Radioactive Materials Spillages: Emergency Response

Keep Calm, Keep Safe, Take Action

Your personal safety is paramount, do not put yourself at risk

Call the Radiation Safety Advisor (RSA)/ Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) if any of the following occur:

• Contamination on skin or clothing
• Activity of the spill is greater than 10μCi
• The spill is outside of the immediate work area
• The spill covers a large area or volume

Use SWIMS!

S Stop the spill and stop what you are doing (stop your research). Cover the spill with absorbent paper (dampened if spilled material is solid).
W Warn others in the area. They may not be contaminated and need to know.
I Isolate the area so others do not get contaminated. Use rad tape or ribbon if possible.
M Monitor for skin contamination and clothing contamination. Change gloves often.
S Survey and cleanup the contaminated area. Do not forget your dosimeter or the proper protection equipment: gloves, laboratory coat, eye protection, and booties (shoe coverings) before attempting to clean the spill.
 
Mark the perimeter of the spill and isolated spots.
 
Thoroughly clean by wiping the contamination with absorbent paper (preferably with Radiacwash or Count-off or 5% Decon if Radiacwash is not available) working from the perimeter towards the centre of the spill.

Recommendation:

Recommendation

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) suggests the use of 3% citric acid, 1.4% sodium bicarbonate, 0.25 M ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) or a 1% diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid solution as possible methods for
decontamination of humans.

Disposal   

  • Used radioactive absorbent paper must be disposed of in the respective radioisotopes’ waste container (i.e. 32P waste goes in 32P container, etc). Carefully fold the absorbent paper with the clean side out and place in a plastic bag for transfer to the proper waste container
  • Put contaminated gloves and any other contaminated disposable material in the bag and label the waste and deposit the waste into the radioactive waste bunker for short lived radioactive along with the estimated date for disposal, once the waste is cold

Following Decontamination      

  • Survey the area to make sure that it is reading background levels
  • Perform an extensive personnel survey. Take your time in surveying the hands, shoes, laboratory coat, pants, and face
  • Do not allow personnel to return to work until area is cleared by the RSA or the respective lab Manager in consultation with RSA

Staff: Post-leak actions

As a staff member you have a number of responsibilities

  • Ensure your wellbeing
  • Help others with decontamination including clothing. Monitor for after-effects. Administer/obtain medical care if required
  • Ensure ventilation is complete
  • Restock and review:
    • The initial discoverer is to raise an incident report via Report a safety injury, incident or observation.
    • Assess reasons for incident and implement corrective response as soon as practicable.
    • Retain a copy of the fire crew’s incident report (if the Fire Service was called).

Document Control
Version:1.0
Last Updated: Feb 2026
Next Review: Feb 2029
Owner: hsw@auckland.ac.nz
Approver: Associate Director, Health Safety & Wellbeing

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