Emergency:Lost of Control Of Unsealed Source

-        Hi everyone!! This time we would like to share about the 3 sources of radiation emergencies. The radiation emergencies include lost control of sealed source,lost control of unsealed source and conventional emergency like fire. Yet, we are going to focus on the lost control of unsealed source.

  Before that, what is unselaed source? Unsealed source is a source of Ionising Radiation in the form of Radioactive material which is not encapsulated or otherwise contained.

- The implication is that unsealed radioactive material can move around and if uncontrolled would lead to Contamination .

According to BSS (basic  safety standard) , we have to follow these steps to handle the lost control of unsealed source: 

•  Requirement 43:  The government shall ensure that an integrated and coordinated emergency management system is established and maintained.
•  The procedures should be clear, concise and unambiguous and shall be posted visibly in places where their need is anticipated.
• An emergency plan shall, as a minimum, list/describe:

1.  predictable incidents and accidents and measures to deal with them;
2.  the persons responsible for taking actions, with full contact details;
3.  the responsibilities of individual personnel in emergency procedures (nuclear medicine physicians, medical physicists, nuclear medicine technologists, etc.);
4.  equipment and tools necessary to carry out the emergency procedures;
5.  training and periodic rehearsal;
6.  recording and reporting system;
7.  immediate measures to avoid unnecessary radiation doses to patients, staff and public;
8.  measures to prevent access of persons to the affected area; and
9.  measures to prevent spread of contamination.

Decontamination process

A)   Small Amounts of Radioactive Spills

•     Use protective clothing and disposable gloves
•     Quickly blot the spill with an absorbent pad to keep it from spreading.
•      A plastic bag to hold contaminated items shall be available as well as some damp paper towels
•      Remove the pad from the spill
•      Wipe with a towel from the edge of the contaminated area toward the centre
•     Dry the area and perform a wipe test
•      Continue the cycle of cleaning and wipe testing until the wipe sample indicates that the spill is cleaned

  B)  Large Amounts of Radioactive Spills

•      The RPO should immediately be informed and directly supervise the clean-up.
•      Absorbent pads may be thrown over the spill to prevent further spread of contamination.
•      All people not involved in the spill should leave the area immediately.
•       All people involved in the spill should be monitored for contamination when leaving the room.
•      If clothing is contaminated it should be removed and placed in a plastic bag labeled ’RADIOACTIVE’.
•      If contamination of skin occurs, the area should immediately be washed.
•     If contamination of eye occurs, flush with large quantities of water.