Process Area - doe-std-1128-98

DOE-STD-1128-98

Provisions should be made for the quick and easy removal of shielding and

insulation that cover areas where maintenance or inspection are necessary

activities. Equipment should be designed to permit visual inspection wherever

possible.

Passageways should have adequate dimensions for the movement, repair,

installation, or removal of proposed or anticipated equipment.

Ergonomic factors should be considered in the selection and placement of

equipment components to facilitate operation and maintenance.

In any area where personnel may wear protective clothing or use breathing-air

systems, the use of sharp equipment projections, which could tear clothing or

breathing-air system hoses or cause wounds should be avoided.

Water-collection systems should be provided for water runoff from any controlled

area. Water from firefighting activities should be considered. The collection

systems should be designed to prevent nuclear criticality, to confine radioactive

materials, and to facilitate sampling and volume determinations of waste liquids

and solids.

Area drainage and collection systems should be designed to minimize the spread of

radioactive contamination, especially to areas occupied by personnel.

Curbs should be constructed around all areas that house tanks or equipment that

contains contaminated liquids to limit the potential spread of liquids.

Noncombustible and heat-resistant materials should be used in radiation areas that

are vital to the control of radioactive materials and in equipment that is necessary

for the operation of radiological safety systems. These materials should be resistant

to radiation damage and should not release toxic or hazardous by-products during

degradation, in accordance with IAEA Safety Series No. 30 (IAEA, 1981).

Floors, walls, and ceilings should have a smooth, impervious, and seamless finish.

The junction between the floor and walls should be covered, and corners should be

rounded. Light fixtures should be designed to be sealed flush with the ceiling

surface to minimize horizontal surfaces and prevent entry of contamination into the

fixtures in accordance with IAEA Safety Series No. 30 (IAEA, 1981). Protective

coatings (e.g., paint) used in radiation areas should meet the criteria in ANSI N512-

1974, Protective Coatings (Paints) for the Nuclear Industry (ANSI, 1974b).

An emergency lighting system should be provided in radiation areas to facilitate

egress in emergencies. The emergency lighting should meet the requirements of the

latest version of NFPA 101 (NFPA, 1985).

C.4.3

Process Area

The plutonium process area is typically a group of contiguous rooms that contain

all operations involving plutonium, including processing, shipping, receiving,

storage, and waste-handling. To the maximum extent practicable, the facility

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