Evaluation of Radium Contamination in Aircraft Instrument Repair Facilities

摘要

Dial-stripping operations in aircraft instrument repair facilities have caused alpha-particle contamination levels exceeding 100,000 disintegrations per minute/100 cm square. Existing radium control programs in these facilities are inadequate. Instrumentation, training, and assistance for decontamination and waste disposal are needed in most of the facilities surveyed. Two workers in the facility with the highest levels of contamination had body burdens in excess of 40 percent of the maximum permissible body burden of radium, and a third worker had a possible body burden of about 14 percent. Workers in all other facilities included in the study had less than 10 percent of the maximum permissible body burden. A recommended control program for aircraft instrument repair facilities is described. Decontamination of one aircraft instrument repair facility was conducted to evaluate decontamination methods for floors, benches, and equipment. (Author)