HOW TO DO RAD CONTAMINATION SURVEYS

THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF CONTAMINATION SURVEYS:

1.  EXPERIMENT SURVEYS: REQUIRED AFTER EVERY EXPERIMENT!

2.  MONTHLY SURVEYS: GIVE TO RSO BEFORE THE 20TH OF EVERY MONTH!

 BE CAREFUL AND READ THE FOLLOWING !!!
 The way you survey differs according to what isotope you are looking for!!! 

FOR ³H, ¹⁴C, ³⁵S ,³³P, ²⁰³Hg and ¹⁰⁹Cd USERS:

YOU MUST TAKE PAPER WIPES & COUNT IN THE LSC/GAMMA COUNTER!

1. USE THE HAND-HELD METER TO FIND ANY HOT SPOTS. Use the meter with the CYLINDRICAL probe for 109Cd; use the meter with the FLAT or "pancake" probe for the other isotopes! Remember, these meters cannot detect ³H.

2. WIPE AT LEAST 5 AREAS with a piece of filter paper, add a "clean wipe" control vial, AND COUNT TODAY (Gamma counter for 109Cd, LSC for all others)! * Include wipes on any hot spots you found in STEP 1. You may use one piece of filter paper for several areas as long as it doesn't get too dirty (keep floor wipe separate). Don't forget freezer handles, doorknobs, sinktops, counters, equipment etc. Clean areas with more counts than background; re-wipe and count. * Sometimes samples counted immediately after adding LSC fluid will give false, high readings; store the vials for two hours in the dark and re-count. If you still get high counts, it's time to clean!

3. WRITE YOUR NAME AND THE WIPED AREAS ON THE LSC PRINTOUT,AND PUT IT INTO THE LAB RADIATION NOTEBOOK TODAY; if this was a monthly survey, give the printout to the Rad Safety office today.

FOR ³²P, ¹²⁵I, ⁶⁵Zn, ⁶⁰Co, and ⁵⁴Mn USERS:

JUST USE THE HAND-HELD SURVEY METER!

1. USE THE HAND-HELD METER TO FIND ANY HOT SPOTS. Make sure you use the correct meter! Use the meter with the flat or "pancake" probe, unless you are looking for ¹²⁵I, in which case you need the meter with the cylindrical probe. For high background areas, wipe with filter paper then survey the paper with the meter. Clean any areas that have more counts than background, then re-survey.

2. IMMEDIATELY WRITE YOUR NAME, AREAS SURVEYED, AND THE RESULTS ON THE "CONTAMINATION SURVEY" LOG SHEET found in the Rad Notebook or posted in the lab. Give monthly surveys to the Rad Office today.

RADSVY.PRO 10./02