Emergency Procedure
HOW TO REACH RADIATION
SAFETY OFFICE STAFF
Normal Working Hours (M-F, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm)
Call 2-6299 and report that a radioactive spill
or radiation incident has occurred.
After Hours, Weekends, Holidays
Call University Police at 2-8181 and report that a radioactive spill
or radiation incident has occurred and to please contact Radiation Safety
personnel.
LOSS, THEFT, OR DAMAGE OF SOURCES OF
RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL
Any loss,
theft, or damage to any source of radioactive material (radioactive waste,
stock vial solutions, sealed sources, etc.) or any other accident involving
radioactive material must be
reported promptly to the individual responsible for the use of the radioactive
material and to the Office of Radiation Safety.
SPILL PROCEDURE
Minor Spill
A minor spill is one that can be readily cleaned without
spreading the spill. It involves small volumes, small areas, low activity of
radioactive material, no volatile materials, and involves no internal radiation
hazard to personnel.
In the event of a minor spill:
1.
Notify all persons in the room immediately that a spill
has occurred.
2.
Cover the spill with absorbent
material.
3.
Restrict movement into the area.
4.
Don two pair of disposable gloves and
proceed decontaminating the spill area.
5.
Insert all clean-up material (i.e. absorbent paper,
paper towels, scrub brushes, etc.) into a plastic bag and dispose of
contaminated material in the radioactive waste container.
6.
With a GM survey instrument, survey spill area, hands
and clothing for contamination. For alpha and low-energy beta emitters, conduct
wipe test at the spill area.
7.
Permit no one to resume work in the immediate area of
the spill until the contamination has been cleaned.
Major Spill
A major spill involves large volumes, large areas, high activity of radioactive material, volatile materials,
contamination of body or clothing, or contamination that has spread or occurred
outside the lab or designated area of use.
In the event
of a major spill:
1. Follow steps 1 – 4 for minor spill.
2. Notify authorized user and the Office of
Radiation Safety immediately.
3. Confine all personnel potentially contaminated
to an isolated area in or near the lab.
4. Monitor all individuals involved in the spill.
5. Decontaminate personnel by washing the
affected area immediately with soap and lukewarm
water or a decontaminating agent effective for the chemical
involved. If the contamination is
localized to a small area of the skin, the contamination
should be marked off and the affected
areas cleaned with cotton applicators dipped in soap or
suitable decontamination agents. Care
should be taken not to scratch or erode the epidermal skin
layer.
6. If life
threatening injuries are present, the individual should be given immediate
life-saving first
aid and transported to a hospital. Notification regarding
possible contamination of the patient
should be communicated to the hospital.
7. All clothing
suspected of being contaminated should be removed and isolated for monitoring.
8. Proceed in
decontaminating the spill area.
9. Follow steps
5 – 7 for minor spill.
Issued: February 1997
Last Reviewed: April 29, 2009
Risk Management, Audit & Safety -
Environmental Health and Safety - Office of Radiation Safety