Help with Size-Reducing Gloveboxes

["Estabrooks, Bates" <bates.estabrooks@rfets.gov>]

RADSAFERs,

Maybe some of you can provide us some creative suggestions.

We here at Rocky Flats are in the process of D&Ding a major Pu facility.
The current work involves size-reducing highly contaminated Pu gloveboxes.
The Rad Con approach we have taken so far, is to build a HEPA-filtered tent
around the boxes in a room, apply a fixative inside the box, set up
localized vent suction near any cuts, and send workers into the tent in
"bubble suits" and supplied air to cut up the box.

While this approach has proven successful in getting a lot of gloveboxes
removed in a short time, we have had a few problems.  Most notably, we have
had several incidents of very high Pu DAC values in the tent (800K, 1.6 M,
etc.)

We are looking for creative suggestions for "engineering controls" to do
this work in the future so that we can get people out of supplied air, and
get workers out of potentially hazardous (high-DAC) environments.  Any
suggestions y'all could offer to "bag the work, not the worker" would be
appreciated.  

Thanks for your help.

Bates Estabrooks
Rocky Flats
303-966-3769
Page: 303-212-6469
Fax: 303-966-6783
bates.estabrooks@rfets.gov


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