Department of Energy (DOE) Radiological Control Manual

Chapter 3 - Conduct of Radiological Work

Part 7 - Construction and Restoration Projects

Table of Contents (Articles 37x)

• Forward
• 371 Requirements
• 372 Environmental Conditions
• 373 Other Workplace Hazards

Forward

Construction and restoration projects, including decontamination and decommissioning (D&D), remedial action, or other actions involving materials which contain low levels of radioactivity may present special problems and require site-specific or program- specific control methods. Health and Safety Plans are normally developed to specify controls for all types of restoration programs including Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP), Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) and other restoration projects.

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Article 371 - Requirements

Radiological operations and work activities at construction and environmental restoration projects shall be conducted in accordance with this Manual. In light of the special nature of these activities, which typically involve low-levels of radioactivity and the use of heavy construction or earth-moving equipment, these projects require some radiological considerations different from other activities governed by this Manual.

For the following specific subject areas, the radiological requirements of this Manual may be modified by the limited application of the provisions of Article 113.3. The Radiological Control Manager is authorized to change mandatory "shall" requirements to "should" to facilitate implementation of radiological controls in the following specific subject areas. The contractor has the responsibility to document the technical equivalency of alternative solutions.

1. Performance goals and indicators appropriate to remedial activities

2. Personal Protective Equipment requirements and practices to accommodate other hazards on the site

3. Use of respiratory protection as normal conduct of operation due to lack of engineering controls and temporary nature of the work

4. Use of Contamination Reduction Corridors to accommodate movement of personnel and heavy equipment through a variety of decontamination stations

5. Methods to obtain representative samples for release of equipment and material from the work areas

6. Surveying of materials released from Soil Contamination Areas that exhibit significant contamination transfer properties

7. Precedence of state and Federally mandated soil cleanup criteria over surface contamination criteria that otherwise apply

8. Monitoring and survey frequency for inactive facilities or large areas that are infrequently occupied

9. Outdoor storage of uncontained, bulk radioactive materials such as contaminated soil

10. Postings of privately owned and adjacent property

11. Evaluation of outdoor air monitoring methodologies that take into account dust loading, environmental factors, and supplemental breathing zone sampling

12. Criteria for suspension of operations under inclement conditions, such as wind or rain.

Article 372 - Environmental Conditions

Inclement weather or other environmental conditions may disrupt radiological controls. If that occurs, the following actions should be considered:

1. The use of covers, wind screens and runoff collection basins to preclude the inadvertent spread of radioactive material

2. Provisions for worksite personnel to assemble and be monitored prior to release or reestablishment of work

3. Evaluation of work area to determine if a need exists for modified work controls or decontamination.

Article 373 - Other Workplace Hazards

Radiological controls should be implemented in a balanced way to ensure that protection from all workplace hazards can be implemented. Other hazards to consider include:

1. General construction hazards

2. Confined spaces

3. Flammable materials

4. Reactive chemicals

5. Heat stress

6. Chemical exposures

7. Energized electrical equipment

8. Biological hazards

9. Rotating equipment

10. Noise and vibration

11. Excavations.