Radiation Inventory System

The university uses an online inventory system (rsid.leeds.ac.uk) to track radioactive materials and to keep records of radiation users and dose assessments.

The RSID system allows the university to manage the receipt, use and disposal of radioactive material and helps us to ensure that we comply with the terms and conditions of our environmental permits.

RSID User instruction manual

Common issues:

Choosing the correct catalogue ref code when entering an approval request
Disposing of aliquots taken by other people in my group
I can't see the source I want to use
Listing all the sources in my group / school
How do I dispose of part of an aliquot
When to create daughter stocks
How do I dispose of stock solutions?
Why can't I use the waste bag already in the lab?
Why do I need to tell the system when my stock is finished?
Why is my used up stock still on my stock list?

Choosing the correct catalogue ref code when entering an approval request

• Assessments can have more than one catalogue reference code/compound associated with them as long as they are the same isotope. However the last code entered on the assessment is always displayed against it on any system screens. To choose the correct code for an order, first choose the assessment number, then on the next screen you will see a dropdown box for the catalogue ref from which to choose the correct code.

Disposing of aliquots taken by other people in my group

• The normal method of disposal using 'Aliquot Disposal' only allows you to dispose of aliquots that you have personally created. To dispose of another person's aliquot go to 'Source Usage', select the parent stock ID, and click the 'Make Disposal' button. This will then allow you to choose any aliquot created under that stock number. Note: you will only be able to see those sources where you have been added to the linked assessment.

I can't see the source I want to use

• On the 'Source Usage' screen you can only see those stocks that you are allowed to use. These are any sources where you have been added on to the linked assessment. To be able to use another source ask your Radiation Safety Coordinator to add you to the linked assessment.

Listing all the sources in my group / school

• The 'Source Usage' button only shows current sources where you are included on the assessment, i.e. only sources you are allowed to use. If you want to see other sources in your group or school use the 'List Sources' button. By default this shows you all current sources in your school/faculty but you can restrict/expand the search using the boxes in the search row at the bottom of the screen - to show your group's sources enter your group prefix in the source ID column, or to display non-current sources use the choices in the status column.

How do I dispose of part of an aliquot

• When disposing of an aliquot the default values (from the assessment) are pre-entered into the percentage row. To dispose of part of the aliquot the values can be changed to reflect the amount of the aliquot disposed to each route. The aliquot will then remain open on the system until it has been fully disposed of.
  Note: when making further disposals from the aliquot the percentage values are of the amount remaining in the aliquot, i.e. to dispose of all of the remaining aliquot they should add up to 100%.
  
  e.g. You have an aliquot of 10ul and want to make an initial disposal of half to solid waste:
  - put 50% in the solid column and zero in the other columns. When you save this disposal 5ul will be disposed to solid and 5ul will remain in the aliquot.
  
  If you then subsequently want to dispose the remaining 5ul to half aqueous waste and half solid waste:
  - put 50% in the aqueous column and 50% in the solid column . When you save this disposal the remaining 5ul will be disposed of as 2.5ul aqueous, 2.5ul solid.

When to create daughter stocks

• Daughter stocks are intended to be used if an aliquot is diluted to create a secondary stock solution that will be kept in longer term storage (e.g. more than a couple of weeks). If as part of an experimental procedure an aliquot is diluted or divided then a daughter stock does not need to be created and you just need to use one aliquot for the whole procedure.

How do I dispose of stock solutions?

• To dispose of all of the amount remaining in a stock solution you first need to take out the remaining stock as an aliquot - on the 'Take Aliquot' screen click the 'Use All of this Source for this Aliquot' button and then after clicking 'Save Data' tick the 'Source is Finished' box at the top of the screen and click 'Save Data' again. You can now go to the 'Aliquot Disposal' screen and dispose of this aliquot as normal.

Why can't I use the waste bag already in the lab?

• If the correct waste bag does not appear in the solid waste column then check the following:
  - that the correct room is entered in the 'The Work is being carried out in' box;
  - that the waste bag has not already been 'sealed' on the system (go to 'Waste Bags' and check the end column);
  - if there is more than one bag open in a lab you will have a choice box in the solid waste column to choose the bag ID number.

Why do I need to tell the system when my stock is finished?

• When you take the last aliquot out of a stock solution the system will prompt you to confirm that it is now finished. This is required because sometimes a manufacturer can supply more of the stock volume than was ordered (or recorded on source documentation) and this may not be evident until the last aliquot is taken out. Leaving the 'Finished' box unticked will allow you to take further aliquots out of the stock, even if the remaining volume on the system is zero - the activity will be accounted for properly as the activity/volume ratio will still be correct. When the final stock amount is used ensure that the 'Finished' box is ticked as you record the last aliquot.

Why is my used up stock still on my stock list?

• A stock will remain current on the system and will be listed on the 'Source Usage' screen until it has been set to finished (see above) and all of its aliquots have been disposed of. However if a stock has been set to finished the 'Take Aliquot' function will be disabled and you will only be able to make disposals from this screen. Once all of a finished stock's aliquots have been disposed of it's status will change to 'Dead' and it will no longer be visible on 'Source Usage'.