Radiological Controls

DOE-EM-STD-5505-96

APPENDIX G

SAMPLE OPERATIONS ASSESSMENT REPORT

RADIOLOGICAL CONTROLS

REFERENCES:

1. Site Radiological Control Manual (SRCM)

FINDING:

Numerous personnel failed to minimize skin contact with potentially contaminated surfaces.

(Reference: 1) [Concern: 5]

DISCUSSION: Personnel contamination control work practices were observed during work

at Y-Farm, X-Farm, and C-Farm. Approximately fifty percent of the personnel observed

exhibited poor contamination control work practices. Examples include: More than ten

personnel were observed touching their nose or face with PCS while working inside a

Contamination Area (CA), Other problems included wiping nose or face with sleeve of

PCS, resting forehead on arm sleeve of PC during rest period, pushing up glasses with

potentially contaminated gloves. One person working inside a CA removed his hood, put it

in his pocket, and put on a hard hat. Several poor contamination control work practices

were observed during doffing of protective clothing: one worker adjusted his personal

clothing with potentially contaminated gloves; one person put his potentially contaminated

hardhat back on his bare head; one person rested his bare arm on the door inside the

contamination area while waiting to perform a whole body frisk; two of three personnel

observed used improper technique when removing their respirators (the workers lifted the

respirators and pulled them over their head); two workers used improper technique when

removing anti-C hoods; one person was observed retrieving material from inside a used

anti-C bin wearing only latex gloves; one person was observed walking over a contaminated

laydown surface that had been used to prevent the spread of contamination from the highly

contaminated bottom surface of the DCRT cover block.

FINDING:

Most personnel observed performing personnel contamination monitoring at tank farm

contamination control points displayed poor frisking practices. (Reference: 1) [Concern: 5]

DISCUSSION: Seven of nine health physics technicians and workers observed performing

frisking at contamination control points at N, Y, X, and C farms displayed significant

deficiencies in frisking technique. In 15 whole body frisk evolutions observed, significant

errors were made in 11 cases. Errors included frisking much too fast, holding the probe too

far from the surface being surveyed, not pausing at nose and mouth, and not covering all

surfaces of the body.

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