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labeled as radioactive material. A health physicist can later evaluate the material for the
presence and amount of radioactivity and then advise if the PPE can be washed without
radiation precautions, should be disposed of, or should be stored in a special manner.
DOE guidance. The Department of Energy Web site “Radiation Emergency Assistance
Center/Training Site (REAC/TS)” at http://orise.orau.gov/reacts/rad-incidentresponse.htm
provides guidance on proper use and disposal of PPE. Key information is
summarized below.
• The purpose of PPE is to keep bare skin and personal clothing free of
contaminants. Members of the radiological emergency response team should dress
in surgical clothing (scrub suit, gown, mask, cap, eye protection, and gloves) and
use waterproof shoe covers. A waterproof apron can also be worn by any member
of the team using liquids for decontamination purposes. All open seams and cuffs
should be taped using masking or adhesive tape. Fold-over tabs at the end of each
taped area will aid in removal.
• Two pairs of surgical gloves should be worn. The first pair of gloves should be
under the arm cuff and secured by tape. The second pair of gloves should be
easily removable and replaced if they become contaminated.
• A radiation dosimeter should be assigned to each team member and attached to
the outside of the surgical gown at the neck where it can be easily removed and
read. If available, a film badge or other type of dosimeter can also be worn under
the surgical gown.
• The above PPE effectively stops alpha and some beta particles but not gamma
rays. Lead aprons, such as those used in x-ray departments, are not recommended,
because they do not stop most gamma rays and give a false sense of security.
Monitoring of Personnel/Decontamination
The DOE Web site “Radiation Emergency Assistance Center/Training Site (REAC/TS)”
at http://orise.orau.gov/reacts/rad-incident-response.htm also presents guidance on
recommended procedures for monitoring of personnel (Figure 6.9).
The various aspects of decontamination include the following:
• Basic principles.
• How clean is clean?
• Techniques.
• Ambulatory versus non-ambulatory.
• Wet versus dry.
Basic Principles
The primary objective of skin decontamination is to prevent internal contamination
through secondary ingestion or inhalation. The secondary objective is to minimize the
radiation dose to the skin. Each potentially exposed person should be monitored.
Contamination levels should be recorded in the appropriate location on a form containing
an anatomical figure.
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