Radioactive Spill Clean-Up
- All spills must be cleaned up as quickly as possible.
- Minor spills involving only a few microcuries of material where the radionuclide does not become airborne and emergencies where there is no personal injury can be handled by lab personnel utilizing the spill kit provided to each lab by Radiation Safety.
- All spills must be reported to the Radiation Safety Program at 414-430-7507.
- The authorized user is responsible for providing personnel to clean-up any contamination which results from work conducted under his/her authorization.
- Custodial personnel shall not be asked to clean-up any contamination.
- Radiation safety personnel will monitor and supervise the clean-up of all major spills and accidents.
For additional information contact the Radiation Safety Program at 414-430-7507.
Radiation Safety: Campus Emergency Phone Numbers
In case of a potential or actual radiation hazard, immediately call one of the following individuals for hazard evaluation, additional emergency procedures and corrective action information:
- Kim Axtman, Radiation Safety Program
- Office: 414-430-7507
- Home: 414-335-9786
- Danielle Rintala, Associate Director, University Safety and Assurances
- Cell: 414-588-4261
- Zack Steuerwald, Associate Director, University Safety and Assurances
- Cell: 414-430-1474
Emergency Numbers:
UWM Police | Emergency | Dial 9-911 from any hard-wired campus phone |
UWM Police | Emergency | Dial 229-9911 from a cellphone |
UWM Police | Non-Emergency | Dial x4627 from any hard-wired campus phone Dial 229-4627 from a cellphone |
For additional information contact the Radiation Safety Program at 414-430-7507.
Radioactive Spill Response
Minor Spills & Emergencies | Major Spills & Emergencies |
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Minor Spills and emergencies are those spills of a few microcuries of activity where the radionuclide does not become airborne and emergencies where there is no personal injury. Lab personnel utilizing the spill kit provided to each laboratory by the Radiation Safety Program can handle most minor spills. Detailed procedures to follow are: |
Major spills and emergencies are those spills involving millicurie or greater activity, where airborne contamination occurs, or personal injury or fire are involved. These situations require additional assistance and these procedures should be followed: |
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Accidents
Accidents Involving Airborne Radioactivity (Version for printing)
Accidents Involving Airborne Radioactivity
- Notify others to vacate the area at once. Lab personnel should go to a safe area, avoiding additional contamination of themselves or others.
- Shut windows and doors. Switch off any ventilators or fans within the lab. Vacate the area.
- Call the Radiation Safety Program office at 414-430-7507 or 229-6339 at once. During holidays, evenings and weekends call the UWM Police at 9-911 from campus phones, 229-9911 from a cellular phone, or 229-4627 from the WATER Institute. Campus police will contact a member of the Radiation Safety staff. Consult emergency phone list for additional numbers.
- Physical Plant will need to be contacted to ensure ventilation is properly shut off. They can be reached at 229-4742 during business hours or 229-4652 after hours.
- Do not re-enter the area. Radiation Safety personnel will assess the situation and direct any decontamination activities following a pre-established plan
Accidents Involving Personal Injury
- Administer first aid and/or call Campus Police at 9-911 from any campus phone or 229-9911 from a cell phone (from WATER Institute call City Police at 911) for emergency medical assistance. Medical treatment or assistance is the first priority.
- Inform emergency response personnel that radioactive materials are involved before the treatment takes place so they can take appropriate actions to protect themselves as well as prevent the spread of contamination.
- Call the Radiation Safety Program office at 414-430-7507 or 229-6339 at once. During holidays, evenings and weekends call the UWM Police at 9-911 from any hard-wired campus phone or 229-9911 from the WATER Institute. Campus police will contact a member of the Radiation Safety staff. Consult emergency phone list for additional numbers.
- After the injured person is treated and removed from the site, Radiation Safety personnel will assess the situation and direct any decontamination activities following a pre-established plan.
Response Actions to Radioactive Release
Allan Brodsky, National Health Physics Society
If you have warnings from the news that release of radioactive materials has occurred upwind from where you are, you probably have time to take some of the following actions:
- At home, close windows and doors and put you ventilation fan on recycled air. Raise the temperature in your home; expanding air provides positive pressure, pushing air through cracks to the outside. Tape around windows to prevent outside air from entering. Stuff towels under doors, etc. If you have a below ground basement, go to a spot in the corner below ground and remain there unless local police or emergency personnel provide instructions either in person or on the radio to evacuate to a given area. One foot of concrete (solid block) will cut most radiation to one-hundredth so you will very likely not be harmed from radioactive fallout dispersed from either a conventional explosive of the type of nuclear bomb that might be obtained by terrorists. Inviting neighbors to bring supplies and join you will improve, not decrease, your protection.
- Do not evacuate unless instructed to do so by authoritative personnel. You can be more exposed outdoors or in a traffic jam if you are in an area where harmful agents are dispersed into the air.
- If you are in or near a high-rise building, go to a middle floor to use the concrete floors to shield you from radiation coming from the roof or ground or to get away from agents that are probably concentrated near ground level. Within hours, these agents will probably be dispersed by the wind, and you will probably be advised it is safe to venture our for food or to evacuate to a safe location.
- If you are in a department store or place with many people and know that radiation has been dispersed, go to the basement or ground level and get everyone to form a group where individuals take turns standing in the center and the outside. People are mostly made of water, and four to five inches of water will reduce any gamma radiation by a factor of one-half.