Precautions after radiological exposure.

Radiological Emergencies

Radiation cannot be recognized or detected through the use of our five senses. It is important that everyone in your business understand that some basic immediate precautions need to be followed when exposure to a radiation source is suspected.

Many businesses use equipment and instruments that house radioactive sources. Plans should be developed to address hazards resulting from the use and disposal of this type of equipment. Florida businesses that use equipment that house a radioactive source need to be in compliance with the Department of Health (DOH) radiation control regulations. They may need a permit to operate the equipment.

CAUTION - RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL - The trefoil, or three-leaf, is the standard radiation symbol used on many radiological postings and labels: The symbol could also be black on yellow.

Immediate Precautions

Notify your Facility Radiation Safety Officer (if applicable), 911, the local authorities and Radiation Control Authority on Accident Conditions. Follow applicable permit and regulatory requirements.
Notify 911 of the possible presence of radioactive materials.
Isolate hazard area in accordance with your ALARA (As Low As reasonably Achievable) plan and restrict access.
Do not touch containers.
Upon arrival of Law Enforcement or Fire Department, inform the First Responder that radioactivity may be present.
In the case of fire, do not attempt to move containers out of fire zone. Retreat to a safe area and wait for local authorities. Please note, radioactivity does not change flammability or properties of other materials.
In the case of a medical emergency, use First Aid treatment according to the nature of the injury.
Advise medical personnel that victim may be contaminated with radioactive material.
Detain persons exposed to radioactive material until arrival or instruction of Radiation Control Authority. Potential route of exposure can include inhalation, ingestion or breaks in skin.
Include business specific information in your emergency plans. Inform the employees regarding radiation safety. Follow your ALARA plan. Publish a telephone number to be used by employees to call their supervisor and be prepared to provide reporting instructions.

Radiological Emergencies in the Case of a Terrorist Attack

There are many questions regarding the likelihood of whether terrorists would use radioactive materials in attacks. Radioactive materials are hard to handle and the impact to the public would not be as tangible or visible after an attack. Different methods can be used in a radiological terrorist attack. A weapon can include explosion as a mechanism to disperse radiation as in the case of a dirty bomb or it could be more "passive" and include exposing the public to radioactive sources from gauges used in industry or radioactive waste.

Immediate Precautions

As mentioned above, radiation cannot be seen, smelled, felt or tasted by humans. Therefore, if people are present at the scene of an explosion, they will not know whether radioactive materials were involved at the time of the explosion.
If people are not too severely injured by the initial blast, they should follow these steps.

Leave the immediate area on foot. Do not panic. Do not take public or private transportation such as buses, subways or cars. If radioactive materials were involved, they may contaminate cars or the public transportation system.
Go inside the nearest building. Staying inside will reduce people's exposure to any radioactive material that may be on dust at the scene.
Remove their clothes as soon as possible, place them in a plastic bag and seal it. Removing clothing will remove most of the contamination caused by external exposure to radioactive materials. Saving the contaminated clothing would allow testing for exposure without invasive sampling.
Take a shower or wash themselves as best they can. Washing will reduce the amount of radioactive contamination on the body and will effectively reduce total exposure.
Be on the lookout for information. Once emergency personnel can assess the scene and the damage, they will be able to tell people whether radiation was involved.
Even if people do not know whether radioactive materials were present, following these simple steps can help reduce their injury from other chemicals that might have been present in the blast.

For more information go to the Center for Disease Control website (www.CDC.gov) or contact: Department of Health - Bureau of Radiation Control, P.O. Box 680069, Orlando, FL 32868-0069, Telephone: (407) 297-2095.