The Contamination Reduction Zone

DOE-EM-STD-5503-94

and out of the contaminated area and to verify that site control procedures are followed. Separate

entrances and exits should be established to separate personnel and equipment movement into

and out of the Exclusion Zone.

All persons who enter the Exclusion Zone should wear the appropriate level of Personal

Protective Equipment (PPE) for the degree and types of hazards present (see Chapter 5). If the

Exclusion Zone is subdivided, different levels of PPE may be appropriate. Each subdivision of

the Exclusion Zone should be clearly marked to identify the hazards and the required level of

PPE.

9.3.2. The Contamination Reduction Zone

The Contamination Reduction Zone is the area in which decontamination procedures take place.

It is the transition area between the Exclusion Zone and the Support Zone. The purpose of the

Contamination Reduction Zone is to reduce the possibility that the Support Zone will become

contaminated or affected by the site hazards.

The Contamination Control Line marks the boundary between the Contamination Reduction

Zone and the Support Zone and separates the clean areas of the site from those areas used to

decontaminate workers and equipment. Access Control Points between the Contamination

Reduction Zone and the Support Zone should be established to ensure workers entering the

Contamination Reduction Zone are wearing the proper PPE and that workers exiting the

Contamination Reduction Zone to the Support Zone remove or decontaminate all potentially

contaminated PPE.

9.3.3. The Support Zone

The Support Zone is the uncontaminated area where workers are unlikely to be exposed to

hazardous substances or dangerous conditions. Because the Support Zone is free from

contamination, personnel working within it may wear normal work clothes. Any potentially

contaminated clothing, equipment, and samples (outer containers) should remain inside the

Contamination Reduction Zone or the Exclusion Zone.

Designation of the Support Zone should be based on all available site characterization data and

should be located upwind from the Exclusion Zone. The Support Zone should be in an area that

is known to be free of elevated (i.e., higher than background) concentrations of hazardous

substances.

9.4. USING THE BUDDY SYSTEM

When carrying out activities in the Exclusion Zone, workers should use the "buddy system" to

ensure that rapid assistance can be provided in the event of an emergency. The "buddy system"

is an approach used to organize workgroups so that each worker is designated to be observed by

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