Emergency Response

Emergency response

In the event of a radiation incident or emergency, please call for assistance using the numbers shown in the contacts section.

An incident is an unplanned exposure to radiation that may exceed regulatory limits. An emergency is a situation that may result in people being exposed to excessive levels of radiation.

Urgent first aid should be given without delay. (Any risk associated with radiation exposure is likely to be far less than the risk associated with delaying urgently required first aid.)

Radioactive substances

In the event of a spill of unsealed radioactive substances:

1. Set up a 3 meter perimeter around the spilled material.
2. Ask people in the room to move outside the perimeter. If the room is too small then ask the people to move to an adjacent room. Avoid spreading spilled substances when moving to a place outside the perimeter.
3. Call for assistance.
4. Isolate the room to prevent others entering. (Safer Communities may be called to assist.)
5. Ask people who were in the room to remain where they are until they have been cleared to leave after a contamination check.

The spill is cleaned up once non-essential personnel have been cleared to leave.

Please follow the links to see detailed spill response procedures for general spills and spills involving carbon-14.

Unplanned exposure from an x-ray or neutron generator

In the event of a suspected incident:

1. Switch off the generator if safe to do so.
2. Exit the room.
3. Call for assistance.
4. Isolate the room to prevent others entering. (Security may be called to assist.)

If it is not possible to safely switch off the generator then set up a 5 metre perimeter to prevent people approaching the radiation source. (Remember to consider areas in floors above and below the generator.)

Unplanned exposure from a high-powered laser

High-powered (i.e. class 3B and 4) lasers have the potential to cause serious and permanent eye injuries with associated vision loss. Class 4 lasers can also skin cause burns and fires. Lasers are unforgiving when it comes to eye injuries. Little can be done once an injury has happened. Laser safety is all about prevention. Some instruments contain high-powered lasers but are safe to use because protective panels prevent escape of the laser beam. Never remove protective panels from instruments that contain lasers.

In the event of a suspected laser incident:

1. Switch off the laser.
2. Exit the laser controlled area (i.e. the lab where the laser is located).
3. Call for assistance.
4. Isolate the laser controlled area to prevent others from entering. (Security may be called to assist.)

Loss or theft of radioactive material

Please inform the Radiation Safety Officer as soon as you become aware of suspected loss of radioactive material.