Re: Donning a Respirator inside a CA

["Carol O'Shaughnessy" <oshaun@ntown.com>]

Donning of a respirator while I/S a CA (very low levels alpha, usually no
beta/gamma) is done quite frequently at our facility. Even though stringent
frisking needs to be done, you should also consider where that bagged respirator
is being stored until it's needed. We provide non-contaminated lockers
(frequently smeared) for respirators so that the bag does not become externally
contaminated. Workers should always remove outer gloves before even handling the
bag if that bag is placed in the CA.

Terry_D_Merkling@rl.gov wrote:

> 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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