What is the purpose of an inventory procedure for radioactive sources?

• A. Increase production.
• B. Ensure accountability and safe handling by tracking all sources.
• C. Hide information.
• D. Limit to a single location.

Answer: (B)

Tracking radioactive sources through an inventory procedure ensures accountability and safe handling by maintaining a current, accurate record of every source’s identity, location, activity, and condition. This keeps all sources accounted for, helps prevent loss, theft, or misuse, and supports proper security, transport, and storage. It also aids in regulatory compliance and emergency response, since staff can quickly verify where each source should be and what precautions are needed.

Choosing to increase production, hide information, or confine sources to a single location doesn’t align with why inventories exist. An inventory is about knowing and controlling all sources wherever they are, not about boosting output, concealing information, or restricting their use to one place.