Contamination Surveys of the Workplace

DOE-STD-1136-2004

Guide of Good Practices for Occupational Radiological Protection in Uranium Facilities

existing needs, but also should be flexible to allow for incorporation of the possible advantages to be

provided by the various available monitoring practices. Monitoring practices include, but are not

limited, to the following:

contamination surveys of the workplace,

release surveys,

external exposure surveys,

airborne contamination surveys, and

routine surveillance by an RCT.

4.2.2.1 Contamination Surveys of the Workplace

The radiation monitoring program should include documented survey procedures, a system for

maintaining survey results, and contamination control limits for "fixed" and "removable" contamination.

The results of contamination surveys should be reported in activity per area (e.g., dpm/100 cm2) except

for large-area swipes and swipes of very small items. This permits interpretation of the recorded data

without requiring knowledge of instrument efficiency or geometry.

All workplaces should be monitored for contamination levels on a regularly scheduled basis. The

frequency of such surveys will depend on the potential for dispersion of the radioactive material. As a

minimum, all gloves, work surfaces, floors, equipment, etc., within the workplace should be surveyed

according to the frequencies listed in DOE-STD-1098-99, Radiological Control (DOE 1999a).

The change room and other support facilities within the controlled area should be surveyed for

contamination daily. Continuous air monitors, survey instruments at step-off pads, and hand and shoe

counters should be functionally tested daily or once per shift in support of the weekly and monthly

surveys.

These frequent surveys are also part of the routine surveillance program and permit immediate follow-up if

low- level contamination is detected to minimize the potential for major incidents. Some fixtures and

support areas outside the controlled area, such as door knobs and telephones of adjacent offices and the

lunchroom, should also be surveyed daily. Other support areas should be surveyed monthly. If routine

survey results detect any contamination in a given area, more detailed surveys should be performed to

determine the extent and source of the contamination.

Two principles should be adopted to preclude the possibility that contaminated waste would be dis-

posed of as ordinary waste: 1) all process and controlled area waste should be considered contaminated,

and 2) mechanisms should be established that prevent the mixing of contaminated and non-contaminated

waste.

4.2.2.2 Release Surveys

As state d in Section 2.1.4.1., transuranics exist in small quantities of recycled or reclaimed feed

materials. In many instances, these isotopes may be limiting for release of materials. For transuranic

and uranium radionuclides, the contamination level (fixed and removable) at which surfaces are

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