Re: Ra where you least suspect it

[EMCAJK@aol.com]

        Another area where the Navy used radium as an illuminator was on
sound powered telephone barrel switches.  The construction was very similiar
to what was described for the alidade(sic).  These illuminators allowed one
to see which station you were calling even on a loss of electrical power.
 They read 90 -120 mr/hr on contact using a GM  detector.  Well to make
matters worse I and others stowed these Ra sources in plastic bags and locked
them in a room with HEPA filtered exhaust(it was out of commission at the
time)  till we decided on their final disposition.   During a routine
contamination survey of this space which also was a long term radioactive
material storage area, Had elevated background(normally ~80cpm) counts at
around 300cpm and no specific cause for this could be found.   Realizing that
Ra. was also being stored in this room as well as other things(including a
neutron source) I ordered that a  portable air sample to be taken.  A one
cubic meter sample through a 0.45 micron filter resulted in 4000 cpm  on a
beta-gamma survey meter with a pancake probe.  Counts on a alpha survey
meter(ZnS) gave counts on the order of 500 cpm alpha.  The area was
immediately posted as a high airborne area.  The filter paper was further
analyzed by MCA which indicated,  predominately, a Pb -210 peak.  Analyses
performed on a large area wipes also indicated the deposition of Pb onto
surfaces throughout the room.  The Ra was removed a sealed in a drum and
custody was turned over to Newport News Shipbuilding.  The room was
decontaminated such that no loose contamination was found to be present by
dry swipe.  Myself and one other individual were monitored internally with no
uptake noted.(As compared to initial baseline measurement)   Background
radiation levels were found to be back within normal values and the High
Airborne Area was reduced back to access requirements for a long-term RMSA. 
         Upon reflection of this unfortunate incidence, I feel that it gives
new meaning to the phrase "Making a mountain out of a mole hill."