Reporting and Documenting Contamination Levels

DOE-STD-1128-98

Guide of Good Practices for Occupational Radiological Protection in Plutonium Facilities

(although the last item need not be of importance). However, in dry glove boxes

with dusty operations using high-exposure plutonium, personnel exposure control

is a problem and vacuuming is a quick and effective method of keeping the dust

and exposure rates under control and should be considered.

Note: The use of vacuum cleaners may require review by Facility Criticality

Safety personnel because vacuum cleaners are likely to concentrate fissionable

material.

The use of vacuum cleaners for contamination control requires careful

consideration and strict controls to assure that the process does not spread

contamination. As a minimum, all vacuums used for radioactive material should

have HEPA filtration on the exhaust. In some instances, the additional precaution

of having the exhaust vented into a process ventilation system should be

considered.

4.2.2 Reporting and Documenting Contamination Levels

Radiological control programs require the performance of contamination surveys to

determine existing conditions in a given location. Maps with sufficient detail to permit

identification of original survey locations should be maintained. Records should contain

sufficient detail to be meaningful even after the originator is no longer available.

Contamination surveys should be recorded on appropriate standard forms and include the

following common elements:

-- Date, time, and purpose of the survey

-- General and specific location of the survey

-- Name and signature of the surveyor and analyst

-- Pertinent information needed to interpret the survey results

-- Reference to a specific Radiological Work Permit if the survey is performed to support

the permit [see DOE standard, Radiological Control, part 751.1 (DOE, 1999a)].

Records should be maintained to document changes in monitoring equipment, techniques

and procedures [see DOE standard Radiological Control, part 751.2 (DOE, 1999a)].

In addition, records of contamination surveys should include, at a minimum, the following

information:

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