Archive description
This progress report discusses activities of the Health Instrument Divisions of Hanford Works for the month of March, 1950. Information on the zoo areas and associated laboratories is included. Topics include radiation monitoring general statistics, contamination and building concentration data. (KJD)
Document text
Machine-read from the scan, so expect some errors. Lines that couldn’t be read are left out.
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- Atomic Energy Commission This ioeument consis, THIS DOCUMENT IS PUBLICLY AVAILABLE Due to film deterioration, portions of this document
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This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency Portions of this document may be illegible in electronic image products. Images are produced from the best available
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reported oa cahyoa do<?!c surfaces k>etwo«a Sectioas 15 aad 20. Mocltorlng asststalK:e was re<juirei Whilo tajelhg thirteen process samplea with a tnamimum reported sontamimtod »vlth removal of the loif level hut saeorahle coataaiaatlpjfc oal/ iartlall.v. auccessf ul. Oae case of 8Kla coataralhatloa occurred la the crane cafc. Railroad tuaaol survey® x^’/ealed several eoatainitiated floor iocatlcv^Ena-ep/nr. Surface, was reported Just laside the ‘tuanel door aad raa succeasfuiJLy decoataiainated. Three lacideate of clothiag coatamlaatlon of tralimnea aad two pairs cf cor.tarr.laated gloves reported at Bivorlfiad resulted la a formal laveotigatIon. All eijuipmeat van removed from the head ead aad decaataalnatloA of all surfaces lu the head- ead was laltiated. la the 3 Plant, caa.. on deck decoatamlaatloa contlaueU with emphasis oa re4ueSa£ cell crack ccatamlaatlca at 12 £ and 13 L. The unused 9*2 centrifuge was Wae eicellrnt during the replacoaont of ti\s 3-5 £ to 4-8 gang valve ah* at^eir* dent piping vith dosage-rutea up to 70O mrep/hr at 2 Inches reported. The . temporary lose in the operating gallery cf a one miillgmn zveedlo fr©a % calibration «ig resulted in a formal inwaetigntign. So overexpoaure was every case w.ith laaviaa of 1:2 jig Pu and 75 uvop/hr ca the A Csll enear. Contamination up to 10 pg Pu was fouiid on the vent I'ine outside 3 Cell, The pipe vas*cleaned and painted. Monitoring asslat^n^e wa^ given on fifteen malrteannee repair'^olis, with a mtxlmilm ejpoeure rate of 1.3 rcp/hr oacpihtejftid In the B Plant, the H£ dip tubes on £-1, P-1 and E-l tankr Were replaced ani a lehk in.tiae'D-2 overflow repaired. Some reduction in cell”air contaoli^ition is anticipated as a result of this maintenance Work.. Air filter sampler taken at the cell roof vejtftn indicatol the following discharge during the period fefcruarjr 23, 1950 to liarch 26, 195c,
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Lft 1 Tiaat, irator, fceltovei* to have cornu froa melted saow ruoalog lata the box. The vater «ras Jettufi to the 2irl IK tile floll. Cloaaujp work arouad the Routlre ‘fi Special ^urt-eya Uo 376 722 Ajr Sample to Number Number Above Nfexima
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oa surveys peA>c®±iol« . Jliore Veto tliroe cases of Jersoaftei cctk^amlnaticii fasts after prlnaty • Jvo laciieiits of cqatamia-tlc® spread occurred ulthla process’ rooms vltli tea floor spots fouivi la adjacoat rooms, four cases ofekia cc®taninatioa Werw. Thrtse'-incidents of coatamimtic® *jread Vem confined niuhla process rooms. Aa estimated 7 m§ Pu word spread in Rooms -231 nai 229 after aa operator failed to check‘his hands rh’en removing them from a hood glove, (later fouad to be cases of skin contaainatloa occurred- Mine.major maintenance Jobs involving work fn Zona IV or process llaas were completed with good contamination control.
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jfeportod oa tfae p»6 tacJc top and Vas Woll coatrollei. lieekly avora^s Hero ]?epotft£ed fo#.alr filter sanpleo of tfce 26 Ipob ptoceae 26 laah vacuum XXae atr. Skla doutamiratiou - flutooiua 1 1 * 2 6 the slurping of o.‘13A BP sample, Tuo Polo uf a uinu*. aitoe 'ghowed a surface dosa^-rate .of 25 mrop/hr. when discovered in the iockeh room. In 222-B, a laboratory' assisaanp was spattered*pa tlie face, dips ruvi chest While stirriag a sample. {Jo overpij^s-ure Vas iiviicatod. ^loassoy samples Itjfe one lach repoJ*ted. Considerable plutonium air^ contamination was experienced in Room 7, resulting in the necessity for assault mask protection, with 16 samples yig Pd/cc. Although the soiyrce Has not determined, 'poof air flow fates in th^ lu the 231 Building, thi boapstone. nehrproCv'39 sink "in Room 33 was 'dlscove^d UCCompltshjA aiH the sink takoa but of service. Intensive Investigatioas *
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‘ limtel/ 8 jig Pu into florrldare# offices and lacker rootae. the aejclmua sjp^ta of dfcout 80,000 d/ta ¥ore found in 8oom,,’6c. Deaontamixintion vaa successful. procedure In-Boom 6c appeared to bo adequate. In tie Piu-lfIcation Bnildlog laboratory, elf cases of'hand contaalnatlan led* and about 2 ^ Pu on a kleene* In tip office waste banket*. 'A#aln attetafte ta determine the source proved fruitless, Secfontamlna .Ion was successful* . Mo-assay samples of personnel Involved Were obtained. poutire 4 Special purveys 15/ 12* *06 sucaesgful and an imtiediato air sample was below 2 x .lO*1^ pg.fu/cc. Routine sUfveys of incoming XHuld Waste ccntainers siwwed readings, as nigh as ,Q00 d/ta and 100 mrep/hr at surface. Here extensive survey and iecontamination contamination vas Sncounlered but removal ’of contaminated dirt is not complete*
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This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsi bility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Refer ence herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recom mendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof.