Inspection and Maintenance of Isotope Radiography Systems

1. Inspection and Maintenance of Isotope Radiography Systems

2. Presented By: Rusty Barrett • Operations Manager/Technical Services Manager • QSA Global-Baton Rouge, LA Operations

3. What is the Purpose of Inspection and Maintenance of Industrial Radiography Systems (1) Maintain the system’s designed safety and operational features as a radiography device and system. (2) Maintain compliance of the Type A or Type B Package Certifications for transportation if applicable. (3) Extend the Working Life of the equipment. (4) To ensure Regulatory Requirements are fulfilled.

4. § 34.31 Inspection and maintenance of radiographic exposure devices, transport and storage containers, associated equipment, source changers, and survey instruments. (a) The licensee shall perform visual and operability checks on survey meters, radiographic exposure devices, transport and storage containers, associated equipment and source changers before use on each day the equipment is to be used to ensure that the equipment is in good working condition, that the sources are adequately shielded, and that required labeling is present. Survey instrument operability must be performed using check sources or other appropriate means. If equipment problems are found, the equipment must be removed from service until repaired. (b) Each licensee shall have written procedures for: ( Usually taken straight from Operations Manual ) (1) Inspection and routine maintenance of radiographic exposure devices, source changers, associated equipment, transport and storage containers, and survey instruments at intervals not to exceed 3 months or before the first use thereafter to ensure the proper functioning of components important to safety. Replacement components shall meet design specifications. If equipment problems are found, the equipment must be removed from service until repaired. (2) Inspection and maintenance necessary to maintain the Type B packaging used to transport radioactive materials. The inspection and maintenance program must include procedures to assure that Type B packages are shipped and maintained in accordance with the certificate of compliance or other approval. (c) Records of equipment problems and of any maintenance performed under paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section must be made in accordance with § 34.73. ( Must be Recorded) .

5. Inspection and Maintenance Requirements: • Daily Inspections: performed by the radiographers for obvious defects before the first radiographic exposure. • Quarterly Inspection and Maintenance is performed on the exposure device, remote controls and source guide tubes. • In some cases, an Annual Inspection and Maintenance may be required.

6. Manufacturers Requirements for Inspection and Maintenance • In addition to regulatory requirements, manufacturers of certain devices may require inspection and maintenance of devices above and beyond what the governing regulatory agency may require. Examples; • Shorter time periods between inspection and maintenance. • Replacement of certain parts during each reload. • Devices that require that only Manufacturers perform the inspection and maintenance.

7. Basic Design of an Industrial Radiography “System” and Key Elements for Safety: Exposure Device Outlet Port Control Housing and Drive Cable Source Guide Tubes Lock Mechanism DU Shield Remote Control Crank Source Assembly

9. Performing Maintenance and Inspections • All inspection and maintenance should be performed according to manufacturers instructions and guidelines. These are usually found in the Operations Manual for each device. These instructions and guidelines should be strictly adhered to with no substitution of material or parts unless approved by the manufacturer. • Only trained personnel should perform inspection and maintenance of the equipment.

10. Daily Inspection Includes: (1) Exposure device (2) Remote controls (3) Source guide tubes (4) Associated equipment, collimators, magnetic stands, J-tubes, probes, etc.

11. Daily Inspections:

12. Daily Inspection of the exposure device: • Perform survey • Required labels • Outlet port • Lock mechanism • Source assembly connector • Protective caps/plugs

13. Daily Inspection of the remote controls: • Swage Fittings (connectors) • Dents or depressions • Thermal damage • Cuts or tears • Source stop • Hand crank • Connecting plug assembly • Inspecting the drive cable and connector • Freedom of movement

14. 550 Connector No-Go Test Gauge Locking Pin

15. Daily Inspection of Source guide tubes: • Swage Fittings • Thermal damage • Dents or depressions • Cuts or tears • Source stop

16. Daily Inspections: • Do not “check off” items on the inspection reports that were not actually inspected. • Do not use items that are found to be deficient. Attach a status indicator directly on the item to prevent inadvertent use by other radiographers and remove the equipment from service. • Report all deficient items to the “maintenance administrator or the RSO.

17. Quarterly Inspection and Maintenance: • Performed on equipment every three months or as the environmental conditions or use dictates. • The quarterly inspection may require at a minimum partial disassembly of the equipment for cleaning, inspection and operational tests of the entire system.

18. Exposure device must be empty when performing inspection and maintenance. Source assembly is transferred to a source changer. Never work on an exposure device containing the sealed source. Maintain an inventory of spare parts for the exposure device and remote controls. ( Prevents continued use of the equipment) DO NOT use generic replacement components. Use only approved components with traceability.

19. Quarterly Inspection and Maintenance: • Use the Operations Manual as a reference and only trained personnel should perform the inspection and maintenance. • Disassemble and clean items in manufacturers recommended solvent or cleaner as necessary. • Inspect and replace worn or damaged components. • Use only the manufacturers approved lubricates as necessary. • Reassemble according to manual. • Operationally check mechanical components before actual use. • Record all deficiencies found and maintain traceability of all Class A components and parts replaced.

20. Lock Assembly-880 Series Devices

21. Front Plate-880 Series Device

22. Pistol Control Assembly

23. Connectors and Fittings

24. Annual Inspection • Annually, a complete inspection and maintenance should be performed that includes a total disassembly of the device and equipment if this not performed during quarterly maintenance. • Most manufacturers can provide this service upon request.

25. Examples of Items Identified During Daily/Quarterly Inspections

27. Results from no daily inspection being performed. Customer emails indicated they had a source disconnect due to mistakes on the technician’s part. The assistant set the device on the tailgate with the cranks rolled up under the tailgate and the guide tube disconnected. The technician forgot the device was on the tailgate. He then put the truck in reverse and backed over the controls. He did not inform anyone of what happened and return the equipment to the company’s storage area. The technician did not perform a daily inspection the next morning prior to using the same equipment. The source was then exposed using the same controls and on the first exposure, he found he could not retract the source to the stored and locked position.

28. Failed to removed possible damaged equipment from service. Failed to tag or inform anyone of possible damaged equipment. Failed to perform daily inspection of equipment prior to use the next day.

29. The drive cable connector broke off of the drive cable, not allowing source to return to the camera. Source remained in the guide tube. This ended up as a retrieval incident and an overexposure to the radiographer. The RSO of the company contacted QSA on the following day asking questions about the operation of the device and explaining the disconnect to us. He said at the time, it looked like it might be due to lack of maintenance of the equipment that cause the cable to break. He delivered the equipment to Baton Rouge for evaluation.

31. Damaged Connectors??

32. Use of Unapproved Parts

33. Lock Mechanism

36. Review • At a minimum, proper inspection and maintenance must be perform at the time intervals mandated by the governing regulatory authority and the manufacturers specifications. • Inspection and maintenance should be performed when necessary dictated by the amount of use, relocation of the equipment, and environmental conditions that the equipment has been exposed. (Not by regulatory requirements.) • Never use aftermarket parts that do not meet manufacturers specifications. • Never deviate from manufacturers guidelines for performing maintenance. • Only trained personnel should perform the maintenance and inspections. • When equipment problems are detected during inspections, REMOVE the equipment from service immediately!!! All of the above has caused radiological incidents to happen when not adhered to by the equipment users.