks havoc on bone marrow and blood cell production.

If radium is ingested with food or water, over 80% of the element is excreted through urine or feces. The other 20% will travel throughout the body, settling in the bones and remaining there throughout the person’s life.

Historical Impact & Worker’s Rights

The surviving dial painters sued the U.S. Radium Corporation, although the road to doing so was not easy. The case was eventually settled out of court in 1928. The women were awarded $15,000 plus $600 per year for future medical expenses because of radium poisoning.

This landmark case was one of the first instances of workers receiving compensation for a disease developed because of their occupation. However, most of the women who received the money died within two years of the settlement.

At the time of the dial painters, there were no radiation safety measures put into place to prevent direct contact with the radioactive substance from occurring. The case of the Radium Girls opened people’s eyes to the dangers of radium and other radioactive substances. They were seen as an example of what could go wrong in an occupational setting and completely changed the course of occupational disease labor laws and regulations.

Their case had a direct impact on scientists’ approach to radiation safety during The Manhattan Project. It was also a leading cause for the creation of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in 1970.

Radium would continue to be used as a luminescent paint until the early 1960s when its toxicity and danger to human life could no longer be ignored.

24 Jun 2022

Brachytherapy, Radiation Safety Versant Physics 0 comment

Radiation Safety and Brachytherapy Procedures

Brachytherapy is a procedure that involves placing radioactive material sources inside the body, either directly inside or next to a tumor. Also known as “close” radiation, this procedure is used to treat cancer by allowing doctors to deliver higher doses of radiation via a needle or catheter to specific areas of the body.

Areas of the body commonly treated using brachytherapy include the head and neck, skin, breast, cervix, lung, prostate, uterus, and eye. Brachytherapy implants can be temporary or permanent, depending on the type of treatment needed.

Brachytherapy targets the tumor directly, which increases exposure to the cancerous cells and reduces radiation exposure to the surrounding healthy cells. Because of the targeted nature of brachytherapy, it is best used for cancers that have not metastasized. It is considered as effective as—and sometimes used in conjunction with—external beam therapy.

Types of Brachytherapy

There are three types of brachytherapy:

High-dose rate (HDR) implants

HDR implants are inserted into the body and left in for brief sessions of 5-20 minutes before being taken out. These sessions can occur multiple times a day over a period of weeks, depending on the type of cancer being treated and the patient’s overall health. This is typically an outpatient procedure.

Radiation Risks:

HDR procedures are typically performed in a radiation therapy vault. No visitors are allowed during the treatment. Because HDR implants are temporary, a person receiving this therapy will not give off radiation once the implant is removed. Therefore, it is unnecessary for family members or visitors to take precautions after treatment.

Low-dose rate (LDR) implants

LDR sources are surgically implanted within or next to a tumor, where they remain in the body for 1-7 days. This procedure usually involves a hospital stay. When the treatment is finished, the doctor removes the radiation source and the catheter/applicator used to insert it.

Radiation Risks:

Radiation exposure risk to others is low with LDR implants. However, depending on the source used, radiation rates around the patient can be elevated while the source is in place. Because of this, in some cases, it is recommended that patients:

Limit the number of visitors during treatment
Limit the time spent with visitors during or between treatments
Limit time spent with children and pregnant women

Permanent brachytherapy is another type of LDR brachytherapy that involves inserting a needle filled with radioactive seeds into the tumor, with the help of an ultrasound or CT. These seeds are often made of metal, are roughly the size of a grain of rice, and contain radiation sources (iodine, palladium, cesium, or iridium).

The implants remain in the body permanently, however, the radiation they emit decreases over time. Eventually, almost all the radiation will go away. This type of brachytherapy is most commonly used for the treatment of prostate cancer.

Radiation Risks:

With this type of procedure, the radioactive source is not removed at the end of treatment. Therefore, it is important to initially limit time spent with pregnant women due to the low doses of radiation being emitted from the area being treated. Even after the implants have been in place for a long time, people with permanent implants can set off airport radiation sensors.

Radiation Protection

Modern brachytherapy techniques have largely eliminated the initial radiation exposure dangers that existed several decades ago. Most radioactive sources used for brachytherapy either incorporate a metallic shield within the applicator or use an isotope that emits low-energy photons that are shielded by the patient. Radiation does not travel far outside the treatment area, which means the chance of exposure to others is low.

However, there are recommended radiation safety precautions for both patients and medical professionals during a brachytherapy treatment. These may vary depending on the source and activity used for an individual implant.

HDR brachytherapy treatments are performed in a radiation therapy vault. The patient remains in the treatment room alone while the source is outside of its shielded housing to limit exposure to staff and members of the public.
If visitors are allowed during the course of a temporary LDR treatment, they should spend no more than 30 minutes with the patient.
All implants are tested and sealed before they are implanted to ensure that the radioactive material inside of them does not leak. Their placement inside the body is also unlikely to change or move.

Side Effects of Brachytherapy

Because healthy tissue and organs surrounding the tumor are not as affected by the radiation treatment, most people experience fewer and less severe side effects than occur with external beam therapy.

In addition to tenderness, bleeding, or swelling in the treatment area, the side effects a patient could experience depend largely on the type of cancer and therapy being performed. Fatigue is common.

The side effects usually go away a few days after the treatment has ended. Ask your doctor or treatment team for more information on the types of side effects you may experience.

25 Feb 2022

Medical equipment. In the room of computed tomography at hospital.

Radiation Medical Event, Radiation Safety, Radiation Safety Officer, Regulatory Versant Physics 0 comment

What are Radiation Medical Events and How to Prevent Them

The use of radiation in medicine via radiology, nuclear medicine, and radiotherapy helps detect and treat a variety of medical conditions in humans. It is a commonly used practice, with over 10 million procedures performed in the United States each year and thousands of lives saved as a result.

When radiation is administered improperly it is classified as a radiation medical event. A radiation medical event can occur when certain forms of radioactive sources are applied differently from what was intended or prescribed.

Although a radiation medical event does not necessarily result in harm to the patient, it does indicate that there is a potential problem in the medical facility’s use of radioactive sources (materials or equipment). An investigation into the event is required as soon as a medical event is suspected, typically by a clinical health physicist, as well as a written report documenting their findings.

What is a Radiation Medical Event?

The NRC defines an incident as a radiation medical event when (10 CFR 35.3045) the administration of byproduct material or radiation from byproduct material for, except permanent implant brachytherapy, results in—

A dose that differs from the prescribed dose or dose that would have resulted from the prescribed dosage by more than 0.05 Sv (5 rem) effective dose equivalent, 0.5 Sv (50 rem) to an organ or tissue, or 0.5 Sv (50 rem) shallow dose equivalent to the skin;
- The total dose delivered differs from the prescribed dose by 20 percent or more; or
- The total dosage delivered differs from the prescribed dosage by 20 percent or more or falls outside the prescribed dosage range; or
- The fractionated dose delivered differs from the prescribed dose for a single fraction, by 50 percent or more.
A dose that exceeds 0.05 Sv (5 rem) effective dose equivalent, 0.5 Sv (50 rem) to an organ or tissue, or 0.5 Sv (50 rem) shallow dose equivalent to the skin from any of the following—
- An administration of a wrong radioactive drug containing byproduct material or the wrong radionuclide for a brachytherapy procedure;
- An administration of a radioactive drug containing byproduct material by the wrong route of administration;
- An administration of a dose or dosage to the wrong individual or human research subject;
- An administration of a dose or dosage delivered by the wrong mode of treatment; or
- A leaking sealed source.
A dose to the skin or an organ or tissue other than the treatment site that exceeds by:
- 0.5 Sv (50 rem) or more the expected dose to that site from the procedure if the administration had been given in accordance with the written directive prepared or revised before administration; and
- 50 percent or more the expected dose to that site from the procedure if the administration had been given in accordance with the written directive prepared or revised before administration.
For permanent implant brachytherapy, the administration of byproduct material or radiation from byproduct material (excluding sources that were implanted in the correct site but migrated outside the treatment site) that results in—
- The total source strength administered differing by 20 percent or more from the total source strength documented in the post-implantation portion of the written directive;
- The total source strength administered outside of the treatment site exceeding 20 percent of the total source strength documented in the post-implantation portion of the written directive; or
- An administration that includes any of the following:
  1. The wrong radionuclide;
  2. The wrong individual or human research subject;
  3. Sealed source(s) implanted directly into a location discontiguous from the treatment site, as documented in the post-implantation portion of the written directive; or
  4. A leaking sealed source resulting in a dose that exceeds 0.5 Sv (50 rem) to an organ or tissue.
Intervention of a patient or human research subject in which the administration of byproduct material or radiation from byproduct material results or will result in unintended permanent functional damage to an organ or a physiological system, as determined by a physician.

Radiation Medical Event Reports

Any of these medical events must be reported by telephone to the appropriate regulatory agency (i.e., Nuclear Regulatory Commission or Agreement State agency) no later than the next calendar day after discovery. A detailed written report, as described in 10 CFR 35.3045, must be submitted within 15 days after the discovery of the event. Such reports do not include information that could identify the affected patient as these reports are made available to the public.

While medical events are accidental, it should be noted that a radiation medical event and a radiation accident are not the same things. Radiation accidents are defined as an event that “has led to significant consequences to people, the environment, or the facility,” such as a nuclear reactor core melt.

The purpose of medical event reporting is to initiate a process that will: (i) determine the root cause(s) and contributing cause(s); (ii) implement immediate corrective actions as may be necessary; (iii) identify preventative actions necessary to prevent a reoccurrence, and (iv) ensure appropriate notification of the patient and referring physician has occurred. Additionally, the event may trigger the regulatory agency to alert other licensees to a potential problem that should be addressed.

A medical event may indicate that there are problems within a facility that needs to be addressed. Communication problems, improper labeling, lack of training, and basic human error are all possible explanations.

An investigation into the technical aspects of the procedure, overall quality assurance practices (i.e., audits), and treatment delivery are required. A physician may also need to provide a separate analysis of potential injury or inadequate treatment to determine if any harm came to the patient because of the medical event.

Other medical event reports include:

Report and notification of a dose to an embryo/fetus or a nursing child (10 CFR 35.3047) This includes an unintended dose to an embryo/fetus or a nursing child greater than 5 rem resulting from administration of a byproduct material to the mother/breast feeding individual. No report is required if the dose to the embryo/fetus was approved by the authorized user; or
Report of a leaking sealed source (10 CFR 35.3067). The written report should include the model number, serial number, the radionuclide and its estimated activity, the date and results of the leak test, and the action taken.

How Are Patients Notified of a Medical Event?

NRC regulations state that it is the licensee’s responsibility to notify the exposed individual and their referring physician of the medical event within 24 hours of its discovery. If the notice is made verbally, the patient can request a written notification as well as access to the full report.

Severe events are rare, and harm is unlikely to befall a patient involved with a radiation medical event. However, it is important that the individual receive the appropriate medical care as soon as possible if needed.

Radiation Medical Events Can Be Prevented

With proper continuing education training, regular machine and technology upkeep, a working standard operating procedure, and efficient reporting systems, radiation medical events can be prevented.

It also helps to have a third-party consultant who can identify potential problems in your radiation safety program.

The team at Versant Physics is trained and equipped to help radiology departments and medical facilities prevent radiation medical events. Our board-certified medical and health physicists can help by performing acceptance testing of radiation-producing machines, conducting regulatory compliance audits, performing shielding evaluation and design calculations, and leading training opportunities.

Contact our regulatory team to discuss your radiation safety program needs.

Further Reading:

07 Feb 2022

Dosimetry, Instadose+, Personnel Dosimetry, Radiation Safety, Regulatory Versant Physics 0 comment

How to Increase Dosimetry Compliance Rates with Versant Physics Proven Management Process

One of the many responsibilities of a Radiation Safety Officer is to manage their facility’s personnel dosimetry program and monitor the exposures of the radiation workers employed there. This may seem like a simple task; however, it can be a challenge to get workers to wear and exchange/read their dosimeters in accordance with state and federal regulations. This leads many RSOs to wonder if it is possible to improve dosimetry compliance rates, particularly in large programs that have hundreds of occupationally exposed individuals to monitor.

With the right dosimeter and the right management process, improving dosimetry compliance rates is very possible, regardless of the size of your dosimetry program.

Below we explain the common problems associated with traditional methods of personnel dosimetry program management, as well as offer a solution for improving your dosimetry compliance rates without increasing costs or workload for your staff.

The Problem with Traditional Methods of Dosimetry Management

Dosimetry is one of the key elements of a radiation safety program, but it can also be one of the biggest headaches for Radiation Safety Officers and Environmental, Health, and Safety managers. There are several problems with traditional methods of dosimetry management that managers often encounter, including:

A time-consuming badge collection and redistribution process
High costs of running a badge monitoring program
Time between when an exposure or anomaly is received and when an individual is made aware of the exposure
Keeping track of historical dose reads and measurements
Efficient communication with wearers regarding read reminders, exceeding dose limits, and more

These problems can make an RSO feel as though they’re herding cats at worst and like they’re constantly one step behind at best. Juggling these many tasks within just one aspect of a radiation safety program, along with a variety of other responsibilities, it’s not hard to see why dosimetry compliance rates can be rather low.

Versant Physics Personnel Dosimetry Management

Versant Physics manages personnel dosimetry programs a bit differently. In addition to using top-of-the-line electronic dosimeters that utilize the latest monitoring technology, our team of badge specialists and physicists combines customer service, technical support, and quality administration tactics to manage everything your program needs to run successfully. From ordering new badges to ensuring wearers read their badges promptly, our team’s management process is proven and effective.

Versant Physics also utilizes their proprietary radiation safety software Odyssey to manage the personnel dosimetry programs of their clients.

Odyssey is a cloud-based software that features an entire module devoted to personnel dosimetry management. The module includes useful tools like a query builder for compiling data records and a Form Generator for easy management of Form-5s. The module also features a series of customizable widgets that allow users to visualize pre-set metrics in their program, including a User Watch List for wearers likely to exceed internal or annual dose limits, Read Activity, and Badges Communicated.

Instadose+ by Mirion Technologies

Personnel dosimetry programs managed by Versant Physics also utilize the Instadose+ dosimeter. These small, lightweight badges combine Bluetooth technology, Direct Ion Storage (DIS), and SmartMonitoring to wirelessly and remotely transmit radiation dose data. Mobile devices, such as a smartphone or tablet, as well as PCs or hotspot stations, assist with this process.

Each dosimeter has a built-in memory chip with a unique serial code that is assigned to the specific wearer. The badges are assigned long-term, meaning they do not need to be sent in for processing at the end of a monitoring period. Instead, wearers are responsible for reading their badges per the monitoring period set up by their radiation safety program.

Reading the badge is easy and takes less than a minute to complete from start to finish. Wearers typically read their badge by opening the Instadose+ app on their mobile device and holding down the button on the back of the dosimeter for 5 seconds, or until the light on the top of the badge turns green. Readings are then stored within their secure account.

The Instadose+ allows for unlimited, on-demand dose reads, so wearers can complete this process as often as they desire. Not only is this useful from a dose history standpoint, but it also gives wearers the power to view their current and historical dose reads from their online account anytime they want. If they have a question or a concern, the answers are already at their fingertips.

Overall, the Instadose+ simplifies dose reads and makes them more accessible to the individual worker and radiation safety officer. This allows for improved dosimetry compliance across the board.

Its user-friendly read process, historical dose transparency, and accurate, reliable readings are some of the reasons why it is a key player in Versant Physics’ badge management process.

Badge Administration

Our experienced technical support specialists are equipped to handle the entire badge management process. This includes ordering badges from the manufacturer to removing wearers from the program. They also handle:

Remote and/or in-person badge training
Initialization of badges
Vendor credentialing and attestation
On-site event support

Compliance Administration

Versant Physics assigns a physicist to each client to help drive program compliance. The physicist works with the program RSO to develop an effective plan for making sure wearers read their badges. In the event there is no program RSO, Versant Physics’ physicists can serve as in-house RSOs as well.

Together with the badge team, they are also responsible for:

Regular communication with wearers (weekly, monthly, or quarterly)
Read-day reminders
Non-communicated follow-up reminders
Comprehensive monthly compliance reports
Dose monitoring
High dose alerts
Dose discussions with RSOs/workers

Consistent communication with wearers is a necessary part of improving overall dosimetry compliance rates. Depending on the monitoring period set by the program RSO, Versant Physics sends out scheduled read-day reminder emails. They also send follow-up emails to those that have not read their badge.

Furthermore, RSOs and program leadership are always kept in the loop as to where their program currently stands. This is done through the use of a comprehensive monthly report.

Versant Physics monthly report displays badges that have not submitted a reading during the monitoring period. It also lists duplicate badges, lost and defective badges, as well as any new badges that were assigned in that month. The report provides status updates on mid-month follow-up with wearers, an active wearer list organized by location, and high dose reports as well.

This report paints a clear picture of program compliance month over month and helps pinpoint areas of concern. It also addresses program elements that could be improved upon in the following months.

Customer Service and Technical Support

When issues arise or wearers experience problems with their badges, Versant Physics’ team of technical support specialists are trained and ready to handle them promptly. They will help with:

Badge troubleshooting
Issuing replacement badges
Phone and email support

Additionally, wearers have access to the Versant Physics support desk, where they can submit questions or concerns with their badges 24/7. All requests submitted by wearers and program personnel receive a response within 24-hours.

A Note on Radiation Dose Limits

Versant Physics clients can set their own dose limits for their employees (within the regulatory limits) depending on what works best for their program.

For example, some clients prefer to set specific limits for single doses. Others have more lenient thresholds that are measured quarterly. Whatever your program’s monitoring preferences are, Versant Physics is prepared to help you implement and manage them.

The Takeaway

Versant Physics badge specialists, physicists, and technical support teams provide efficient badge management catered to the needs of your program. With the help of the Instadose+ dosimeter, Odyssey radiation safety software, and years of experience managing dosimetry programs of all sizes, we can work with you to help improve dosimetry compliance rates in your program.

Contact our team to learn more about our badge management process and pricing.

20 May 2021

Health Effects, Radiation Safety Versant Physics 0 comment

Occupational Radiation Workers & Declaring a Pregnancy

Employees who become pregnant and work with radiation or radioactive materials during their pregnancy are often concerned about the safety of doing so, as well as the potential effects of radiation on their unborn child. Occupationally exposed workers are not required to declare a pregnancy to their employer. However, if they decide to declare there are dose limits that should be observed and additional protective measures that can be taken to protect both mom and baby.

Declaring a Pregnancy

In the United States, pregnant employees who work with or around radiation have the option of declaring their pregnancy. This declaration is voluntary and informs the worker’s employer in writing of their pregnancy as well as the estimated date of conception. This information is confidential and shared only with the employer and radiation safety officer, however, it is valuable for reducing exposure and allowing for close monitoring of both the employee and the baby throughout the pregnancy.

pregnant radiation worker consulting with radiation safety officer

The NRC and States require licensees and registrants (i.e., the facility the employee works at) to make efforts to limit the declared pregnant worker’s received dose. This can mean that some normal job functions may not be permitted if doing those jobs would result in the fetus/embryo receiving more than 500 mrem.

Employees also have the option to discuss with their employer or radiation safety officer about potential changes to their job status prior to declaring a pregnancy if they so choose. The option to revoke a declaration of pregnancy even if the worker is still pregnant is also available at any time throughout the pregnancy.

When an employee declares a pregnancy, they should sit down with their radiation safety officer for a one-on-one counseling session. This is a great opportunity to ask questions and address any monitoring or safety concerns that may arise.

They are then issued a fetal dosimeter in addition to their regular monitoring device, which is worn at the hip or waist level. For procedures where a lead apron is worn, the dosimeter should be worn beneath it while the regular dosimeter is worn on the outside at the neck or collar. The fetal dosimeter is monitored monthly by the radiation safety officer to ensure that the regulatory fetal dose limits are not exceeded.

According to regulations, the lower dose limit for the embryo or fetus remains in effect until the worker withdraws the declaration in writing or is no longer pregnant. If it is not withdrawn, the original declaration expires after one year.

If an employee chooses not to declare their pregnancy, the employee and her baby are restricted to the standard occupational dose limits that apply to all occupationally exposed workers. The annual total effective dose equivalent (TEDE) for the whole body is 5,000 mrem. (10 CFR Part 20.)

Occupational Exposure

In most cases, the ways in which a pregnant woman may be occupationally exposed to radiation within regulatory limits are not likely to cause adverse health effects for the developing fetus. However, most regulations are guided by the principle that any level of radiation can potentially result in negative biological effects and that the likelihood of such effects increases as the dose received increases.

The NRC requires licensees to “limit exposure to the embryo/fetus of an occupationally exposed individual to 500 mrem (5 mSv) or less during pregnancy for a declared pregnant worker who is exposed to radiation from licensed radioactive materials including radionuclides.” (10 CFR 20.1208) This lower dose limit is “based on a consideration of greater sensitivity to radiation of the embryo/fetus and the involuntary nature of the exposure.”

To break this down further, the regulations state that the radiation dose from occupational exposure should be limited to 500 mrem for the duration of the pregnancy and no more than 50 mrem per month. At this level, (1/10 the dose that a regular occupationally exposed worker may safely receive in a year) the risk of negative health effects is low.

Pregnant workers can speak directly with their radiation safety officer or on-site medical or health physicist to determine the safest dose limits for their individual needs, which may depend on their exposure history and the types of jobs they perform on a regular basis.

Undergoing Medical Procedures While Pregnant

Occupational limits for declared pregnant workers do not apply to individuals who undergo diagnostic or therapeutic procedures, such as X-rays, fluoroscopy, or radiation therapy.

According to Robert Brent, MD, Ph.D. for HPS.org, diagnostic procedures of different parts of the body, such as the head, teeth, legs, or arms do not directly expose the fetus. Modern medical imaging procedures focus the X-ray beam only on the body part of interest, and the amount of radiation that could reach the embryo or fetus during these diagnostic procedures is small and unlikely to increase the risk of miscarriage or birth defects. Most procedures expose the developing fetus or embryo to less than 50 mSv, if at all. At this level of exposure, there is no cause for concern.

Regardless of pregnancy status, the ALARA principle should be implemented by the individual’s care team to guide decisions made about treatment and diagnostic procedures. A radiation safety officer or medical physicist can also help provide options to minimize dose. It should also be noted that those with fetal dosimeters should not wear their dosimeter during an X-ray or nuclear medicine procedure.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the decision to declare a pregnancy is that of the pregnant radiation worker. Under the current safety guidelines, the risk for adverse health effects to an embryo or fetus posed by occupational exposure or medical procedures is low. However, employees should take advantage of the resources available such as the NRC regulations, literature provided by the Health Physics Society, and the expertise of their radiation safety officer and on-site medical or health physicist.

Visit our website to learn more about Versant Physics regulatory services, including radiation safety officer support, personnel dosimetry management for declared pregnant workers, and more.

Sources

https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/radiation/emergencies/prenatalphysician.htm

https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/cfr/part020/index.html

https://hps.org/hpspublications/articles/pregnancyandradiationexposureinfosheet.html

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3835582/

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