1) General: Heat stress generally describes the effect of heat, from any source, on the organs of the body and the person as a whole. The stresses of heat on the body manifest themselves in five common ailments: heat exhaustion, heat cramps, heat stroke, heat syncope, and heat rash.
Different parts of the country and world have different environmental conditions which affect this generic standard. Local practices, average temperatures, and common working habits should be considered when addressing this standard.
2) Responsibilities: once heat levels become higher than 95°F (35°C) for whatever reason (natural weather conditions or mechanical heat sources), the Contractor shall instruct his/her Project Safety Representative to develop a heat stress management plan for the project.
The plan should include the following data:
a. Temperatures expected to be found in the work place based upon environmental factors such as air temperature, relative humidity, air velocity, and thermal radiation.
b. Based upon temperatures found, a ratio of work time versus rest periods, with work periods reducing while rest periods increase as temperature rises.
c. A medical monitoring program for those people exposed to heat stress and those highly susceptible to heat stress (the obese, un-acclimatized workers, workers with cardio circulatory diseases, and employees who may be taking medications or the heave use of alcohol).
d. The plan should include a cooler than ambient temperature rest location, delivery of iced drinking water, and a plan for replenishment of salt within the body.
e. An emergency plan for handling heat stroke and severe heat exhaustion.
f. A plan to engineer out the sources of heat by shielding insulation or mechanical methods of reducing heat or increasing air velocity.
X. Radiation
1) General: This procedure establishes the necessary requirements and controls used in x-raying or radiographic work.
2) Definition – Radiation: The emission of atomic particles or electromagnetic radiation from the nucleus of an atom.
3) Requirements:
a. Prior to beginning work, the Contractors Construction Manager must verify with design that radiography is required.
b. All phases of industrial radiography, both gamma and x-ray, must be performed by trained radiographers and assistant radiographers licensed for the state in which the work is being performed.
c. The Contractors Construction Manager is responsible for all radiographic work. The Contractor Construction Manager must get the approval of the JEA Project Manager or designee prior to the beginning of any radiation work.
d. All sources must be checked for leaks at least every six (6) months.
e. Caution must be used to ensure that radioactive sources in instruments (e.g., level gauges) are in the “off” or shielded position prior to allowing employees to work on associated equipment or vessels.
4) Radiographic Personnel:
a. The radiographic personnel must have the following available at the project:
A copy of license to handle radiographic sources
Emergency and operating procedures
Year to date radiation exposure records of the employees who perform the radiography and their training certification records.
The type of radioactive source to be used for the project and the activity of the source.
Make and model of the survey equipment and their calibration records.
The type of camera or source-handling facilities to be used and the leak test records on the source and container.
b. Radiographic personnel must consult appropriate Contractor and JEA personnel to inform them of the location, date, and time of work, and type of source. A valid work permit must be maintained.
5) Barricade and Signs
a. All work areas must be barricaded with caution signs reading “Caution – Radiation Area”
or “Caution – Radiography in Progress.” These signs must have magenta letters and symbols on a yellow background.
b. The radiographic personnel must erect a barricade so that doses do not exceed specific limits.
c. Unauthorized personnel are prohibited inside the barricade while the source is exposed.
6) X-ray Equipment:
a. X-rays are generated by electrical current and can be turned on and off unlike radio isotopes which emit radiation continuously. Radiation coming from an X-ray machine is much greater than radioactive isotopes.
b. X-ray machines must be registered with the state and are often licensed under a different license than radioactive sources.
7) Emergency Operating Procedures – Radioactive Sources
a. General: In the event of an emergency which may involve a radiographic sources, the following sections shall be strictly adhered to.
The Radiographer in charge has total emergency action responsibility. He/She will have complete and absolute responsibility until such time as the Contractors Project Manager and Contractors Project Safety Representative arrive on the scene and have been fully apprised of the entire situation. The Contractors Project Manager or Contractors Safety Representative may then relieve the Radiographer-in-charge of the emergency responsibility.
Some of the emergencies most likely to occur are:
Theft or loss
Malfunction of Equipment
Fire
Accidental damage
Vehicular road accident
Unauthorized or accidental entry to restricted area
Human error
In the event of the occurrence of any accident, the Radiographer-in-charge must first establish a restricted area and then contact the Contractors Project Manager and Contractors Project Safety Representative and obtain instructions as to continuing procedures to be followed. The Contractors Project Manager shall contact the JEA Project Manager at this time to inform him of the condition.
Note!!! The most important thing to remember when an emergency situation exists is to keep very calm and to avoid excitement and fear. Excitement frequently leads to incorrect action and fear may cause the hazard to increase.
Keep the area under constant visual surveillance to prevent access by anyone not properly authorized to be there. As long as the restricted areas are maintained, any possible overexposure will be minimized, and probably eliminated.
The following special precautions shall be followed in any emergency or potential emergency:
Always move quickly to and from the exposure device.
Utilize survey meter before and after each exposure.
Utilize any available shielding when approaching device.
Lock any unit and conduct survey after each exposure.
Constantly check dosimeter pencil for accumulation of radiation.
Do Not move device to other locations without locking device.
Restricted Area must be properly posted with warning signs.
Do Not conduct operations with inoperable survey instrument.
Be ALERT at ALL TIMES.
b. Specific Procedures
In the event of a plant emergency such as fire or an accident involving plant personnel which occurs in an area adjacent to a radiographic device, immediately do the following:
1. Return source to shielded position in device and lock. Do not move device to other locations without locking
2. Perform physical survey of device to assure that the source is in the shielded position.
3. Remove source guide tube and insert safety plugs. Detach drive cable, lock cover plate into position on back of projector.
4. Remove device from danger area and, if possible, return to storage vault.
5. Notify the JEA Project Manager.
6. If a radiographic device cannot be removed from the danger area, set up a restricted area, under constant visual surveillance. The JEA Project Manager shall concult with the JEA Safety and Health Services Manager to determine further course of action.
In the event of an accident to the source or device, immediately do the following:
1. Return the source to the device, if possible, and lock device.
2. Notify the JEA Project Manager.
3. In the event the source cannot be returned to the device, immediately do the following:
i. Set up and post restricted area, using a survey instrument to determine the perimeter of the area.
ii. Do not allow anyone to enter this area.
iii. Continue to restrict entry into this area.
In the event of an accident involving the radiation exposure of non-monitored personnel, immediately do the following:
1. Set up restricted areas, as specified in the procedures. Use a survey instrument to determine the perimeter of the area. Record the names and phone numbers of non-monitored personnel involved.
2. The Radiographer checks the restricted area and prevents admittance to the area.
3. Notify the JEA Safety and Health Services Manager and the JEA Project Manager.
4. The Contractors Project Safety Representative shall be responsible to obtain all pertinent facts involving the accident and shall determine the future course of action.
Such actions will be coordinated with the JEA Project Manager In the event of a lost source:
1. Notify the JEA Project Manager, and State agencies.
2. The following steps shall be performed by the Contractors Project Safety Representative or his/her alternate:
i. Obtain all the information at the last known location of the source.
iv. Devise a plan for recovery of the source. Record significant points of the plan.
The primary concern must be minimum exposure to any personnel.
v. Carefully retrieve source and replace in device or shielded container. Never handle an unshielded device with bare hands.
Vehicular Accident:
1. In the event of a vehicular accident involving by-product material, a restricted area must be established as specified in these procedures.
2. Do not rely on a possible damaged meter. Assume that the source is in the exposed position inside the vehicle. In case of a minor accident where it can be visually determined that the source is safely stored in its container, its proper position shall be checked with a survey meter before the device is handled. If the survey is satisfactory, a restricted area may not be needed.
3. After a minor accident, an apparently operable meter may provide totally erroneous information and need re-calibration. A backup meter should be used to determine if a radiation hazard exists or else a site survey team may be called before the device or vehicle is moved.
4. In any case, immediately after establishing the restricted areas, notify the JEA Project Manager.
Possible Overexposure
In the event any incident occurs and causes or threatens to cause overexposure to personnel, the Contractors Project Safety Representative shall be responsible to assure that the following is/was performed:
1. Remove personnel involved from radiographic operations area immediately.
2. Post area properly if hazard exists.
3. The Contractors Project Safety Representative then assures the TLD exposure film badges are sent to nearest testing laboratory for immediate processing. In case unauthorized personnel are involved, get the name, address, and telephone number of the person or persons suspected and gather all facts pertaining to the cause of the exposure.
4. Have the person or persons complete a statement of facts on how the exposure occurred and send the report to the JEA Project Manager.
5. Upon receipt of all facts and exposure results, the Contractors Project Safety Representative will determine what action must be taken before the person or persons can return to normal radiographic operations.
6. The Contractors Project Safety Representative compiles a complete and comprehensive written report of all elements which have transpired. The report is to be presented to the JEA Project Manager within 24 hours of the incident.
If any of the above incidents occur, the Contractor Project Supervisor shall be responsible to insure a Contractor Incident Form Report is completed and submitted to the JEA Project Manager within 24 hours of the occurrence. The JEA Project Manager shall forward the form to the JEA CSMP Program Administrator.