Personal Protective Equipment - doe-hdbk-1184-2004

DOE-HDBK-1184-2004

be given to the costs and difficulties associated with handling any resulting waste

products.

6.2.4

Personal Protective Equipment

Because STCs can exist in particulate form, the personal protective equipment

(PPE) used for ITP control is not unique that equipment used for control of other

radioactive particulates in the workplace should be sufficient for ITP control also.

Different from respiratory protection for exposure to HT and HTO, air purifying

respirators may be used for ITP work. Consideration should be given to the need

for special cleaning and handling needs for STC-contaminated PPE to reduce the

probability of spreading STC contamination to previously unaffected areas or to

minimizing the handling and cleaning of STC contaminated PPE. These needs

may be met by establishing separate facilities for STC-contaminated PPE, by using

disposable anti-contamination clothing, or by ensuring the handling areas are free

of STC contamination before handling non-STC-contaminated PPE. In most cases,

the cost of establishing special facilities for handling STC-contaminated PPE will be

prohibitive. If offsite facilities are used for cleaning/processing of PPE (e.g.,

contracted laundry facilities for contaminated protective clothing), the contractor

should be made aware of the possibility of STC contamination so that he may

implement an effective STC control program at his facility.

6.2.5

Area Posting

10 CFR Part 835 requires that certain areas be posted to alert individuals to the

presence of specific conditions, including specified levels of:

penetrating external radiation;

removable surface contamination; and

These requirements are augmented by requirements for posting areas where

radioactive items or containers of radioactive material are used, handled, or stored,

and requirements for posting areas to which access is controlled for radiation

protection purposes.

Because tritium, including STCs, is not typically considered an external radiation

hazard, posting for penetrating external radiation hazards is not expected to be an

issue for areas where STCs are used, handled or stored.

The need for posting to alert individuals to the presence of removable

contamination, airborne radioactivity, and radioactive items or containers of

radioactive materials, consisting in whole or part of STCs, depends on the results of

efforts to identify the presence, and quantify levels of, STCs in specified areas.

General guidance for establishing area postings for radiological hazards is provided

in DOE G 441.1-10 (DOE 1999d), Posting and Labeling for Radiological Control

Guide. This guidance is applicable to posting for the presence of STCs; however,

the STC surface or airborne contamination level should be evaluated consistent

with the guidance provided in Sections 3.1 and 3.2 of this handbook. Section

3.2.1.2 provides guidance pertinent to areas or objects where tritium is bound tightly