Not Measurement Sensitive DOE-STD-1128-2008 December 2008 DOE STANDARD GUIDE OF GOOD PRACTICES FOR OCCUPATIONAL RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION IN PLUTONIUM FACILITIES U.S. Department of Energy AREA SAFT Washington, D.C. 20585 DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. DOE-STD-1128-2008 This document is available on the Department of Energy Technical Standards Program Web Site at http://www.hss.energy.gov/nuclearsafety/techstds/ ii DOE-STD-1128-2008 Foreword This Technical Standard does not contain any new requirements. Its purpose is to provide a guide to good practice, update existing reference material, and discuss practical lessons learned relevant to the safe handling of plutonium. U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) health physicists may adapt the recommendations in this Technical Standard to similar situations throughout the DOE complex. The Standard provides information to assist plutonium facilities in complying with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 835, Occupational Radiation Protection. The Standard also supplements the DOE 10 CFR 835 Implementation Guide, DOE Orders, and DOE standard, DOE-STD-1098-2008, Radiological Control, (RCS) and has as its sole purpose the protection of workers and the public from the radiological hazards that are inherent in plutonium storage and handling. This Standard has been updated to include provisions in the 2007 amendment to 10 CFR 835. This amendment updated the dosimetric terms and models for assessing radiation doses, both internal and external. Of particular interest for this Standard, the biological transportability of material is now classified in terms of absorption types; F (fast), M (medium) and S (slow). Previously this was classified in terms of material class; D (days), W (weeks) and Y (years). Throughout this Standard, discussions of previous studies describing the biological transportation of material in the body will continue to use D, W and Y, as appropriate. Discussions of other requirements which have not amended their dosimetric terms and models (e.g., DOE Order 5400.5) continue to use the older terminology. This Standard does not include every requirement applicable to every plutonium facility. Individuals responsible for implementing Radiation Protection Programs at plutonium facilities need to be knowledgeable of which requirements (contractual or regulatory) are applicable to their facility. Copies of electronic files of this Technical Standard may be obtained from either the DOE Radiation Safety Home Page Internet site (http://www.hss.energy.gov/HealthSafety/WSHP/radiation/ts.html) or the DOE Technical Standards Program Internet site (http://www.hss.energy.gov/NuclearSafety/techstds/standard/standard.html). iii DOE-STD-1128-2008 This page intentionally left blank. iv U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY GUIDE OF GOOD PRACTICES FOR OCCUPATIONAL RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION IN PLUTONIUM FACILITIES Coordinated and Conducted for the Office of Health, Safety and Security U.S. Department of Energy DOE-STD-1128-2008 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………………... 1-1 1.1 PURPOSE AND APPLICABILITY………………………………………….. 1-1 1.2 DEFINITIONS………………………………………………………………... 1-2 1.3 DISCUSSIONS……………………………………………………………….. 1-2 2.0 MANUFACTURE, PROPERTIES, AND HAZARDS……………………………... 2-1 2.1 MANUFACTURE OF PLUTONIUM……………………………………….. 2-1 2.2 NUCLEAR PROPERTIES…………………………………………………... 2-5 2.3 PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES……………………………… 2-9 2.4 RADIOLOGICAL EFFECTS ON HUMANS………………………………... 2-16 2.5 RADIATION EFFECTS ON MATERIALS…………………………………. 2-20 2.6 OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS………………………………………………. 2-24 2.7 STORAGE AND CONTAINMENT…………………………………………. 2-31 3.0 RADIATION PROTECTION……………………………………………………….. 3-1 3.1 REGULATION AND STANDARDS………………………………………... 3-1 3.2 RADIATION PROTECTION PROGRAMS…………………………………. 3-2 3.3 RADIOLOGICAL CONTROL ORGANIZATIONS……………………….... 3-13 3.4 STAFFING AND STAFF QUALIFICATIONS……………………………… 3-15 3.5 INSTRUMENTATION CONSIDERATIONS……………………………….. 3-16 3.6 RADIATION SAFETY TRAINING…………………………………………. 3-25 3.7 RADIOLOGICAL RECORDS……………………………………………….. 3-27 3.8 ALARA AND OPTIMIZATION……………………………………………... 3-27 3.9 CONDUCT OF OPERATIONS………………………………………………. 3-33 4.0 CONTAMINATION CONTROL…………………………………………………… 4-1 4.1 AIR CONTAMINATION CONTROL……………………………………….. 4-1 4.2 SURFACE CONTAMINATION CONTROL………………………………... 4-6 4.3 PERSONNEL CONTAMINATION CONTROL…………………………….. 4-19 4.4 PERSONNEL DECONTAMINATION……………………………………… 4-24 5.0 INTERNAL DOSIMETRY…………………………………………………………. 5-1 5.1 INTERNAL DOSE EVALUATION PROGRAM……………………………. 5-1 5.2 CHARACTERIZATION OF INTERNAL HAZARDS……………………… 5-8 5.3 SCOPE OF BIOASSAY PROGRAM…………………………………………5-9 5.4 ESTABLISHING BIOASSAY FREQUENCY………………………………. 5-15 5.5 ADMINISTRATION OF A BIOASSAY PROGRAM………………………. 5-18 5.6 MODELING THE BEHAVIOR OF PLUTONIUM IN THE BODY………... 5-22 5.7 INTERPRETATION OF BIOASSAY RESULTS…………………………… 5-25 5.8 DOSE ASSESSMENT……………………………………………………….. 5-29 5.9 INDICATOR AND ACTION LEVELS……………………………………… 5-35 5.10 RESPONSE TO SUSPECTED INTAKES…………………………………… 5-37 ii DOE-STD-1128-2008 CONTENTS – (Continued) 6.0 EXTERNAL DOSE CONTROL……………………………………………………. 6-1 6.1 DOSE LIMITS………………………………………………………………... 6-1 6.2 RADIATIONS IN PLUTONIUM FACILITIES……………………………... 6-5 6.3 RADIATION DETECTION AND EVALUATION………………………….. 6-19 6.4 EXTERNAL DOSE REDUCTION…………………………………………... 6-33 7.0 NUCLEAR CRITICALITY SAFETY………………………………………………. 7-1 7.1 REGULATIONS AND STANDARDS………………………………………. 7-2 7.2 CRITICALITY CONTROL FACTORS……………………………………… 7-3 7.3 CRITICALITY ACCIDENT EXPERIENCE………………………………… 7-8 7.4 CRITICALITY ALARMS AND NUCLEAR ACCIDENT DOSIMETRY….. 7-10 7.5 RESPONSIBILITIES OF HEALTH PHYSICS STAFF……………………... 7-16 7.6 DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY PLUTONIUM VULNERABILITY ANALYSIS STUDY…………………………………………………………. 7-18 8.0 WASTE MANAGEMENT………………………………………………………….. 8-1 8.1 POTENTIALLY CONTAMINATED WASTES…………………………….. 8-1 8.2 AIRBORNE WASTE…………………………………………………………. 8-5 8.3 SOLID WASTE………………………………………………………………. 8-8 8.4 LIQUID WASTE …………………………………………………………….. 8-14 9.0 EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT…………………………………………………... 9-1 9.1 EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IN DOE…………………………………... 9-1 9.2 SPECIFIC GUIDANCE ON EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FOR PLUTONIUM FACILITIES………………………………………………….. 9-3 10.0 DECONTAMINATION AND DECOMMISSIONING…………………………….. 10-1 10.1 REGULATIONS AND STANDARDS………………………………………. 10-1 10.2 DESIGN FEATURES………………………………………………………… 10-6 10.3 DECONTAMINATION AND DECOMMISSIONING PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS……………………………………………………………. 10-9 10.4 DECONTAMINATION AND DECOMMISSIONING TECHNIQUES…….. 10-9 10.5 DECONTAMINATION AND DECOMMISSIONING EXPERIENCE…….. 10-10 11.0 REFERENCES………………………………………………………………………. 11-1 APPENDIX A: GLOSSARY……………………………………………………………. A-1 APPENDIX B: PLUTONIUM IN DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY FACILITIES……… B-1 APPENDIX C: FACILITY DESIGN…………………………………………………… C-1 iii DOE-STD-1128-2008 FIGURES 2.1 Principal Modes of Plutonium Production by Neutron Irradiation of Uranium……….. 2-2 2.2 Atom Ratio of 241Am to 241Pu (t=0) Produced by the Beta Decay of 241Pu as a Function of Time Since Chemical Separation…………………………………………. 2-9 2.3 Neutron Energy Spectra of Plutonium-Beryllium and Plutonium-Boron Neutron Sources Compared with a Fission Source……………………………………. 2-10 2.4 Hazards in Low-Exposure Plutonium Handling………………………………………. 2-27 6.1 Absorbed Surface Dose Rate from Plutonium Dioxide as Measured with an Extrapolation Chamber………………………………………………………... 6-6 6.2 Energy Dependence of Various TLD-Albedo Dosimeters…………………………….. 6-23 6.3 Response of Electrochemically Etched CR-39 Used in Nuclear Track Dosimeters as a Function of Neutron Energy ………………………………………… 6-23 6.4 Fixed Nuclear Accident Dosimeter Used at Hanford to Help Assess Doses from Criticality Accidents……………………………………………………………... 6-28 6.5 Neutron Energy Spectra as Measured by the Multisphere Spectrometer at 50 cm from Plutonium Metal, PuO2, and PuF4 Sources……………………………….. 6-32 6.6 Reduction in Photon Dose Rate with Various Shielding Materials at a Distance of 3 cm from a 100-gram Disk of Plutonium Oxide………………………… 6-37 6.7 Reduction in Neutron Dose Rate for Various Slab Shields for Plutonium Tetrafluoride Sources…………………………………………………... 6-38 6.8 Reduction in Neutron Dose Rate for Various Slab Shields for Plutonium Oxide Sources………………………………………………………….. 6-39 iv DOE-STD-1128-2008 TABLES 2.1 Isotopic Composition of Three Grades of Plutonium: Heat Source, Weapons, and Reactor…………………………………………………………………………….. 2-3 2.2 Uses and Availabilities of Plutonium Isotopes………………………………………... 2-4 2.3 Radioactive Decay Properties of Selected Isotopes and Decay Products, Excluding Spontaneous Fission………………………………………………………...2-6 2.4 Specific Activity Decay Heats of Selected Isotopes…………………………………... 2-7 2.5 Allotropic Forms of Plutonium Meta………………………………………………….. 2-11 2.6 Solubilities and Properties of Selected Compounds…………………………………… 2-14 2.7 Common Biokinetic Models for Plutonium and Americium………………………….. 2-20 2.8 Potential Hazards or Damage to Materials from Exposure to Radiation……………… 2-22 2.9 Hazards of Chemicals Used in Processing Plutonium………………………………… 2-28 2.10 Storage Recommendations for Plutonium Metal and Dioxide………………………… 2-33 4.1 Surface Contamination Values, dpm/100 cm2 ……………………………………………………………………… 4-3 5.1 Urine Bioassay Goals for 239Pu………………………………………………………… 5-4 5.2 Fecal Bioassay Goals for 239Pu………………………………………………………… 5-5 5.3 In Vivo Lung Measurement Bioassay Goals for 241Am as an Indicator of Aged Weapons Grade Plutonium…………………………………………………………….. 5-6 5.4 Example Plutonium Isotope Mixtures Immediately Post-Separation, wt%.................... 5-10 5.5 Activity Composition