RPPM 9.0 University Response to a Radiological Emergency

9.1 Overview of Radiological Emergency Response

Injuries to Personnel Involving Radiation Hazards
At a University facility, whenever there is a significant injury of any kind – Life safety is always the first responsibility !
Call 911, or the appropriate emergency response number for the location, and provide appropriate first aid. Stay with the injured person until first responders arrive.
Provide guidance to the first responders as to the radiological hazard(s) that may affect the injured individual and/or the first responders.
All radiation use facilities are required to have a Spill and Radiological Emergency Call List (RPPM 10.E, RSO Forms) posted conspicuously near the entry door or by the nearest phone. Notify the Authorized User and/or laboratory supervisor of the situation.
If during normal business hours, the AU and/or laboratory supervisor are not immediately available, notify the department office and the RSO and request assistance.
The RSO must be notified anytime a person is contaminated with radioactive materials that cannot be immediately removed by simple flushing with water (509-335-8916 or via 509-335-6000 if out-of-hours).
All radiation accidents (contaminated wounds, overexposures, ingestion, inhalation, etc.), must be reported to the RSO as soon as possible.

Emergency First Response Units and Authority
On the Pullman campus, the Pullman Fire Department is the primary emergency response unit and their personnel will initially assume Incident Command with regards to any fire, explosion, or hazardous materials dispersal event that results in an emergency at a campus facility;
At non-Pullman University locations, there should be a memorandum of agreement (MOA) in place for trained first responder assistance from a local or regional first response unit.
Any one working in a posted radioactive materials use area must know how to contact their location’s emergency first responders and the University Radiation Safety Office (509-335-8916).

When a minor wound is or may be contaminated with radioactive materials:
If possible flush the wound with tepid, clean running water as soon as possible using any sink or eyewash station;
Seek appropriate medical attention;
Notify any first responders and medical personnel of the potential for contamination and specify the type of contamination and associated hazards.
If there is a potential for spread of contamination to a public area (corridor, stairwell; elevator, private vehicle; etc.) notify the RSO immediately (509-335-8916 or via 509-335-6000 if out-of-hours). Please leave your call back number so that we can get in touch with you quickly to verify the location and details.)

Once the injured individual has been provided with appropriate medical care, they and all areas where contamination may have been spread must be surveyed completely and decontaminated, as necessary.
Restrict access and egress from all potentially contaminated areas;
Begin surveys and decontamination of all affected individuals first;
For each individual surveyed, the initial survey data and all subsequent survey data, as decontamination proceeds, must be recorded in a formal and sequential survey record format;
After all individuals have been decontaminated, complete the survey and decontamination procedure for all potentially contaminated areas.

A complete written history of the accident and subsequent actions taken must be prepared by the AU and all radiation workers involved.

The RSO will:
Investigate the incident and prepare a formal Incident Report;
Estimate the exposure values for all contaminated individuals and prepare a record of the estimated radiation dose received by individuals involved in the incident. For occupational exposures the dose will be included in the radiation worker annual exposure report/record.
Make all required notifications and reports to oversight regulatory agencies.

9.2 Responsibilities Before, During and After a Radiological Emergency Response

Authorized Users and their Radiation Workers
An Authorized User and the radiation workers who routinely participates in approved radiological use under an Authorization are to provide first responders with current and precise information on all hazards within their restricted area;
It is a requirement of the RPP that an up-to-date “Radioactive Materials Incident or Spill Assistance Call List” (see RPPM 10.E, RSO Forms) be posted conspicuously near all entry doors and/or by a phone in a restricted area where RAM is stored;
All AUs and workers must be familiar with the safety equipment and protocols in place for Spill and Emergency Response at the location(s) where they store an inventory of radioactive material;
All Authorizations should have an emergency response plan that is known by all workers who frequent the restricted area(s);
It is vital that personnel are knowledgeable about the hazards in the work area and are willing to respond to assist public safety, facility operations and/or first responders when there is an emergency that involves their work area, both during and out of normal University work hours.
Authorizations should maintain protocols and spill kits so that their radiation workers will be able and willing to respond appropriately to spills and un-intended dispersals of radioactive materials. Each worker must be able to:
Call for immediate assistance if there is concern for life-safety (Pullman campus, 7-911) and clearly indicate to emergency dispatcher the location and type of emergency.
If needed, seek the assistance of other trained personnel in your area;
Provide appropriate first aid to any injured individual(s);
Detect and identify the radionuclide contaminants and know the hazard potentials;
Identify any other hazards in the immediate vicinity (i.e. – corrosive; ignitable; explosive)
Post and demarcate the spill area and restrict access;
Contain and prevent spread of the hazard(s) within the restricted area and prevent the tracking of RAM contamination into uncontrolled public areas (this may require preventing potentially-contaminated individuals from leaving the area or confining them to a restricted area);
Perform a contamination survey of yourself or any other workers or individuals who may have been contaminated;
If a person has been contaminated, begin decontamination procedures and notify the RSO.
Radiation workers must contact the RSO whenever they need assistance with spill containment or whenever a spill extends into a public (non-RAM posted) area.

Management of Radiological Hazards following an Emergency
The support department and AU are responsible for the management and resolution of a spill of the Authorization’s radioactive materials within a restricted area when the spill and clean-up of the resulting contamination are within the capability of the AU and their radiation workers.
The University, through the RSO and EH&S, is responsible for follow-up control, management and documentation of any dispersal of hazardous materials that are in public areas or are beyond the control of an Authorization’s restricted area. These units will work in concert until all hazards are identified and controlled.
The RSO and the University have the responsibility to:
Assist in the control and remediation of a dispersal of radioactive materials held under the authority of the University’s Broadscope license;
To notify the WA DOH Office of Radiation Protection when their assistance is required during a radiological emergency.

Departmental Responsibilities
Each department should have written Laboratory Safety Policies and Procedures that makes provisions and provide specific guidance for each of its research units on specific hazards within their facilities;
Each AU and all workers and students within a department must be kept familiar with:
The department’s policies and procedures regarding laboratory safety and emergency response;
How and who workers are to notify within their department if they have concerns about laboratory safety;
All individuals who access a posted radiation use facility are to be familiar with the “Radioactive Materials Incident or Spill Assistance Call List” and how to immediately contact the AU and RSO using the information included on the “call list”.

RSO Safety Oversight
When Authorization applications are reviewed, the RSO and RSC will identify any safety concerns and resolve the concern before approving the Authorization;
During routine facility audits, RSO auditors will note:
Any safety concerns within a research facility;
The presence of hazardous materials within the restricted area;
Laboratory protocols and personnel performance that could create a safety hazard.
If the identified safety concern(s), if not corrected during the audit it will be noted in the Auditor’s report and communicated to the AU via a personal conversation or written memo.

9.3 Prevention and Control of Radioactive Materials Spills and Dispersal

General Guidelines for Spill Response
All spills are important and can have significant consequences to the individuals involved; Authorization; Department; and University if they are not contained and resolved in an efficient manner.
A minor spill becomes a much more significant situation if it goes unrecognized; is “ignored” until later; inadequately cleaned; contaminates personnel and students; or is tracked around and out of the restricted area !
All radiation workers who handle or work in areas where dispersible forms of RAM are used must know how to perform a self-survey and to decontaminate them self and/or co-workers (see http://emergency.cdc.gov/radiation/screeningvideos/index.asp)

Minor Spill within a restricted area and when there is a minor radiation hazard:

Notify people in vicinity;
Assess and address the first aid needs of any injured individual(s);
Soak up liquids with or using absorbents, or use a moist absorbent sponge or pad on dry powders to prevent its spread;
Restrict access to area;
Use signs or stickers to clearly designate the spill area;
Initiate cleanup with the assistance of other trained staff;
After cleanup, monitor the area and all personnel participating in the clean-up.
If there is a potential for internal contamination of any individual, inform the RSO. Appropriate bioassays for exposed individuals may be needed.
Notify the RSO if there are any unresolved issues or potential that the contamination was tracked into a public area.

Moderate to Large Spills that may present a significant radiation hazards:

Notify people in the vicinity.
Assess and address the first aid needs of any injured individual(s);
Notify the Authorized User, lab supervisor and Radiation Safety Office;
Isolate area and prevent entry to only trained and required personnel
Initiate containment and clean-up actions and protocols;
Request the assistance of the Radiation Safety Office;
Radiation surveys must be performed and documented as decontamination is performed and until contamination has been removed (< 2x background);
During and after cleanup, monitor yourself and other personnel frequently to assure no one has been contaminated;
Remove protective clothing and monitor yourself and others before leaving the restricted area.
If there is a potential for internal contamination, notify the RSO so that appropriate bioassays for exposed individual(s) can be scheduled and performed;
The RSO will investigate and prepare a radiological Incident Report.

Spill with an Airborne Hazard:

If the spill is within a fume hood, close the sash and get out of the laboratory;
Notify others in the vicinity and evacuate everyone from the lab (hold breath in transit);
Assess and address the first aid needs of any injured individual(s);
Isolate and restrict the area, allowing no entry into the area;
Notify the AU, lab supervisor, and Radiation Safety Office and wait until help arrives;
Stay in a nearby restricted area and take actions to prevent the spread of contamination by removing the protective clothing of all potentially-exposed workers (i.e. –l ab coats) and placing them into aplastic, sealable bag;
Monitor yourself and others who were present in the affected area for contamination.
The RSO will take possession of contaminated clothing; will notify individuals of their exposure potential; will schedule appropriate bioassays if internal contamination is likely.

9.4 Leakage from a sealed source of radioactive materials

All radiation workers must be aware that sealed sources of radiation can leak or breach if they are abraded or damaged during use.

Radiation workers must know how to detect a leaking source and prevent the spread of contamination, including:
They must wear PPE and any assigned dosimetry when handling a source;
All handling and use of sealed sources must be in a posted and restricted authorized area;
Never leave the source unattended;
Always place sealed sources back into their labeled and secure storage container;
After handling or using a sealed source the radiation worker must perform a self and work area survey to assure there has been no contamination;
The RSO must be notified immediately if contamination is detected that is originating from a sealed source.

9.5 Radioactive Materials Contamination of a Public Area

Radiation workers who are transporting a dispersible form of radioactive material through a public area (free-access corridors, between floors or between adjoining or nearby buildings, etc. ) must be pre-planned to include the following safety provisions:
Use of tertiary containment (i.e. – labeled vial, inside a labeled and sealed “pig”, inside a sealed plastic transport container);
Avoidance of high traffic areas at times when many people are in an area;
Use of a safe, direct route between locations, maintaining direct control of the transport container until the container is delivered to the alternate, secure and posted RAM use location;
Request RSO assistance and guidance prior to any transfer of material to another Authorization or whenever there is a need to use a vehicle for RAM transport, even if not leaving the grounds of the campus or research station.

NOTE: No RAM transport is to be performed using a privately-owned vehicle.

If a radiation worker is aware of a potential or known contamination of a public area they must:
Immediately contain and restrict access to an un-posted, unrestricted area;
Take action to warn others and prevent the spread of contamination;
Request the assistance of other radiation workers to assist in containment and the notification and control of any individuals who may have been contaminated;
Notify the RSO so that RSO staff can respond and assist;
Plan and prepare to perform surveys and to decontaminate anyone who may have been or is contaminated (see RPPM 10B).
Notify the RSO immediately (509-335-8916 or via 509-335-6000 if out-of-hours)

9.6 Control of External Radiation Exposures (Non-ALARA Radiation Fields)

Non-ALARA external radiation fields may be created due to dispersible forms of radioactive materials, sealed sources and a variety of machines are capable of producing x-rays or beams of electrons, protons, or neutrons both within and adjacent to restricted areas.
All radiation workers are to be knowledgeable about external radiation fields and must :
Know how radiation external exposure levels are identified and measured;
Know what the external radiation exposure level is in their work area;
How external radiation fields are mitigated or decreased by the proper application of time, distance, and shielding safety protocols.

Authorized User and Lab Manager ALARA Responsibilities
The AU and facility manager must know all activities performed in their radiation use area that have the potential to generate a measureable ambient radiation field and apply or initiate appropriate time, distance and shielding protections to assure no individual is exposed unnecessarily to a field of external radiation;
All sealed sources of radiation should be stored in adequately shielded storage containers and locations that are not accessible by anyone who is not listed on the Authorization or does not know how to properly handle the source;
All RAM stock material containers and all RAM waste containers must be properly secured and shielded to reduce the adjacent ambient radiation field to < 2 mrem/hr;
Periodic self-audits and surveys of an Authorization’s radiation use areas should be performed on a routine basis to assure ALARA and compliance requirements are maintained.

RSO ALARA Responsibilities and Monitoring Programs
During Authorization application review, the RSO and RSC will consider any sources of radiation and the requested type of use that could result in a measureable external radiation field that could expose radiation workers of members of the general public.
The suitability of available facilities and safety equipment is taken into consideration prior to Authorization approval;
If necessary, additional conditions (limitation of use) or the availability and use of specific equipment (i.e. – shielding or alarming ambient radiation field monitoring equipment) may be required as a requirement of an Authorization or experimental use protocol approval;
The RSO will place environmental exposure rate monitors (monthly or quarterly exchanged dosimeters) in any area where there is a potential for the presence of a higher than anticipated or non-compliant ambient radiation field within or adjacent to a radiation use area;
During RSO audits and surveys of active radiation use areas, ambient radiation levels within, and if appropriate, adjacent to the restricted area will be made and noted on survey records.
Corrective actions that include proper use of shielding and/or a restriction to the duration and schedule of approved use; and an increased frequency of RSO monitoring and surveys of the area will be implemented to assure and document that that ALARA is maintained.

9.7 Procedures for Loss or Theft of Radioactive Material

All Authorizations are responsible for the security and on-going oversight of radioactive materials (dispersible and sealed source) held in their inventory.

There is only one way to know radioactive materials are safe and secure:

Keep up-to-date, complete and well organized inventory records;
Use those inventory records to audit the storage locations of all radioactive materials inventory on a routine and on-going basis at a frequency (weekly) to assure any miss-placed; lost; or unauthorized removal of radioactive materials from their secure storage location are detected and investigated in a timely manner.

In the event of loss or theft of any radioactive materials, quickly notify the AU and all workers and individuals allowed access to the storage location.
Initiate a timely and quick investigation:
Complete a full audit with the assistance of another authorized worker.
Record what is missing in specific detail. When was it last known to be in use and/or in its proper storage location?
Does anyone know where the material is?
Did anyone see any unauthorized or unfamiliar individuals in the restricted area?
Did anyone see any unusual or suspicious activity in the area?
Is anything else missing ?
Call the RSO. Was there a waste pick-up or RSO- approved transfer that included the material but was not recorded in the inventory record ?

In all cases of lost or stolen sources of ionizing radiation, no matter how small, it is an Emergency and the following actions must be taken:
Call and report the matter immediately to the Radiation Safety Office (509-335-8916)
Contact the University Public Safety Office (509-335-8548).

Provide information to the RSO and Police as to the radionuclide, quantity, size, shape, associated hazards, etc. of all missing items.

The RSO participates in the University Emergency Management Team in a technical, consultative capacity.
The staff of the RSO assist, upon request and on a voluntary basis, first response teams that are concerned with a real or potential radiological hazard;
The RSO inventory and facilities tracking databases provide the RSO with a general level of understanding for what radiological hazards that could be encounter upon entry into, or downwind from, a University facility;
The RSO has containment supplies and radiation protection instruments stationed at several locations on the Pullman campus that could be used to assist first responders with radiological hazards identification; external exposure level determinations; and spill containment;
If needed, the WA DOH Office of Radiation Protection, provides assistance in radiological emergencies within the state of Washington (doh.wa.gov/CommunityandEnvironment/Radiation/RadiologicalEmergencyPreparedness.aspx)