Radioactive Material - Decommisioning
The decommissioning of a room or a piece of equipment for radioactive material is a three part exercise; first is the removal of all radioactive material, secondly is the monitoring for contamination and decontamination if required, and lastly is the removal of all radiation warning signs and symbols. It is important to follow this procedure prior to sending any piece of equipment for repair or relocation if beyond the laboratory area.
CNSC has set specific regulatory requirements that must be met:
a) non-fixed contamination of radioactive material can not exceed:
i) 0.3 Bq/cm2 for all Class A radionuclides;
ii) 3 Bq/cm2 for all Class B radionuclides;
iii) 30 Bq/cm2 for all Class C radionuclides;
when averaged over an area not exceeding 100 cm2
b) the release of any material, room or enclosure containing fixed contamination, is approved in writing by the CNSC or person authorized by CNSC;
c) radioactive material and radiation devices have been transferred in accordance to the University of Ottawa's consolidated licence; and
d) all radiation warning signs have been removed or defaced.
To formally document a decommissioning, the University requires the completion of the appropriate decommission form provided below. In addition, ORM is responsible for verifying the appropriate measures were taken and maintains a database of decommissioning activities. The permit holder is responsible for holding the associated contamination monitoring records for 3 years, as required by CNSC.