[ RadSafe ] Results from ? Determining Radon

[cobdw at tds.net]

Dear Rad-safers,
	I would like to say thank you for all of the responses that I received in regards to my question dated 4/24/05 titled Determining Radon.  The premise of the question was to ascertain the current practices in the field for releasing personnel from Posted Radiological Control Areas in regards to detecting or suspecting the probable contaminant was Radon progeny.   I received a total 18 responses and I would like to share with all of you how they panned out.  I have broken them down into 7 different areas.  
	The first area as you can imagine consist of those responses which have no value of which there were three.  The second grouping consisted of six responses which were waiting to decay and re-monitor.   The third group was decon methods and re-monitor; total five.  Fourth group of instrumentation recommendations tallied in at seven.  Three responses in the fifth group recommended using a ratio of alpha counts to beta counts.  Keeping records in the sixth group yielded three responses and finally the seventh group stating properties of decay and ratios to use yielded two responses.
	Of course, if you tally up all the responses you get more than 18 and the reason for this is that many of the responders volunteered information in more than one category.  
	Based on the information that I have received, I am comfortable with the proposed methodology that I have developed at my site in dealing with probable radon contamination alarms.  This method consist of using a 1:2 ratio of alpha to beta counts, determination of the area and material that is alarming i.e. (plastic hard hat, plastic reflective tape on safety vest, polyester clothing, soles of shoes in wet weather) easily removed with maslin, stretch and dust, picochee cloth, or static guard spray, re-monitor and release, otherwise, hold, decay, then re-monitor.  If all of this fails then declare an actual contamination event and follow the applicable procedures.  Of course, we will document all of this and keep records accordingly. 
	I have also found out that an AP-2 is available within our organization if the alarms on the PCM-2 become to numerous or regular to deal with any other way.
	Again, thank you to all of you who had value added information to provide.  
Sincerely,
Douglas Coble
BST in Nuclear Technology
RRPT
Lead SRCT Y-12 Projects

> 
> From: <cobdw at tds.net>
> Date: 2005/04/24 Sun PM 02:19:00 GMT
> To: <radsafe at radlab.nl>
> Subject: [ RadSafe ] Determining Radon
> 
> Our soil remediation project just acquired a PCM-2.  This is a whole body gas proportional frisker set up to detect alpha and beta contamination.  Since we are a soil remediation project, we are subject to radon gas. Per our procedures, we are required to report all personal skin and clothing contaminations with the exception of contamination due to radon gas.  I was wondering if anyone out there has had experience with this type of instrument in detecting radon gas and what methodology is used in the field to determine if the alarms are due to radon or real contamination?  Please keep in mind that we do not have a count room available with the gamma spec. capabilities.  We are limited to field instruments only.  
> 
> Thank you in advance for all replies to this inquiry.
> 
> Douglas Coble
> 
> 
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