Control of radioactive contamination
Good lab techniques can prevent personnel, equipment, and facilities from
becoming contaminated. Consider the following:
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
PPE is used to prevent contamination of skin or clothing. PPE is required
if there is a possibility of contamination. PPE includes:
• Labcoat with sleeves long enough to cover the arms to the wrists, and
long enough to cover the torso to the thighs. Wear with the closures
fastened.
• Eye protection ‚ required for all lab work.
• Closedtoe shoes worn to protect the feet from splashes.
• leg covering worn to protect the legs from splashes.
• Disposable gloves worn to protect the skin of the hands and wrists from contamination. Gloves
are most effective if two pairs are worn at a time,
with the outer pair changed frequently.
Bench coverings
• Bench coverings are used to prevent contamination of bench and hood surfaces.
• Plastic backed disposable paper ‚ this paper can be taped in place with the plastic side down.
Replace these coverings when damaged (worn, soiled, or torn) or contaminated.
• Containment trays these shallow trays are useful if spilled materials must be recovered for
some reason. Trays are available with disposable plastic liners to ease decontamination.
Double containment methods
Use secondary containers of sufficient volume to contain all of the liquid
should a spill occur.
• Liquid waste storage cans ‚ these cans are used to store liquid radwaste
bottles. Cans are available from the campus storehouse.
• Transport containers ‚ these are usually a deep plastic tray with a tight
fitting lid used to double contain RAM being transported between labs.
Use of disposable materials
• It is preferable to use disposable plastic pipette tips, petri dishes,
centrifuge tubes, etc.
Appropriate handling tools
• These tools reduce hand contamination and may reduce extremity dose.
These tools include: tweezers, forceps, tongs, and shielded containers.
Preventing internal contamination
• Do not eat, drink, or use cosmetics in radioactive materials use areas.
• Do not store food or drinks in refrigerators or freezers used for radioactive materials.
• Separate food areas at least 1 meter from areas of RAM use or storage.
• If possible, these areas should be separated by physical barriers.
Marking and labeling
• This is the single most important contamination control measure. ALL RAM USE AREAS,
EQUIPMENT, AND STORAGE CONTAINERS MUST
BE MARKED WITH THE RADIATION TRIFOIL SYMBOL.
• Not marking RAM with the trifoil symbol is the most common cause of the spread of
contamination.
• Details on labeling are found in the Radiation Safety Logbook
Minimization of Radioactive Waste
Radioactive waste is very expensive to dispose of. In addition, the more
waste is generated the more people must be placed at risk to process it.
• Do not use more radioactive materials than needed.
• Do not use more equipment than is needed.
• Survey materials that you are planning to dispose of as radioactive waste.
If the materials are not contaminated, remove any labels and dispose of as building waste,
sharps waste, or recycle, as appropriate.
• Minimize the generation of mixed waste. Mixed waste is waste that
contains both a radioactive component and a hazardous material
component.
• Maximize the use of sink disposal to dispose of liquid wastes.
• Do not mix short halflife
waste (such as P32, P33, S35, I125, etc.) with long halflife waste (H3, C14, etc.).
• The better you control contamination the less waste will be generated.
• If you have a choice, use the shortest halflife isotope available.
• RS is available in the lab at the time they perform surveys. Ask them about waste
minimization.
• Call Radiation Safety and ask them about waste minimization.
Good lab techniques can prevent personnel, equipment, and facilities from
becoming contaminated. Consider the following:
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
PPE is used to prevent contamination of skin or clothing. PPE is required
if there is a possibility of contamination. PPE includes:
• Labcoat with sleeves long enough to cover the arms to the wrists, and
long enough to cover the torso to the thighs. Wear with the closures
fastened.
• Eye protection ‚ required for all lab work.
• Closedtoe shoes worn to protect the feet from splashes.
• leg covering worn to protect the legs from splashes.
• Disposable gloves worn to protect the skin of the hands and wrists from contamination. Gloves
are most effective if two pairs are worn at a time,
with the outer pair changed frequently.
Bench coverings
• Bench coverings are used to prevent contamination of bench and hood surfaces.
• Plastic backed disposable paper ‚ this paper can be taped in place with the plastic side down.
Replace these coverings when damaged (worn, soiled, or torn) or contaminated.
• Containment trays these shallow trays are useful if spilled materials must be recovered for
some reason. Trays are available with disposable plastic liners to ease decontamination.
Double containment methods
Use secondary containers of sufficient volume to contain all of the liquid
should a spill occur.
• Liquid waste storage cans ‚ these cans are used to store liquid radwaste
bottles. Cans are available from the campus storehouse.
• Transport containers ‚ these are usually a deep plastic tray with a tight
fitting lid used to double contain RAM being transported between labs.
Use of disposable materials
• It is preferable to use disposable plastic pipette tips, petri dishes,
centrifuge tubes, etc.
Appropriate handling tools
• These tools reduce hand contamination and may reduce extremity dose.
These tools include: tweezers, forceps, tongs, and shielded containers.
Preventing internal contamination
• Do not eat, drink, or use cosmetics in radioactive materials use areas.
• Do not store food or drinks in refrigerators or freezers used for radioactive materials.
• Separate food areas at least 1 meter from areas of RAM use or storage.
• If possible, these areas should be separated by physical barriers.
Marking and labeling
• This is the single most important contamination control measure. ALL RAM USE AREAS,
EQUIPMENT, AND STORAGE CONTAINERS MUST
BE MARKED WITH THE RADIATION TRIFOIL SYMBOL.
• Not marking RAM with the trifoil symbol is the most common cause of the spread of
contamination.
• Details on labeling are found in the Radiation Safety Logbook
Minimization of Radioactive Waste
Radioactive waste is very expensive to dispose of. In addition, the more
waste is generated the more people must be placed at risk to process it.
• Do not use more radioactive materials than needed.
• Do not use more equipment than is needed.
• Survey materials that you are planning to dispose of as radioactive waste.
If the materials are not contaminated, remove any labels and dispose of as building waste,
sharps waste, or recycle, as appropriate.
• Minimize the generation of mixed waste. Mixed waste is waste that
contains both a radioactive component and a hazardous material
component.
• Maximize the use of sink disposal to dispose of liquid wastes.
• Do not mix short halflife
waste (such as P32, P33, S35, I125, etc.) with long halflife waste (H3, C14, etc.).
• The better you control contamination the less waste will be generated.
• If you have a choice, use the shortest halflife isotope available.
• RS is available in the lab at the time they perform surveys. Ask them about waste
minimization.
• Call Radiation Safety and ask them about waste minimization.
(Source: http://www.ehs.berkeley.edu/radsafety/hndbk.radisotope.pdf)
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