Transcript RADIOISOTOPE SAFETY & METHODOLOGY COURSE

Radiation Safety Course
Work Procedures
Heath de la Giroday
Dispensing Chemist
Radiation Safety Officer
Work Procedures
• Daily monitoring
– Before and after work
– Periodic monitoring
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Weekly monitoring
Paperwork
Waste
Contamination/Decontamination
Hygiene
Before and After Work—P-32
• Monitor work surfaces
– Use F setting to monitor surfaces quickly
– Hold survey meter 1 cm about surface (signal
strength decreases with distance)
– Report contamination to your supervisor if you
find contamination before starting work
– Clean contamination if you find it after work
• Surface contamination leads to internal
exposure—the most damaging
Weekly Wipe Tests (H-3, P-32)
• All active labs have to perform weekly
wipe tests
– There are general locations identified in the
wipe test binder—focus on areas that have
high impact or heavy use
– Decontaminate as necessary
Paperwork
• All regulated isotopes are tracked closely
– Inventory Binder
• Each source vial has a barcode and running total
remaining
– Waste Binder
• Each waste container (bottle or bag) has a distinct
number and each time source is removed from vial
an entry must be made for the associated waste
container (break down can be estimated)
• There is a lag between recording and disposal,
which is accounted for during disposal
Paperwork
• This information is used for the Annual
Compliance Report to CNSC
– How much isotope was purchased
– How much is in possession
– How much decayed
– How much waste disposed to the environment
– How was it disposed to the environment
Radioactive Waste Management
• It is essential that there is full and
complete documentation for all radioactive
waste
• All contaminated waste must be
segregated from non-radioactive garbage
• Radioactive waste containers transferred
to storage area when full
Waste Disposal
• Short half-life isotopes are stored for
decay (delay and decay)
– Chemical hazards are important (radioactivity
is temporary)
– Separation of organic and aqueous/toxic
aqueous streams is important
Waste Disposal
• Long half-life isotopes might be disposed
of through normal waste systems after
collection or will be sent to waste handling
company
– Depends on isotope and hazard to humans
and environment
– Defined by CNSC through licensing process
Radioactive Waste Management
• Liquids
– Never dispose of non-radioactive liquid in a
radioactive liquid waste container, or vice
versa
– Liquids are separated by radioisotope and
further separated by solvent
• e.g. I-125 in H2O; I-125 in CH3OH; H-3 in H2O
Radioactive Waste Management
• Never dispose of non-radioactive solids in
a radioactive solids waste container, or
vice versa
• Solid waste must be separated according
to radioisotope
Contamination and Injury
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Radioactive Spills
Skin Contamination
Internal Contamination
Injury
Radioactive Spills
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Notify other people in the area
– If uncertain of hazard, evacuate the area
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Monitor all personnel
– Remove any contaminated clothing
– If anybody’s skin is contaminated, begin
decontamination immediately
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For hazardous spill, cordon off the area
to prevent inadvertent entry
Hazaardous Radioactive Spills
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Call the emergency response number (3333)
– Radiation Safety Officer will be contacted by
Security
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Assess the characteristics of the radioisotope
to determine hazards and clean-up procedure
– volatility
– quantity
– type of emission
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Wear personal protective equipment
Radioactive Spills
• Prevent spread of contamination
– turn off all equipment that could enhance spill
– use absorbent material to soak up bulk liquid
– place dampened paper towels over powder spills
• Monitor to identify locations of contamination
– mark contaminated sites with chalk
• Decontaminate using detergent solution
– place waste in disposal container
– monitor to verify effectiveness of decontamination
Hazarouds Radioactive Spills
• Monitor all personnel involved in clean-up
• Update Radioisotope Data and
Radioisotope Disposal forms
• RSO may conduct an incident
investigation
Radioactive Spill Surface Clean
Up
• Collect the necessary cleaning items (paper towels, Radiac Wash,
RadAway, bench pad, waste bag, etc.)
• Use bench pads to create a disposable temporary storage surface
• Move items out of contaminated area onto storage bench pad,
monitoring for contamination
Radioactive Spill Surface Clean
Up
• Clean major surfaces in cycles until no counts are
detected, monitoring between cleanings
– Work from outside to inside of contaminated area to avoid
spreading contamination
– Switch wipes to avoid smearing contamination around and
contaminating uncontaminated surfaces
– Place a waste receptacle nearby to avoid carrying contaminated
wipes around
• Use a radioactive material hazard bag
Contaminated area
Radioactive Spill Surface Clean
Up
• Place contaminated paper towels directly in to waste bag
located at work area, taking care not to contaminate
outer surface of bag
• Change gloves if they might have become contaminated
• Clean surface in cycles until contamination is no longer
detectable
• Perform wipe tests to determine if surface is completely
clean
Radioactive Spill Surface Clean
Up
• Monitor and clean items and return them
to the original work surface
• Place waste bag into another bag when
finished
• Label waste bags and bottles clearly
Radioactive Spill Surface Clean
Up
• Embedded contamination-radioactive
when measured with survey meter but not
for wipe tests
– Mark edges of contaminated area with
radioactive hazard tape
– Label with date and contact person
– Cover with shielding to prevent unnecessary
dose
Personal Contamination
• All incidents must be reported to the RSO
• Note: Contamination incidents have
resulted from not wearing gloves at all
times in hot room and from puncturing
gloves with a pipette tip—wear gloves at
all times and do not rush pipetting
Skin Contamination
• Begin decontamination immediately
• Remove any contaminated clothing
• Rinse area with lukewarm water for
several minutes
– attempt to keep rinse water, and therefore
radioactivity, away from body and body
openings (e.g. nose, mouth) to avoid internal
contamination
– monitor periodically to determine
effectiveness of rinsing
Skin Contamination
• If contamination persists, wash with mild soap
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work lather into skin for three minutes
stop immediately if skin reddening occurs
rinse
monitor area
• If contamination persists, repeat the mild soap wash
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work lather into skin for three minutes
stop immediately if skin reddening occurs
rinse
monitor area
Skin Contamination
• If contamination persists, clean the skin with cold
cream or baby oil
– monitor area and note any residual radiation level
• If contamination persists, do nothing more
– contamination is bound to skin
– further abrasion could result in injuring or defatting of
skin, perhaps leading to internal contamination
• Call the emergency response number (3333)
– Security will contact RSO
• Complete incident/accident report within 24 h
Internal Contamination
• Call emergency response number (3333)
immediately
• Do not attempt anything further without direction
from a First Aid Attendant or RSO
• If ingested material is both chemically toxic and
radiotoxic, chemical toxicity should be treated
first
– Locate MSDS for instructions to treat chemical toxicity
– Locate RSDS for instructions to address radiological
hazard
Minor Injury
• Treat immediately at or near scene of
accident
– At scene of accident to prevent spread of
contamination
– Near scene of accident to limit spread of
contamination while attempting to prevent
further contamination to the patient and/or
those providing assistance
Minor Injury
• Rinse any wounds with lukewarm water
– Encourage bleeding to lessen internal
contamination
– Attempt to keep rinse water away from body
openings (e.g. nose, mouth) to lessen internal
contamination
– Monitor area and note any residual
contamination
Minor Injury
• Wash wound with mild soap and rinse with
lukewarm water
– Monitor area and note any residual contamination
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Apply first aid dressing
Notify the person’s supervisor and the RSO
Complete an incident/accident report within 24 h
If medical attention is required, a WCB Form 7
will need to be completed within 24 h
Major Injury
• Do not move the injured person unless they are
in imminent danger of further injury
• Call the emergency number (ext. 3333) and
describe:
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Room number/phone number
Names of injured and person calling
Injuries
Type and amount of radioactive material involved
Physical and chemical forms of the radioisotope
Major Injury
• Assist emergency response personnel with the
radioactive contamination
– Attempt to prevent further contamination of the victim
or contamination of the emergency personnel
– If necessary, shield contaminated body parts using
any available material
• Notify person’s supervisor and RSO
• An incident/accident report must be completed
within 24 h
• A WCB Form 7 must be completed within 24 h
Hygiene
• Wash hands after exiting hot room and
before leaving laboratory
• Remove outer gloves before leaving hot
room
• Monitor soles of shoes and sleeves of lab
jacket at end of work