Radiation Safety Training Manual: Incident Response

In the event radioactive liquid is spilled, the following steps should be taken in the following order:

a. Isolate the spill if possible. If an absorbent media (paper towels, etc.) is available, use it to limit the spread of the spill.

b. Announce to any other personnel in the area that a spill has occurred and to avoid the area. Do not leave the lab unless absolutely necessary. The types and quantities of radioactive material used at SDSU do not warrant an immediate evacuation due to a spill. It is important to ensure that personnel and their shoes are free of contamination prior to leaving the lab.

c. Call The Radiation Safety Officer at extension 4-6879 or the EH&S office at extension 4-6778. There is never any punitive action for reporting spills. It is important that safety personnel are notified in order to assess the extent of the spill or to assist in the cleanup. If the spill occurs in the evening or on a weekend, contact campus Public Safety at extension 4-1991. In addition, there are emergency phone numbers posted on the outside of the doors leading into all radioisotope laboratories.

d. If advised by safety personnel to clean the spill, start from the perimeter of the spill area and work toward the center to limit the spread of the spill. Remember to wear your lab coat, disposable gloves and dosimetry, if applicable. It may be necessary to enlist the help of a coworker to obtain supplies located outside the spill area to keep personnel involved in decontamination to a minimum.

Sometimes a severe contamination event can occur without having a spill. The presence of undiluted stock radioactive material on surfaces which foster migration, such as a floor, could be at least as serious from a contamination perspective as if a large volume of liquid were spilled. Whenever you find contamination in an area where you don’t expect it or if contamination is pervasive, contact Radiation Safety.

If your skin becomes contaminated wash the affected area immediately. Conventional soap and water is preferable for skin decontamination. The water temperature should be tepid to prevent the pores of your skin from either opening or closing, impeding decontamination efforts.

If your lab coat or clothing becomes contaminated, remove it immediately and place the item in a bag for disposal or decay as determined by Radiation Safety. The bag should be labeled with the date, the count rate if known, and the isotope. Whenever your lab coat or other clothing becomes contaminated, you should contact Radiation Safety for an assessment whether skin contamination has occurred and to determine the disposition of the contaminated garment. Under no circumstances should you take contaminated apparel off campus for laundering.


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	Environmental Health and Safety Radiation Safety Training Manual Incident Response 1. Spills In the event radioactive liquid is spilled, the following steps should be taken in the following order: a. Isolate the spill if possible. If an absorbent media (paper towels, etc.) is available, use it to limit the spread of the spill. b. Announce to any other personnel in the area that a spill has occurred and to avoid the area. Do not leave the lab unless absolutely necessary. The types and quantities of radioactive material used at SDSU do not warrant an immediate evacuation due to a spill. It is important to ensure that personnel and their shoes are free of contamination prior to leaving the lab. c. Call The Radiation Safety Officer at extension 4-6879 or the EH&S office at extension 4-6778. There is never any punitive action for reporting spills. It is important that safety personnel are notified in order to assess the extent of the spill or to assist in the cleanup. If the spill occurs in the evening or on a weekend, contact campus Public Safety at extension 4-1991. In addition, there are emergency phone numbers posted on the outside of the doors leading into all radioisotope laboratories. d. If advised by safety personnel to clean the spill, start from the perimeter of the spill area and work toward the center to limit the spread of the spill. Remember to wear your lab coat, disposable gloves and dosimetry, if applicable. It may be necessary to enlist the help of a coworker to obtain supplies located outside the spill area to keep personnel involved in decontamination to a minimum. Sometimes a severe contamination event can occur without having a spill. The presence of undiluted stock radioactive material on surfaces which foster migration, such as a floor, could be at least as serious from a contamination perspective as if a large volume of liquid were spilled. Whenever you find contamination in an area where you don’t expect it or if contamination is pervasive, contact Radiation Safety. 2. Personnel Contamination If your skin becomes contaminated wash the affected area immediately. Conventional soap and water is preferable for skin decontamination. The water temperature should be tepid to prevent the pores of your skin from either opening or closing, impeding decontamination efforts. If your lab coat or clothing becomes contaminated, remove it immediately and place the item in a bag for disposal or decay as determined by Radiation Safety. The bag should be labeled with the date, the count rate if known, and the isotope. Whenever your lab coat or other clothing becomes contaminated, you should contact Radiation Safety for an assessment whether skin contamination has occurred and to determine the disposition of the contaminated garment. Under no circumstances should you take contaminated apparel off campus for laundering.
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Environmental Health and Safety

Radiation Safety Training Manual

Incident Response