The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has upgraded its key database designed to protect workers from radiation exposure, particularly those involved in non-destructive testing (NDT). The enhanced module, part of the Information System for Occupational Exposure in Medicine, Industry and Research (ISEMIR-IR), aims to improve user experience and data comprehensiveness, making it easier for countries and companies to safeguard engineers and other industrial radiography professionals.
The upgraded ISEMIR-IR module, which focuses on industrial radiography, has been streamlined to reduce the time required for data submission by approximately 30 minutes. This change follows feedback from users and has led to a 26% reduction in mandatory questions. The goal is to encourage more data entries, which in turn allows for more meaningful analysis of worker exposure to radiation.
"The upgrade will reduce the workload for ISEMIR-IR users to submit their annual dataset," said Jizeng Ma, Head of the IAEA Occupational Radiation Protection Unit. "Our aim is to encourage a greater volume of data entry, which will allow for more meaningful exposure data analysis."
Industrial radiography, a crucial aspect of NDT, involves the use of X-rays, gamma rays, and neutrons to inspect the integrity of materials, components, or systems, such as pipelines or automotive parts. The ISEMIR-IR module gathers critical information on radiation sources, company procedures, and worker doses. This data helps companies compare radiation doses, track safety trends, share best practices, and optimize radiation protection measures for their workforce.
In a recent enhancement, 153 new datasets from the third ISEMIR-IR global survey conducted in 2022 were uploaded, increasing the system's data pool by around 125%. This expansion will enable NDT companies to conduct more robust analyses of radiation exposure, ultimately leading to safer working environments.
The new ISEMIR-IR interface is now more accessible and user-friendly, supporting the IAEA's six official languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish. Despite the increased accessibility, the system maintains high-level data security, ensuring that only registered users approved by the IAEA can access the anonymized data.
"ISEMIR-IR is an excellent free system for an NDT company to benchmark their radiation protection program against those of other NDT companies," said Richard van Sonsbeek, a radiation protection expert and former global health, safety, security, and environment manager at Applus RTD in the Netherlands. "With this tool, NDT companies can identify opportunities to improve radiation protection for their workers."
This significant upgrade reflects the IAEA's ongoing commitment to advancing radiation safety standards worldwide, providing vital tools and resources to protect those working in industries reliant on NDT technologies.
https://www.miragenews.com/iaea-boosts-radiation-safety-tool-for-1291679/
