Status of Managing Chemical Inventories Utilizing Radio Frequency Identification at Department

Status of Managing Chemical Inventories Utilizing Radio Frequency Identification at Department of Energy Facilities

Introduction

Several U.S. Department of Energy facilities have incorporated the use of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID technology into their chemical management system and practices. RFID has been demonstrated to be a time and costs saving application for the reconciliation of chemical inventories as compared to barcode or manual reconciliation methods. The cost per RFID tag is more than a barcode label but the ongoing reduction of time and effort in reconciling inventory with RFID more than offsets the initial cost of the RFID tags.

EFCOG CLSM RFID Survey Summary

The Energy Facilities Contractors Organization conducted a benchmark survey among participating facilities. The survey was titled “Chemical Inventory Management and RFID Benchmarking Survey”. Survey responses were received from 12 DOE facilities.

The responding facilities/entities included the following:

Advanced Technologies and Laboratories Hanford (ATL)

Ames Laboratory (AL)

Argonne National Laboratory (ANL)

Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL)

Kansas City Plant (KCP)

Lawrence Berkley National Lab (LBNL)

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL)

Mission Support Alliance Hanford (MSA)

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL)

Sandia River National Laboratory (SRNL)

Savannah River Nuclear Solutions[SRNS]/Savannah River Site (SRS)

Survey Response Summary

General Site and Chemical Inventory Management System Information Summary (Refer to survey for detailed text)

ANL / AL / ATL / BNL / KCP / LBNL / LLNL / MSA / ORNL / PNNL / SNL / SRNL / SRS
1.1 What is the primary purpose or mission of your facility?
Manufacturing / X / X / X
Research & Development / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Academic / X
Other / X / X / X / X
1.2 Type of activities and operations that are conducted at your facility:
Production / X / X / X
Laboratory / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Construction / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Decontamination and Decommissioning / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Other / X
1.3 Approximate number of employees (including full-time contractors) on-site
Number employees/contractors / 3500 / 400 / 200 / 3000 / 2850 / 4000 / 6300 / 11000 / 5000 / 10000 / 1000 / 5000
1.4 Do you have a chemical inventory management system?
Yes (Y) or No (N) / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y
1.5 If yes, is it an electronic or paper system? Developed in-house or commercial off-the-shelf?
Electronic (E) or Paper (P) / E / E / E / E / E / E / E / E / E / E / E / EP / E
In-house (I) or Commercial (C) / I / I / I / I / Both / I / I / I / I / I / I / I / I
1.6 Characterize your chemical inventory using one or more of the following factors:
1.6.1 Approximate number of unique chemical products in inventory
# unique chemicals / 30000 / 8000 / 1200 / 9400 / 3000 / 17000 / 14700 / 18000 / 10000 / 25000 / 8000 / 20000
1.6.2 Approximate number of chemical containers in inventory
# of chemical containers / 90000 / 12000 / 5000 / 45000 / 15000 / 70000 / 90000 / 24000 / 115000 / 78000 / 135000 / 18000 / 100000
1.6.3 Number of storage tanks
Number of Storage Tanks? / 130 / 0 / 2 / 100 / 6 / 20 / 415 / 59 / 300 / 260 / 8 / 100
1.6.4 Do you have a minimum size for storage tanks? If yes, please specify
Minimum size for storage tank? / 55G
1.6.5 Approximate number of (Material) Safety Data Sheets (M)SDSs (include archived (M)SDSs)
# (M)SDSs (in thousands) / 105 / 95 / 54 / 15 / 104 / 97 / 215 / 400 / 110 / 48500 (SRS) / 48000
1.6.6 Number of chemical storage locations uniquely identified in your chemical inventory system?
Number of Storage Locations / 1100 / 1100 / 20 / 400 / 5430 / 4500 / 1350 / 1500 / >1000
1.6.7 Estimated number of full-time equivalent employees responsible for chemical inventory system?
FTEs for System / 3 / 0.1 / 1 / 3 / 2 / 1 / 6.5 / 4/93 / 5 / 8 / 5 / 15
1.6.8 Do you use any method of container tracking other than, or in addition to, 1d bar codes?
Other than or in addition to barcode / Y / N / Y / Y / Y / N / N / Y / Y / Y / N / N
What? RFID (R) or Other (O) / R / R O / R / O / O / RO / R / R / O / O
1.7 If an electronic system, do you use barcode?
Yes (Y) or No (N) / Y / N / Y / Y / N / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y
1.8 If you use barcode, do you use them on:
Individual containers / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Bulk containers (e.g. tanks) / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Process tanks/systems / X / X / X
Case lots (one per case) / X / X / X / X / X
Static inventory (e.g. 1 barcode for predetermined quantity) / X / X / X / X / X / X
Compressed Gas cylinders / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Other / X
1.9 Do you track chemical inventories to the level of:
Group of buildings / X / X / X / X
Building / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Building zone / X / X / X / X
Room / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Sub-location within room / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Other / X / X / X / X
1.10 Do you use full until empty method for tracking chemical containers (A container is always assumed to be full until used up or disposed?
Yes (Y) or No (N) / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / YN / Y N / Y / Y / Y / Y
1.11 Do you exclude any types of chemicals from your chemical management program?
Yes (Y) or No (N) / Y / Y / Y / Y / N / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y
If yes, what types
Bulk containers / X / X / X
Compressed gases
Inert gases
Fuels and petroleum products / X
Nonhazardous chemical products / X / X / X / X
Biological agents / X / X / X / X / X / X
Biological toxins / X / X / X / X
Office products / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Household cleaning products / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Other / X / X / X / X / X
1.12 Does you chemical inventory management process track the following non-radiologically controlled materials?
Welding, soldering filler metals / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Lead shielding / X / X / X
Machine stock of toxic metals / X / X / X / X / X
Other metals such as stainless / X / X
1.13 Do you include chemicals brought onsite by any of the following in your chemical management system?
Yes (Y) or No (N) / Y / N / Y / Y / Y / N / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / N
If yes, what types
Subcontractors / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Construction Trades / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Other facility users/guests / X / X / X / X / X / X
1.14 Do you track secondary (non-manufacturer) containers?
Yes (Y) No (N) Sometimes (S) / N / Y S / Y / N / N / S / Y / N / S / S / N / S
1.15 Do you track product components (i.e. mixture ingredients)?
Yes (Y) or No (N) / Y / N / Y / Y / Y / N / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / N / Y
1.16 Do you have a method for managing proprietary information in your chemical management system?
Yes (Y) or No (N) / N / N / Y / N / Y / N / Y / Y / Y / N / Y / N / Y
1.17 Does your chemical management system include access to electronic (M)SDSs?
Yes (Y) or No (N) / Y / N / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y
1.18 Is your chemical management system linked to a waste management system?
Yes (Y) or No (N) / N / N / N / Y / N / Y / Y / N / N / N / Y / N / N
1.19 Is your chemical management system integrated with your procurement system?
Yes (Y) or No (N) / Y / Y / N / Y / Y / N / Y / N / Y / Y / Y / N / N
1.20 Do medical staff have access to the chemical management system?
Yes (Y) or No (N) / Y / N / N / Y / Y / Y / N / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y
1.21 What are the primary purposes for your chemical management system?
Environmental / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Emergency management / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Worker safety / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Safety basis compliance / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Fire code compliance / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Other / X / X / X / X
1.22 Identify other tracking features of your chemical management system
Regulatory reporting lists / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Carcinogens / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Peroxidizables / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Receive date/chemical age / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Shelf-life / X / X / X / X / X / X
Drug precursors / X / X / X / X
Controlled substances / X / X / X / X / X
Other / X / X / X

2.0 Physical Inventory Process

ANL / AL / ATL / BNL / KCP / LBNL / LLNL / MSA / ORNL / PNNL / SNL / SRNS / SRS
2.1 Does your site conduct a physical chemical inventory? (check field inventory against database)
Yes (Y) or No (N) / Y / Y / Y / Y / N / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y
2.2 Why do you perform physical chemical inventories?
DOE requirement or contractual / X / X / X / X
Federal, state, local right-to-know / X / X / X / X / X
Management requirement / X / X / X / X / X / X
Risk management / X / X / X / X
Part of inventory accuracy assessment / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Quality assurance / X / X / X / X / X
Other / X / X / X / X
2.3Who performs physical chemical inventories at your site?
Chemical management staff / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Decentralized: staff, operations / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Identify who you use
Employees / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Students (interns) / X / X / X / X / X / X
Contractors / X / X / X
Others
2.4How often do you perform physical chemical inventories?
More than once per year / X
Yearly / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Every other year
Depends on facility / X
Other / 3yr / X / X / 3yr / X / X
2.5 Does your facility chemical inventory look for/evaluate the following?
Number of found containers / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Correct number of containers / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Number of missing chemicals / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Number found without barcodes / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Correct owner / X / X / X / X / X
Correct location / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Correct name of chemical / X / X / X / X / X
Correct labeling / X / X / X / X
Bar code present / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Bar code accurate / X / X
Correct volume size / X / X / X / X / X
Container condition / X / X / X / X / X / X
Label condition / X / X / X / X
Chemical matches SDS / X / X / X / X
Other / X / X / X / X / X
2.6How quickly do you update your chemical inventory when there are changes?
Real time or daily update / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Weekly / X
Monthly / X
Quarterly / X / X
Annually / X / X / X / X

3.0 Measuring Chemical Inventory Accuracy

ANL / AL / ATL / BNL / KCP / LBNL / LLNL / MSA / ORNL / PNNL / SNL / SRNS / SRS
3.1 Do you measure the accuracy of your chemical inventory
Yes (Y) or No (N) / N / N / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / N / N / Y / Y / N / Y
3.2If yes, what is the accuracy of your chemical inventory based on?
# of containers accounted for / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Mass or volume of chemicals / X
Adjust for concentration diff.? / X / X
Correct location of chemical / X / X / X / X / X / X
Correct chemical custodian / X / X / X / X
Correct name of chemical / X / X
Correct labeling / X / X
Bar code present / X / X / X / X / X
Bar code on correct item / X / X
Correct volume size / X / X / X
Other / X
3.3 How do you measure accuracy?
Routine inventory operations / X / X / X
Results from inventory assessment / X / X / X / X / X
Targeted inventory assessments / X / X / X / X
Administrative assessments
Random field verifications / X / X / X / X / X
Building walk-throughs / X / X / X
Review of purchasing records
Other
3.4 If yes, what is the accuracy of your chemical inventory based on?
100% of inventory / X / X / X / X / X / X
Statistical sample / X / X / X
Other
3.7 Do you reconcile your inventory?
Yes (Y) or No (N) / Y / N / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y
3.8 What are considered acceptable levels of chemical inventory accuracy at your site?
% or N/A – Not measured or applicable / N/A / N/A / 100 / >80 / 80-100 / N/A / 97 / N/A / N/A / 90+ / >95
3.11 What is your inventory accuracy?
Percent accurate / N/A / N/A / 90 / >80 / 99.1 / N/A / 90 / 98
Date last measured / N/A / N/A / 11/14 / 2008 / 9/14 / N/A / 2014 / 2014

4.0 – 6.0 RFID Equipment Choice, Cost, RFID Scanner, Printer/Encoder, Label Information, Interface

ANL / AL / ATL / BNL / KCP / LBNL / LLNL / MSA / ORNL / PNNL / SNL / SRNS / SRS
4.1 Did your company purchase RFID equipment?
Yes (Y) or No (N) / Y / N / Y / Y / N / N / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / N / N
5.0Cost to develop and deploy RFID at your facility
Total cost ($K) / 477 / 25 / 175 / 24 / 22 / 55 / 123
6.1 Did you purchase RFID scanner software?
Yes (Y) or No (N) / Y / N / Y / Y / N / Y / Y / Y / N
6.4 RFID program features
Trigger start/stop feature / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Screen start/stop feature / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Antenna/scan adjustable power level / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Visual count reference / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Location identification entry / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Requires operator identification / X / X / X / X / X / X
Able to scan barcodes / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Manual barcode entry capable / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
6.5 Does the RFID scanner have a label locator feature?
Yes (Y) or No (N) / Y / N / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y
7.0 Did you purchase RFID encoder designer software?
Yes (Y) or No (N) / Y / Y / Y / N / Y / Y / Y / Y
8.1Did you encode the labels with a facility specific frequency code?
Yes (Y) or No (N) / N / N / N / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y
8.4 Do you print on the RFID label face?
Yes (Y) or No (N) / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y
8.6 What is the cost for each label?
Cents each / 29 / 50 / 26 / 26 / 17-25 / 40 / 17-25 / 25-100
8.7 Were the labels bought off the shelf?
Yes (Y) or No (N) / N / Y / N / Y / Y / N / Y / Y N
8.13 Did the container contents interfere?
Yes (Y) or No (N) / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y
8.16 Have you encountered problems with RFID reading through walls?
Yes (Y) or No (N) / Y / N / Y / N / N / N
9.1 Do you have reader host computer interface?
Yes (Y) or No (N) / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y
9.3 Do you have areader host computer interface software?
Yes (Y) or No (N) / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y / Y
9.6 Is data transferred to the host computer such as an ASCII data file?
Yes (Y) or No (N) / Y / Y / N / N / Y / Y / N / Y
9.9Can you operate multiple scanners in one area?
Yes (Y) or No (N) / Y / Y / Y / Y
10.1 Did you experience problems associated with using RFID equipment and chemical inventory accuracy?
Yes (Y) or No (N) / Y / Y / Y / Y / N / N
10.4 What is the best distance for reading the RFID label?
Inches / 8 / 12-24 / 0-60 / 12-36 / 1-72 / 12-36