OEH&S Radioactive Spill Procedure

Guidelines

Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) recommends that the following procedures for dealing with spills be the same for controlled and uncontrolled areas.

Any contamination that occurs on personnel or property must be documented.

Copies of written documentation shall be forwarded to the RSO.

Survey Technique

1. Using your survey meter, take readings at 1 meter. Use end window of GM tube.

2. Categorize the level of the spill.

a. Definition of spill level(s) at one meter:

A. Procedure for Minor Spills; <5 mR/hr at one meter

1. Notify everyone in the room and area at once. If volatile material is involved (e.g. I125 as NaI), vacate the immediate area.

2. Use absorbent paper or other absorbent material on the spill to limit the spread of contamination. Block off area.

3. Monitor personnel before they leave. If clothing is contaminated, change clothes or lab coat, as necessary.

4. Wear disposable gloves to prevent hand contamination. Wash your hands first if they are contaminated--following the UCSF Radiation Safety Manual procedures for Decontamination of the Hands and Skin. Wear protective foot covering if necessary.

5. Survey, mark or block off the contaminated area with warning signs or labels.

6. Start decontamination procedures as soon as possible. Normal cleaning agents or commercial decontamination agents (e.g. Radiac Wash) should be adequate. Put on shoe covers and begin procedures by using paper towels with the decontamination agent Scrub from the outermost edges of the contaminated areas and work inward, reducing the area that is contaminated.

7. Put all contaminated objects and cleaning materials into containers to prevent spread of contamination.

8. Assign a person equipped with a survey meter to perform wipe tests. This helps prevent the accidental spread of contamination.

9. Decontaminate the area to as nearly background level as possible, but should not exceed 0.1 mR/hr at the surface.

10. Document decontamination process using Decontamination Record forms.

(a) Indicate before and after decontamination readings.

11. Submit the written report to RSO.

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B. Procedure for Intermediate Spills; 5-10 mR/hr at 1 meter

1. Monitor personnel and have them leave the immediate area. Change clothes or lab coat, as necessary.

2. Continue the steps as in a minor spill.

C. Procedure for Major Spills: > 10 mR/hr at 1 meter

1. Notify everyone in the room and area at once. Vacate the immediate area.

2. Monitor personnel before they leave and then change clothes or lab coat, as necessary.

3. Follow the procedures as in minor spills. If exposures exceed 50 mR/hr at 1 meter evacuate a 10 ft. radius area and set up barricades. At readings above 100 mR/hr at 1 meter evacuate a 20 ft. radius. Barricade and post the area and call the Director and an appropriate Manager.

Emergency Procedure for Xenon-133

In the event that a release of radioactive Xenon should occur, the following emergency procedure should be followed:

1. Remove people from room immediately.

2. Block off room location to prohibit any through traffic.

3. Notifies Chief Nuclear Medicine Technologist or designee immediately of occurrence.

4. Enter the room after 45 minutes and using your GM probe survey the room. If readings are less than 0.05 mR/hr release the room; if not repeat after another 45 minutes.