RE: Donning a Respirator inside a CA

[Rodney Bauman <RBauman@wssrap.com>]

Sounds logical to me.  I know of no regulation specifically prohibiting such
a practice.  In fact, I've done it myself.  Just make sure the survey and
bagging requirements are strictly adhered to.

BTW, I read in today's newspaper that a Worker's Compensation Bill was
approved by Congress, and pending Mr. Clinton's approval, will provide
something like $150,000 to ill uranium miners and enrichment plant workers.
It is estimated that this will inevitably cost taxpayers many billions of
dollars.  WOW!  Check your local papers and internet news providers for
details.

Rodney Bauman, CHP, RRPT
Weldon Spring Site Remedial Action Project
St. Charles, Missouri
rbauman@wssrap.com


-----Original Message-----
From: Terry_D_Merkling@rl.gov [mailto:Terry_D_Merkling@rl.gov]
Sent: Friday, October 06, 2000 12:45 PM
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: Donning a Respirator inside a CA


Please give me your opinion on donning a respirator while inside a CA.

PFP Hanford has employees working in Pu gloveboxes which are located in
rooms that are posted as Contamination Areas (CAs).  The majority of surface
areas in these areas are <20 dpm/100cm2, but there are isolated areas up to
2,000 dpm/100cm2.  The workers wear 1-pair of booties and 1-pair of
shoecovers, (taped), 2-pairs of gloves (inner are taped), and coveralls; no
hood.  If waste or product needs to be sealed-out of the glovebox, the room
(airspace) needs to be placed on Airborne Radioactive Area (ARA) status.
Presently, to do this, the employees exit the CA, survey and re-dress with
the same protective clothing plus a respirator and hood (taped).

The proposed plan would be to use the same logic as found in the DOE RadCon
Manual, Article 342.11.  It allows drinking water in a CA if the workers
hands and faces are monitored for contamination prior to drinking.  The
proposed PFP plan would be to have the workers change their outer gloves and
either self monitor or have a RCT monitor the workers hands, face and head.
If clean, the workers would remove a respirator from its bag, don it, then
put on a hood and tape it to the respirator. 

Does anyone see a down side to this plan?  
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