Section 7: Radiological Accidents

Contents

7.1 General

Incidents/accidents involving radiation-producing equipment or radioactive materials occasionally occur. The primary objective of countermeasures for these occasions is minimizing the radiation exposure to personnel. Limiting damage to equipment or facilities is a secondary concern.  All accidents should be reported to the appropriate Radiation Supervisor. Serious incidents which pose a known or potential radiological health risk must be reported immediately to the RSO.

Since accident countermeasures cannot be compiled for every possible situation, it is essential that every individual working with radiation consider the potential situations which might arise and plan proper remedial action in advance. Preventative measures must always be employed to minimize the likelihood of an accident.

The information provided in this section is designed to be a guide for unusual occurrences and accidents. The RSO encourages questions from individuals on how to cope with specific problems, potential accident scenarios and appropriate countermeasure considerations.  The RSO may be contacted at the Environmental Health and Safety Service Office x‑4132  (A directory of individuals to contact in the event of an accident is contained in Section 7.5.2 of this Handbook).

7.2 Preventative Measures

Preventative measures are the key to minimizing the occurrence of radiation accidents and spills.  The following steps should be employed whenever possible to avoid problems:

  1. Anticipate problems before they happen. Perform a dry run on new procedures, without using radioactive material, to identify possible hazards.
  1. Wear appropriate protective clothing (gloves, lab coats, eye protection, lead aprons, etc.) each time work involves radiation or radioactive material.
  1. Use appropriate radiation monitoring techniques (film badges, TLD rings, survey meters, exposure meters, wipe tests). Check for contamination and evaluate radiation exposure often during the procedure.
  1. Work with adequate supervision. All new experiments and major variations of experiments involving radiation must be reviewed by the Radiation Safety Committee. Minor variations in established procedures must be cleared with the Radiation Supervisor in charge.
  1. Follow approved laboratory operating procedures.
  1. Avoid being alone in the laboratory when working with radioactive materials. Plan and schedule radiation work to ensure that other individuals will be in the laboratory/area.
  1. Provide secondary containment for all radioactive liquids.
  1. Keep work areas clean and organized.

7.3 Spill Clean Up and Reporting

Any radioactive contamination of personnel, equipment, facilities or properties of Syracuse University must be reported to the RSO. The RSO will direct the remediation and decontamination of all major spills. Minor spills must be cleaned up immediately and reported to the RSO as soon as possible.

(i) Minor Spills

Minor spills are defined as radioactive materials spills involving 300 uCi or less of H3, C14 or S35, or 10 uCi or less of all other isotopes. Any spill involving volatile or hazardous materials or conditions must be considered a major spill even if the quantities of radioactive material involved are defined as a minor spill. Also if the materials involved or the conditions present are unknown or uncertain, contact the RSO immediately and assume it is a major spill.

If the spill is a minor spill, the following steps should be employed to remediate the spill safely and appropriately:

  1. Notification: Notify persons in the area that a spill has occurred. If individuals have been or are likely to have been contaminated, these individuals should move to an immediately adjacent safe area and remain there until Radiation Safety staff arrive.
  1. Prevent the Spread: Define the area of the spill and cover the spill with absorbent paper.
  1. Notify the RSO Immediately.
  1. Initiate Clean Up: Clean up will be directed by the RSO. Clean up must be immediate:
  1. Don appropriate protective clothing (lab coats, gloves, etc.).
  2. Obtain plastic bags; use at least two, one for disposables, another for materials and equipment that are not disposable.
  3. Place a second pair of gloves over the gloves you are wearing.
  4. Use remote handling equipment whenever possible. Carefully place the material (absorbent paper) used to cover the spill, in a plastic bag. Continue to absorb and remove the spill until no obvious amounts remain. Place all contaminated items, including gloves, into appropriate bags. Double bag the waste and place it in a radioactive waste container.
  5. Survey with an appropriate meter. Wipe test the area. Check the area around the spill, hands, and clothing for contamination.
  6. Post remediation wipe tests must be performed .

(ii) Major Spills

Major spills are all spills not defined as minor spills.  The clean up of these spills must be done under the direct supervision of Radiation Safety staff.  If a major spill occurs, the following steps must be employed to ensure that it is remediated safely and appropriately.

  1. Clear the Area: Notify all persons not involved in the spill to vacate the room, but not to leave the area until they have been properly monitored for possible contamination.
  1. Prevent the Spread: Cover the spill with absorbent pads or paper. Do not attempt to clean it up. Confine the movements of all personnel potentially contaminated to prevent further contamination. 
  1. Shield the Source: If possible, the spill should be shielded, but only if it can be done without further contamination or without significantly increasing your radiation exposure.
  1. Close Off Access to the Room: Leave the room and lock and/or monitor the door to prevent entry.
  1. Notify the RSO Immediately.
  1. Personnel Decontamination: Survey clothes and exposed skin. Contaminated clothing should be removed and stored for further evaluation by the Radiation Safety Officer. If contamination is on the skin, flush the skin thoroughly with lukewarm water, then wash with mild soap and lukewarm water. Survey again. Repeat the process as long as contamination remains.
  1. The RSO will supervise the clean up of the spill and complete a report.

7.4 Personnel Contamination

If an individual is or is likely to be contaminated with radioactive materials, all possible measures must be employed to prevent excessive exposure to others without risking further radiation exposure to the contaminated individual (i.e. shield source, erect warning signs and barriers). The Radiation Supervisor for the area and the RSO must be contacted immediately if personnel contamination has occurred.  Individuals who are contaminated or potentially contaminated may not leave the area until released by Radiation Safety staff.  If the situation should require the contaminated individual to vacate the area (i.e. a fire) the individual should go to the nearest safe area and remain there until released by Radiation Safety staff.

Radioactive contamination must be removed immediately and properly.  All parameters that would be useful in estimating the level of exposure must be recorded. Useful parameters may included meter readings, equipment setting, exposure time, location of exposed portions of the body, etc.

(i) External Contamination

External contamination results from contact with a radioactive material. This contact may be a result of loose radioactive material in the form of liquids (droplets, aerosols, etc.) or solid particles (dust, powder).  If an individual is likely to be contaminated with radioactive material, the following steps must be followed to remedial the contamination promptly and effectively.

  1. Remove all contaminated clothing immediately and don alternate clothing.
  1. Monitor the level of contamination and record survey instrument readings. If contamination is suspected, but cannot be monitored properly (e.g. H3), contact the RSO immediately.
  1. Immediately wash the contaminated area with a mild soap and lukewarm water. Confine cleaning operations to the contaminated area as much as possible. Wash for three minutes, rinse and monitor the area to judge the effectiveness of the procedure. Continue washing as necessary to achieve a non-detectable level. Do not take any action which causes skin abrasion. Do not use organic solvents.
  1. Notify the RSO.

(ii) Internal Contamination

Internal contamination may result from: the ingestion and/or inhalation of radionuclides; wounds caused by contaminated objects; and absorption of radionuclides through the skin. If internal contamination is known or suspected, contact the RSO immediately. A bioassay(s) will be performed to determine if the individual is contaminated and/or to measure the extent of the exposure. If the accident involves a minor wound, immediately spread edges and wash the wound for five minutes in a strong stream of lukewarm water and allow bleeding to flush the wound. In the event of a serious injury, other concerns (i.e. shock, bleeding) take precedence over radiological concerns. Record all information useful in assessing the extent the contamination and potential exposure.  This information may include the radioisotope(s) involved, the activity of the isotopes, the chemical form of the material, etc.

7.5 Radiological Emergencies

The following are situations that should be handled as radiological emergencies:

  • An excessively high dose of external radiation has been received or may have been received by an occupationally exposed individual. Excessive doses for occupationally exposed individuals are doses greater than occupationally exposure limits listed in Section Five of this Handbook.
  • Any amount of internal radioactive contamination has been received or may have been received by an occupationally exposed individual.
  • Internal or external contamination has been received or may have been received by a non-occupationally exposed individual in excess of the Public Dose limit listed in Section 5.5.4 of this Handbook.
  • Radioactive material has been accidentally released in a laboratory exceeding the limits for a minor spill listed in Section 7.3.1 of this Handbook
  • Radioactive material has been released/spilled in a non-controlled area or in the outside environment.

(i) Procedure for Handling Radiological Emergencies

If a radiological emergency occurs, the RSO and the laboratory’s Radiation Supervisor must be contacted immediately.  The following steps are provided as a guide for handling Radiological emergencies.

  1. Stop work.
  1. Notification: Notify all individuals in the area of the situation and remove them from any risk of additional radiation exposure. Individuals who are potentially contaminated must remain at the scene or the nearest safe area until released by the RSO.
  1. Prevent the Spread: Do not spread contamination from contaminated hands, feet or equipment. Remove any contaminated clothing. Beware of possible airborne or volatile radioactive contamination.
  1. Call For Assistance: Contact Radiation Safety personnel as listed on the Emergency Assistance Directory in Section 7.5.2 of this Handbook.

Refer to Sections 7.3 for handling radioactive material spills.  Refer to Section 7.4 for personnel contamination.  Do not risk further exposure. Remember that treatment for any serious non‑radiological personal injuries must take priority.

(ii) Emergency Assistance

In the event of a radiological emergency, the individuals listed below should be contacted in descending order until some one is reached for assistance. The Public Safety department 315.443.2224 and the Radiation Supervisor for the area should also be contacted for all radiological emergencies

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