Procedures for Safe Cleaning, Handling, Transporting NORM Contaminated Items

[ameer]

Procedures for Safe Cleaning, Handling, Transporting NORM Contaminated Items

Introduction:
The Low Specific Activity Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (LSA – NORM) are of the Uranium and Thorium natural radioactive series present in deep geological formations. As the result of various procedures and processes carried out in crude oil and become sequentially associated with scale build up in oil process lines, production tubing and vessels.

These NORMs may impose health hazards if workers do not have the awareness and knowledge to handle these materials properly at all stages of petroleum industry.

Application:
These procedures apply to all personnel undergoing work involving handling or transport of NORM or NORM contaminated items.

General Rules for Handling Materials which Contain NORM:
1. The limit of dose for non exposed personnel is 0.5 μSv/hr – time of exposure is 2000 hr/yr.
2. The limit of dose for exposed personnel is 7.5 μSv/hr, Time of exposure is 2000 hr/yr.

[ameer]

Safety Procedures for Handling NORM Contaminated Sands and Sludge During Vessel Clean out & Pipeline Pigging Clean – up Operations:

1. The work should be done under the supervision and/or direction of Safety Department.
2. The safety department should perform a pre-job radiation survey of the location where vessel clean-out or pigging operations are to be performed to determine radioactivity levels prior to commencement of work.
3. Pre-job safety meetings should be held for all concerned employees before starting NORM clean-up operations. This should cover the following points:
· All personnel should avoid skin contact with radioactive scale, solids, and liquids to the maximum extent feasible.
· Personnel should work upwind from the contaminated zone when at all possible.
· Respirators approved for toxic dusts shall be worn if the scale is dry and clean-up procedures are likely to produce airborne dusts.
· Eating, drinking, smoking, and chewing gum shall not be permitted in the work area.
· The number of personnel in the contamination zone shall be kept to a minimum.
· Only specifically authorized persons will be allowed in the work area.
· All equipment must be washed and cleaned after each day's work.
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