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 Office of Radiation Safety immediately.
3. Confine
all personnel potentially contaminated to an isolated area in or near lab.
4. Monitor
all persons involved in the spill.
5. Decontaminate
personnel by washing the affected area immediately with soap and water or a decontaminating
agent effective for the chemical involved. If the contamination is localized to
small area of the skin, the contamination should be masked 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: December 2001