SAFETY & HAZARDOUS AREAS


SITE-WIDE MONITORING FOR NUCLEAR SAFETY


Gary Bradshaw, director of Omniflex, discusses why sitewide radiation and alarm monitoring remains one of the most complex challenges in defence environments, and how experience-led system design is critical to maintaining safety and resilience over the long term


hen you work on a large defence site, some of the most serious risks are the ones you never see. For example, radiation can have devastating effects on people and the environment if undetected or unaddressed.


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Major defence facilities that support nuclear propulsion, weapons handling or radioactive waste management are among the most demanding operational environments anywhere in industry. Infrastructure spans dry docks, workshops, storage facilities and waterfront areas, often operating side-by-side under strict security constraints. Yet, across all of this complexity, one requirement remains constant – radiation and critical alarms must be monitored continuously, reliably and without ambiguity. However, achieving 24/7 sitewide visibility has traditionally been far from straightforward. One of the defining characteristics of defence facilities is scale. These sites can extend across hundreds of acres, with monitoring points spread across large buildings, temporary structures and open spaces.


Running new network cabling in these environments is rarely a simple task. Physical barriers, security restrictions and the presence of radiological hazards can make installation prohibitively disruptive or expensive. Furthermore, in many cases, the environment itself is constantly changing as large construction equipment and cranes, new structures and temporary works can appear and disappear overnight, altering signal paths and access routes over time.


12 MARCH 2026 | PROCESS & CONTROL Simultaneously, monitoring data is rarely


confined to a single control room. Defence sites are designed for resilience, with multiple control centres often requiring access to the same critical radiation and alarm data. If one centre becomes unavailable, another must be able to assume control immediately, with no loss of visibility.


This combination of scale, constant change and built-in redundancy makes sitewide monitoring in defence uniquely challenging. Radiation monitoring requirements raise the stakes further. Gamma detectors and associated alarms must deliver accurate data at all times, often across wide areas, and remain supported for decades. Short product lifecycles or frequent technology refreshes are not compatible with defence’s operational realities.


Therefore, what is required instead is a monitoring strategy that builds in reliability, resilience and redundancy as well as forward planning for simplified obsolescence management.


Defence monitoring systems are rarely based on a single technology. Instead, they combine multiple approaches to reflect the realities of the site.


Wireless communication can be invaluable where cabling is impractical, but only when it is engineered with resilience in mind. That means detailed site surveys, careful antenna selection and the strategic use of repeaters to maintain coverage despite obstacles moving around the site.


Equally important is flexibility at the edge of the network. Remote terminal units (RTUs) must


be able to interface with a wide range of radiation monitors and alarm signals, while supporting different communications paths back to control centres. Wireless links may be appropriate in some areas, whereas in others, existing legacy cabling or industrial networks should be reused to reduce disruption and risk. Hybrid approaches like this, designed with a partner who understands the operational reality and constraints of the sector, allow monitoring systems to evolve alongside the site, rather than needing to be replaced every time conditions change.


Another factor that is often underestimated is how and where alarm alerts are displayed and who actually responds to them. Contrary to what may be expected, alarm alerts from radiation monitors are not always handled by radiation specialists, so alarm clarity is an essential requirement for things to be dealt with and escalated correctly. An alarm that lacks context or clear guidance can create hesitation at exactly the wrong moment. Effective systems present alarms in a way that is immediately understandable, clearly identifying the source and nature of the issue and providing guidance on what action should be taken and who should be informed.


Over long operational lifetimes, this consistency becomes even more important. Personnel change, contractors rotate and institutional knowledge can fade. Alarm systems that embed clarity and instruction help to maintain safety standards regardless of who is on duty.


Defence infrastructure is built with longevity


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