• Personnel contamination or injury (clothing or skin)
• Unrestricted area is contaminated (an unrestricted area is anywhere outside a posted laboratory, such as a non-posted hallway, sidewalk, automobile etc.)
• Large Activity spilled (mCi amounts)
• Large volume (>1 liter)
• Large area (>10 square feet) contaminated

• Upon finding the contamination using the proper contamination survey instrument for the isotope used (Geiger Counter or Sodium Iodide (NaI) detector, note the meter readings (measured in counts per minute CPM) and estimated size of area that is contaminated
• Wash area with soap and luke-warm water. Cold water will constrict the pores of your skin thus making it more difficult to remove the contamination.Inversely, hot water may expand the pores of your skin which may cause the contamination to further penetrate the skin surface.
• Notify DRS as soon as possible
• After each wash re-survey the area with the appropriate contamination survey instrument and take note of the readings
• Continue decontamination efforts until no more contamination is detected or until the skin starts to become irritated. You do not want to scrub your skin with anything rough or harsh. Rough utensils such as a scouring pad will only irritate the skin possibly causing redness, soreness, abrasions and bleeding which may possibly cause the contamination to further pentrate the skin;

After the contamination has been removed, DRS will perform a dose assessment. Knowing the activity of the material that was on the skin and the time it was there will greatly assist in DRS's efforts to accurately estimate a skin dose.

Please note that contamination to the skin can be avoided with good lab practices as well as utilizing the appropriate personal protective equipment such as lab coat, gloves, etc.

• Remove contaminated items immediately
• Monitor the skin under the contaminated clothing
• If skin is contaminated, start decontamination effort immediately
• Place items in a bag and label with the name, date, isotope and the count rate
• Notify DRS

• Immediately flush eye with water
• Notify DRS
• Report to OMS

• Restrict access to the area
• Place absorbent paper over area
• Monitor and mark the boundaries of the area, be sure to also monitor yourself and others that work in the laboratory
• Start decontamination efforts from the outer edges and work in
• Use any cleaning agent; i.e. Radiac Wash, Windex or Alconox
• When contamination cannot be detected with a survey meter, smear the area to confirm that no further removable contamination remains
• If contamination is detected with the meter, but a smear survey shows no removable contamination, the contamination is fixed, stop cleaning the area and call DRS for further instructions
• Minimize the amount of liquid that is produced during decontamination
• Document spill clean up on monthly contamination survey form (NIH 88-12)

Injuries

• Do not attempt to decontaminate victim
• Call NIH fire department at 911, if off campus dial 9-911; let emergency personnel know there may be radioactive contamination present
• Notify DRS as soon as possible

• Decontaminate area with soap and luke-warm water
• Report to OMS, advise OMS that the wound may be contaminated with radioactive material
• Notify DRS as soon as possible

• Thoroughly look in all freezers and refrigerators for the missing source vial
• Verify the vial was not thrown away in either the radioactive or regular waste
• Verify all personnel that use the laboratory have not used the material
• Once you have completed your initial search, notify DRS for further instructions