Understanding Radiation and the Need for Shielding

Radiation, particularly ionizing radiation found in nuclear settings, poses a serious threat to human health. Shielding serves as the essential defense against exposure, blocking or attenuating harmful rays to protect workers in environments like nuclear power plants, Department of Energy remediation sites, U.S. Navy vessels, and laboratories. Effective shielding not only safeguards individual health but also ensures operational continuity and regulatory compliance in high-risk industries.

Innovative Shielding Solutions: Lead and Lead-Free Options

Lancs Industries offers a comprehensive lineup of radiation shielding products tailored to the unique demands of various industries:

• Lead Radiation Shielding: We manufacture flexible lead-based shielding, ideal for settings requiring maximum radiation attenuation. Our lead blankets and barriers are customizable to fit intricate operational layouts.
  • Items such as lead wool blankets, bricks, lead plates, free floating lead wool, blanket racks and more.
• Lead-Free Radiation Shielding: We also produce advanced lead-free shielding. Utilizing high-density metals like tungsten shielding and bismuth shielding, providing superior protection.
  • Lead-free options include blankets, floor shields, pipe wraps, pipe shields, magnetic shields and more!

Each of our shielding solutions is manufactured to the highest standards of quality, ensuring long-lasting performance and robust worker protection.

Containment Products: Controlling Contamination at the Source

Radiation safety extends beyond shielding; containment is critical for preventing the spread of radioactive particles. Lancs Industries produces a wide range of containment solutions to confine contaminants at their source:

• Containment Tents: Portable and highly durable, these tents establish controlled environments around hazardous work zones. Varying in many shapes and sizes, we can build to suit or recommend a design based on our experience.
• Glovebags: Designed for hands-on work with radioactive materials, glovebags allow safe manipulation without direct contact. We’ve created many custom glovebag types and we have many we make routinely. We’re also able to add expanded options, additional access points, additional mitts/gloves, internal barriers and more.
• Catch Containments: Strategically deployed to capture and contain accidental releases during operations. Our team is able to make these exact to your equipment dimensions and they are easy to install in tight spaces and varying surfaces.
• Sleeving, Bags, and Sheeting: Versatile sleeving that protects equipment and surfaces from contamination. These are perfect for those businesses who need additional flexibility with their protection barriers during use and disposal as well.

All containment products are engineered with rigorous quality control to meet the highest performance standards.

Flexible HEPA Filters and Protective Clothing

Supporting our containment systems, we also offer Flexible HEPA Grade Filters, which allow for a additional level of protection from containment setups. Additionally, our line of protective radiation clothing addresses both functional safety and worker comfort, ensuring that anti-contamination suits meet disposal and practical usage requirements in challenging environments.

Custom Designs for Specialized Needs

Recognizing that each facility and project has its own distinct radiation protection needs, Lancs Industries provides custom design services. Our team collaborates with clients to fabricate tailored shielding and containment solutions that precisely match operational requirements, ensuring optimal safety and efficiency.

Want to learn more? Contact us today. Lancs Industries leverages decades of expertise, innovative materials, and rigorous quality standards to develop radiation shielding and containment products that protect workers and the environment. Whether addressing emergent radiological issues, routine refueling outages, or long-term containment needs, our solutions are trusted across industries to keep radiation exposure and contamination under control.

To learn more about our comprehensive product offerings and custom solutions, visit lancsindustries.com.

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It’s imperative that nuclear and radioactive materials are disposed of properly. If you are at all unsure of what you should do with radioactive materials – including gloves, sleeves, paper or glassware exposed to radiation – contact your Radiation Safety Officer ASAP for specific instructions.

The bottom line is that while it may seem like radioactive products and materials are “disposed of” they aren’t; radioactive isotopes have half-lives and many continue to emit radiation for hundreds to thousands and thousands of years. So, until the scientific innovators find a more successful solution, these toxic items are removed and stored far away (hopefully) from where they can seep into ground water, surrounding soil layers and the environment.

Most common methods of disposing of radioactive waste

After contaminated materials and/or radioactive substances have been disposed as per your company’s safety plan, it is disposed of in one of multiple ways.

On-site disposal and treatment

Initially, your company safety plan will incorporate things like specially marked boxes to house contaminated paper, glassware, sleeves, gloves, etc. Sharps containers are provided for knives, syringes, blades, broken glass and so on. Finally, special sinks or flushing stations are used for liquid waste.

In many cases, radioactive waste is temporarily treated onsite to mitigate its effects until it is more permanently disposed of. On-site treatments typically consist of processes such as vitrification, ion exchange or synroc. Again, on-site treatment isn’t the end of the line, but it prepares radioactive materials to be transported and minimizes the risk of short-term damage.

Incineration

Common in the medical arena – including labs and hospitals – low-level waste is incinerated at extremely high temperatures. This renders it neutral or to such low-risk levels that the incinerated waste can be disposed of in landfills just like everyday trash.

Geologic disposal

This is by far the most common method of storing nuclear and radioactive waste. Unfortunately, there are very few approved nuclear disposal sites around the world – a reason that there are nearly 30,000 undisposed-of tons of ceramic uranium dioxide pellets, stored in metal rods, at nuclear power plants around the world.

Geologic disposal directly translates to digging big pits, lining them with barriers that prevent radioactive seepage and burying radioactive waste deep into the ground. Before being buried, most of this mid- to higher-level waste is solidified in concrete or bitumen to further diminish its potency.

Transmutation

The idea behind transmutation is that potent radioactive isotopes are transformed into less-potent versions, making them somewhat safer to store and decreasing their half-life. For example, chemical reactions where protons hit a particle and change it. The most common examples of this happening now are transmuting chlorine into argon.

Theoretical disposal options

Then there are some proposed suggestions for disposing of radioactive waste that aren’t put into practice yet. These include:

• Reprocessing: Often, radioactive waste is an amalgam that includes non-radioactive components. Reprocessing these to remove usable components (fissionable) from non-useable components that are then disposed of. Overall, this decreases the mass of the waste.
• Disposal in space: Some experts feel we should build specialized rockets that would be loaded with our radioactive waste and then shot up into outer space. This option is heavily contested, with opponents citing the exorbitant financial costs, the potential for pre-space explosions to create a nuclear cloud for which there is no containment method and long-term ethical considerations.

There is no doubt that the U.S. and the world at large lacks enough disposal sites and methods to handle the current level of radioactive waste. This is of major concern to everyone across the nuclear and radiation industries.

The team at Lancs Industries is available to support your RSO’s and ALARA protocols via radiation shielding and protective clothing and accessories. Contact us to learn more.

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By taking potassium iodide, only if advised to do so by health and safety officials, you can “block” the thyroid’s ability to uptake the radioactive version, minimizing the after affects.

Why is the thyroid so important?

When you think of radiation poisoning or the eventual cancers and other diseases associated with former radiation exposure, it may seem strange that the thyroid is the gland healthcare officials focus on and protect. However, the thyroid gland – a two-inch, butterfly-shaped gland located at the front of the neck, below the Adam’s apple – is a powerhouse; the human body doesn’t fare well when thyroid function is below par.

The thyroid gland is responsible for hormone production and your body’s metabolism, so when it is negatively impacted, you can experience issues pertaining to:

• Overall metabolic rate
• Digestion
• Heart function
• Muscle control
• Moods
• Fertility
• Bone maintenance
• Brain development

Iodine – found in certain foods and added to “iodized salt,” is an essential nutrient to the thyroid. During normal life, and with a healthy diet, the minimum amount of iodine the thyroid requires is assimilated via the foods you eat. Any lack of iodine can result in thyroid issues.

The thyroid can’t distinguish between radioactive & non-radioactive iodine

Because the thyroid only requires a fairly minimal amount of iodine to thrive, it has a threshold of sorts. Once it has absorbed all the iodine it can from the bloodstream, it stops absorbing it. However, the thyroid doesn’t have the ability to distinguish between radioactive iodine and non-radioactive iodine.

In the event of a nuclear disaster that releases radioactive iodine, taking the recommended doses of potassium iodide (non-radioactive) saturates the thyroid gland, serving as a radiation “blocker” since the thyroid will leave the radioactive version that’s then excreted by the body.

Also important to note: good ol’ fashioned soap and warm water, combined with a thorough and vigorous scrub, are enough to eradicate radioactive iodine that has settled on the clothes (best to discard altogether or launder repeatedly), skin, hair, etc. Read, How do You Stop A Radioactive Spill, for more information on that. While the post is targeted to industrial and chemical industries, the basic tenets apply to anyone exposed to radioactive fallout.

When should you take potassium iodide (KI)?

Potassium Iodide (KI) is the same type of iodine used in table salt. That being said, KI is added in such micro-doses to table salt that ingesting copious amounts of iodide salt will not help to protect you from radioactive iodide. In fact, the World Health Organization warns, “…iodized salt should not be used as a substitute for KI since it will not provide protection against radioactive iodine, and eating excessive amounts of iodized salt will itself pose a significant health hazard.”

Potassium iodide can be purchased in supplement form without a prescription. KI should only be taken upon recommendation of health and safety officials immediately preceding or during a nuclear event – and should never be taken as a precautionary supplement as that can have adverse health effects.

It’s best to purchase KI from regulated and approved agencies. At this point, the US Government currently backs the quality of four different KI products:

• iOSAT tablets, 130mg, from Anbex, Inc.
• ThyroSafe tablets, 65mg, from Recipharm AB
• ThyroShield oral solution, 65mg/mL, from Arco Pharmaceuticals, LLC
• Potassium Iodide Oral Solution USP, 65mg/mL, from Mission Pharmacal Company

Visit the CDC’s website page on Bioterrorism and Drug Preparedness for information about dosage (based on age, weight and the measured level of radioactive iodide exposure), when you should begin taking KI and for how long, who should avoid taking the supplement, adverse side effects/risks, etc.

KI doesn’t provide comprehensive radiation protection

It’s important to note that KI isn’t a comprehensive radiation shielding product, it only protects us from radioactive events that release radioactive iodide. It does not protect you from:

• Any other radioactive materials, such as radioactive caesium
• Surface radiation (it doesn’t protect you from exposure to radiation on your skin, the ground, etc.
• Ingesting or absorbing radiation, it simply protects the thyroid gland from absorbing it, which goes a long way toward protecting the body’s basic physiologic functions.

More comprehensive radiation protection and radiation containment products are required to protect your body, lungs, and external body from radiation exposure.

Are you concerned about radiation protection and the ability to protect yourself and your family in the event of nuclear fallout involving radioactive iodide? Contact Lancs Industries. We’ve provided radiation shielding products and solutions for more than 40 years.

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This designation requires both a certain level of education, knowledge, training and credentials. Different employers and HR department have different guidelines or requirements – with hospitals and universities typically requiring a college degree in a scientific or technical field as well as a number of years of radiation safety training.

Also, only regulatory agencies can “pronounce” you a radiation safety officer. So, no matter how great a job you may have done at your place of employment overseeing RSO-related duties, and even if your boss says you’re the RSO, you’ll need to write a letter to your state’s regulatory agency, requesting official designation. This letter should include and/or attach your diploma, qualifications/certifications, proof of any RSO training you’ve had, work experience/training, etc.

Who is the Radiation Safety Officer?

Depending on the size of your company, the radiation safety officer (RSO) may be a full-time position in and of itself; smaller companies may have a key management person or safety manager take on the responsibilities of an RSO, above and beyond their regular weekday duties and job responsibilities.

Optimally, medium- to large businesses have a radiation safety committee, and the RSO supports that committee in its duties and serves on the committee, often in the capacity of secretary and record keeper.

What Does the RSO Do?

As part of overseeing the company’s radiation safety program and training, a radiation safety officer is responsible for:

• Performing an annual review of the company’s radiation safety program and adherence to ALARA for the year.
• Compiling quarterly reports of occupational/personal worker exposure to radiation for the quarter.
• Putting together a quarterly compilation of radiation levels in both restricted and unrestricted areas, comparing them with previous quarters and ensuring they were at ALARA levels.
• Organize and schedule regular briefings, trainings and educational sessions that instruct employees about radiation safety and the ALARA program(s) put in place.
• Investigate and report on any instances where radiation exposure was over and beyond the maximum acceptable levels.
• Ensure that all actions and/or incidences related to radioactive materials and radiation exposure take place within and under regulatory guidelines at both the federal, state and local levels.

While many of these tasks can be delegated and overseen by the RSO and the Radiation Safety Committee and/or safety management team, the ultimate responsibility and liability rests on the RSO’s shoulders.

Training Required for RSOs

Again, requirements vary – with some companies requiring a PhD in nuclear physics, and others requiring a high school diploma and ample radiation safety training.

There are varying levels of coursework, education and training required to become an RSO. The most basic training and certification includes completing and passing a 40-Hour RSO Short Course. However, the size and complexity of your company’s interactions with radioactive materials dictates how much training and experience are required.

Ultimately, RSO’s lead the education and training (not to mention safety program) at their places of work, and that means having sufficient knowledge and experience to teach and train employees and staff regarding:

• HAZMAT training
• The use of gauges, dosimeters and other tools used to measure radiation exposure
• Quarterly and annual refresher training and courses
• Principles and practices of radiation protection
• The biological effects of radiation and radiation exposure
• Radiation measurement and monitoring
• The proper radiation containment types, shielding products and clothing required for specific tasks and prospective exposure

RSO’s do a tremendous amount of record keeping and safeguarding sensitive files so organizational skills as well as discretion are essential character traits.

How Much do RSOs Make?

There is no once salary fits all answer to the question of how much RSOs make. The larger the employer, the greater your qualifications, the higher your salary. With that being said, work.chron.com cites that RSO’s with PhDs in nuclear engineering can make as much as $180,000 per year, with the average salary hovering right around the $134,000 mark. On the other hand, those with a master’s degree earn around $126,822, and those with a bachelor’s degree earn closer to $124,161.

Then again, if you work for a smaller company and/or your RSO duties are adjunct to your regular responsibilities, you may earn as low as $66,000 or so.

Are you an RSO looking to make your workplace and employees as safe as possible? Contact us here at Lancs Industries to learn more about radiation shielding and protective clothing products.

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Smaller models can be worn by those working in radioactive environments to monitor their exposure in real-time, as well as to keep track of cumulative exposure overtime, since slow and continuous exposure to low-dose ionizing radiation is as harmful – or more so – than acute, high doses in a single exposure. They are a standard tool in radioactive industries and careers, as well as in the disciplines of radiation dosimetry and radiation health physics.

What is a Dosimiter and How Does it Measure Radiation?

These devices are made using radiation sensitive materials to measure exposure to gamma radiation, x-radiation and high-energy beta radiation (such as P-32). In addition to measuring and recording whole body doses, some dosimeters are designed to measure immediate, localized, radiation exposure.

The types worn by employees or personnel working in and around ionizing radiation exposure are called radiation badges, and can be clipped onto their protective clothing. Radiation dosimeters are most commonly worn and used by those whose work puts them at risk for maximum exposure limits:

• Occupational whole body dose limit is 5,000 millirems per year
• Dose limit to the extremities (hands, fingers, etc.) is 50,000 millirems per year

Professionals and employees most likely to use and/or wear a radiation badge include:

• Nuclear power plant workers
• Radiographers
• Physicians working in the field of radiotherapy
• Laboratory staff using radioactive materials
• HAZMAT teams when called to nuclear disasters and/or to investigate suspected cases of harmful occupational radiation exposure

It is important to note that while dosimeters measure radiation exposure, they do not protect the wearer from the exposure and are not considered radiation shielding.

5 Types of Radiation Dosimeters

There are five different types of radiation dosimeters.

1. Electronic Personal Dosimeter (EPD). These personal electronic devices are most often used in scenarios where there is high dose radiation exposure, and where employees are only working within those high exposure limits for a short time. EPDs have several sophisticated functions and can be reset after taking a reading – which is recorded – for reuse.
2. MOSFET Dosimeter. These are used as clinical dosimeters in order to measure the radiation levels of radiotherapy radiation beams. MOSFET dosimeters provide readings within extremely thin active areas and are very small in size. The dosimeter’s post radiation signals are permanently stored.
3. Film Badge Dosimeter. These tools are designed for one-time use, after which they are no longer functional. Radiation level absorption is shown via changes in the film emulsion and is evident after the film is developed.
4. Quartz Fiber Dosimeter (QFD). QFDs are the precursors to EFDs and are now being superseded by them. Also designed for one-time use, QFDs are charged to a high voltage and readings are taken in response to the changes in electrical charge, which is proportional to radiation exposure levels.
5. Thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD). This type of dosimeter uses a crystal that emits light when exposed to heat, caused by radiation exposure. The intensity of the visible light is measure, indicating the level of exposure. As with EFDs, TLDs are being used more and more in place of QFDs.

Dosimeters Are and Essential Part of Radiation Safety Programs

Ultimately, dosimeters and radiation badges are essential parts of any company’s radiation safety program, and should be used regularly, and diligently, as per manufacturer’s recommendations to keep worker’s radiation exposure well below maximum levels. Dosimeters should be used in compliance with industry best standards, as well as all the necessary radiation shielding and protective clothing products used to keep employees safe.

Interested in learning more about the types of radioactive shielding and protective clothing products available? Contact us here at Lancs Industries. We’ve created innovative, durable and proven radiation shielding products for more than four decades, and we’re always happy to work with clients to design custom products for their unique work environments and/or situations.

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We’re joking (sort of). Believe it or not, there was a time when radiation was considered good for you – and nobody understood just how serious the effects of long-term radiation exposure really were. As a result, there were plenty of radioactive items for sale in everything from housewives’ magazines, to the Sears & Roebuck catalog and even the corner drugstore.

Real Live Examples of Radioactive Household Items & Gifts

Imagine finding one of these gifts under your holiday tree or as the result of your dreidel spin.

1. Radioactive face cream. Women the world over were excited to try a range of Tho-Radia cosmetic products, including face creams, lipstick, perfumes, and powders. Why wouldn’t they when the radioactive ingredients promised to enhance your youthful glow. Fortunately, this makeup didn’t stay on the market for very long.
2. Doromad toothpaste. If you lived in Germany between the years 1940 and 1945, you may have been the proud owner of Doromad toothpaste. This paste contained radioactive thorium, which was marketed to make teeth glow a little brighter and whiter….before they fell out, we would imagine. The good news is thorium was added in minimal amounts. The bad news is that users ingested and absorbed low-doses of radiation as for the duration that they used the products, and we won’t even think about the radiation that was going down drains into sewers, storm drains and groundwater supplies.
3. The Atomic Energy Lab for the kids! Of all the radioactive products that were given as holiday gifts, this one is the most bittersweet. Well-intentioned parents who gifted, atomic scientist children their very own Atomic Energy Lab had their hearts in the right place. Created during the 1950s by the same guy who brought us the infamous Erector Sets, the Gilbert U-238 Atomic Energy Laboratory introduced children to basic radioactive elements and the experiments to show them off. It even included its very own Geiger counter. Unfortunately, children and parents who purchased the lab are not eligible for Radiation Exposure Compensation.
4. Radiation for arthritis relief and erectile dysfunction. When radioactive isotopes were first discovered, there was no lack of advertised health wonders attributed to them. One example of this is Radithor, with a subheading that read, “The modern weapon of curative science.” Well, that was certainly the truth. The radioactive water was infused with Radium-226 and 228 isotopes. Unfortunately, true believers suffered serious side effects, such as famous socialite and athlete Eben Beyers. Mr. Beyers was a big consumer of Radithor and was reported to have consumed 1400 small bottles of the stuff (before you scoff – add up the number energy drinks your fellow countrymen consume each day). After a couple of years, he became extremely ill, had to have parts of his mouth and jaw removed, and eventually died.
5. The first luminescent watches. The glow-ability of certain radioactive elements wasn’t lost on commercial giants. Hence, in the early 1900s, certain watchmakers used a radium-based dye to paint the numbers onto the watch faces so they would glow in the dark. Again, unfortunately, without an understanding of how dangerous radiation exposure was (no ALARA awareness back then), many of the women who painted the digits fell ill, were disfigured and many eventually died because they habitually licked the brushes to smooth the bristles in between paint strokes.

So that’s the reality of life before radiation awareness. Fortunately, times have changed.

Real Radiation-Themed Holiday Gifts That Won’t Make Your Parts Fall Off

If, however, you have a person on your gift list who might like a little laugh, we do have a few radiation-themed suggestions for you.

• Tee-Shirts and Onesies. The famed site, Cafepress, has a wide range of T-shirts, hoodies, tote bags and even onesies with radioactive symbols and clever messages. Some of them even glow in the dark, sans any threat of radiation.
• A Glow-in-the-Dark Coaster Set. This is probably the best crowd pleaser of the bunch, and one of our personal favorites. The team at ThinkGeek created a glow-in-the-dark coaster set. Each square is modeled from the radioactive elements on the periodic table, consisting of Radium-226 (Red), Plutonium-244 (Blue), Uranium-238 (Green), and Thorium-232 (Orange).
• Radiation Hazard Fallout Keychain. We’re also fans of this Radiation Hazard Fallout Keychain sold on Etsy. It’s handmade, using a high-definition decal, covered with a dome crystal glass, set on an antique bronze-finished housing.

Those of us here at Lancs Industries wish you and your family a very happy, safe and radiation-free holiday season.

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Is Your Company Providing the Right Protective Clothing to Prevent Employee Radiation Exposure?

ALARA regulations are very clear that it is the employer’s responsibility to ensure their employees are 100% aware of the risks of work-related radiation potential as well as which scenarios put the employees at risk of radioactive exposure. Also, employers must make every effort possible to protect their employees from exposure to radiation, using specifically design products, like radiation shielding materials, glove bags or sleeves and/or appropriate protective clothing.

The following are examples of protective clothing, designed to shield the wearer from harmful radiation exposure.

Full-Protection Suits. For those who are surrounded or working directly in an environment that offers little to no shielding, workers should be provided with fully protective suits. These suits range from one-piece to two-piece suits and including wet suits. They are available in a variety of styles and price points. Some models include pocket dosimeters so workers can keep a closer eye on their exposure level.
Many of the full-protection suit models come with options such as attachments for hoods and booties, additional exhaust vents and options for zipper or Velcro openings. Our suits are available in S, M, L, XL, XXL and XXXL.

Welder Jackets. Your welders will appreciate the custom welder jacket, which provides additional protection – especially around the shoulders where protective suit seams can invisibly wear over time. It will also shield workers from radiation exposure due to general rips and tears, which are more common on the upper body. Our welder jackets provide radiation protection from the neck to the wrists and are available in sizes M to 3XL.

Hoods. The one-size-fits all hood comes in three different style options and materials: PVC, cotton and urethane. All have a Velcro-front closure.

Booties, Shoe Covers and Sleeves. In addition to the risk posed to employees who work directly with radiation, there is always the risk of contamination from one work area to another, or from work to home. Booties, shoe covers and sleeves are one of the best mechanisms for preventing contamination and cross-contamination scenarios. Our shoe covers range from those that cover the shoe only, to full- high-top booties and cotton overshoes for maximum protection. We offer both regular sleeves as well as chemical sleeves, the former meets the requirements of MIL-A-24914.

You can see our full array of anti-contamination suits and protective clothing on our website. Are you looking for more specific or customized protective gear, shielding or clothing? Contact Lancs Industries where our experience and industry longevity make us one of the best manufacturers of rote and custom radiation shielding world-wide.

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Containment Glovebag Key Design Points

To address these concerns, Lancs Industries has designed glovebags specifically to streamline installation and ease of use. Two notable models, the LI-304 and LI-338 glovebags, are particularly suited for work on pipes and valves. These models feature a continuous Velcro strip, which allows for a quick and easy setup process. Workers can wrap the glovebag around the pipe or valve, install the necessary tools within the glovebag, seal the Velcro strip, and then secure each end with tape. This design makes it much simpler and faster to put into place compared to traditional methods that require more extensive sealing and fastening.

The LI-304 and LI-338 models share the same shape but differ in size to accommodate different pipe dimensions and work requirements. The LI-304 model measures 18 inches in diameter and 24 inches in length, making it suitable for smaller pipes or more confined spaces. Meanwhile, the LI-338 is larger, with a 24-inch diameter and a 36-inch length, providing a roomier workspace for more extensive maintenance tasks. Both models ensure that radiological contamination is controlled, offering a safer environment for workers while also minimizing the risk of contamination spreading to other areas.

Once the Velcro strip on the glovebag is sealed, it’s crucial to reinforce the seal to prevent any possible escape of airborne contaminants. Since the Velcro closure itself is not completely airtight, additional measures are needed to secure it. Many facilities opt to add a patch over the Velcro, using either a strong adhesive or tape, to enhance the seal’s integrity. Some even apply a specialized sealant, such as RTV (room temperature vulcanizing) silicone, to the Velcro strip before fastening it. This added layer of sealing helps to ensure that any potential airborne contamination remains contained within the glovebag, thereby creating a safer work environment. Despite these extra steps for reinforcement, the entire installation process generally takes only a few minutes.

Custom Glovebag Containment Options

Beyond standard sizes, Lancs Industries also offers custom glovebag options to fit unique pipe dimensions or specific project needs. This customization allows facilities to tailor glovebags to their precise requirements, and additional features such as waste sleeves, HEPA filter sleeves, or drain connections can be incorporated. These accessories further aid in containment and make it easier to safely dispose of or handle any waste generated during the work.

The use of glovebags has become increasingly important in industries like nuclear power, where radiological safety is paramount. Historical incidents highlight why robust contamination controls are necessary. For example, there were at least two cases at power plants where contamination spread significantly when workers conducted grinding operations inside piping. These incidents involved cutting the pipe and grooming it for a butt weld, during which workers used a motorized wire brush or flapper wheel to remove debris and corrosion. Unfortunately, the disruption of the oxide layer inside the pipe caused fixed contamination to loosen, allowing it to spread throughout the work area and onto the workers. Such incidents underline the importance of effective contamination controls, especially during operations that can disturb contaminated surfaces.

In response to these challenges, Lancs Industries developed a specialized grinding glovebag in collaboration with personnel from the Palo Verde Nuclear Power Station. This glovebag model is designed to prevent contamination spread specifically during grinding or other grooming operations on pipes. The glovebag allows workers to complete necessary tasks within a controlled environment, containing any loose contaminants that might otherwise escape into the surrounding area. Once the job is completed, the glovebag can be untapped and removed from the pipe safely and easily.

Lancs Industries’ custom design options allow facilities to order glovebags of any size and configuration to suit their specific needs. This flexibility ensures that whatever the dimensions or requirements of a job, a glovebag can be created to provide a secure, contamination-controlled environment. The use of glovebags like the LI-304 and LI-338 models, as well as custom designs for unique applications, demonstrates how this technology can play a critical role in ensuring safety and contamination control during radiological maintenance and repair tasks. By making glovebags easier and quicker to install, Lancs Industries is helping to break down barriers to their use, encouraging safer practices in handling potentially hazardous materials.

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QuickRack Construction & Design

QuickRack is a lightweight, modular shield system that allows workers to construct and dismantle temporary shielding in just minutes. It offers an efficient way to create a shadow shield around personnel or establish a barrier around radiation sources. In traditional settings, shielding often relies on bulky, permanent steel racks that require considerable resources and space for installation. The QuickRack, however, is designed to eliminate those limitations with its compact and modular design, making it highly portable and easier to maneuver within confined spaces. It is ideal for deployment in various sections of a facility, such as Pipe Chases, Valve Galleries, and Steam Generator Eddy Current Platforms, where space is often limited and accessibility can be challenging.

Weighing less than 50 pounds, with each of its two pieces at around 25 pounds, the QuickRack’s lightweight nature provides numerous benefits. This design allows workers to easily transport it through narrow doorways and into tight spaces without needing special handling equipment. The modular design also contributes to greater versatility and ease of use, as individual pieces can be assembled and disassembled by a single worker, reducing the need for extensive labor and minimizing time requirements. This ease of setup directly translates into decreased radiation exposure time for personnel, helping to achieve higher ALARA goals by reducing the overall dose absorbed by workers.

QuickRack Quality & Durability

In terms of durability, the QuickRack has undergone extensive testing and certified structural analysis to ensure it meets rigorous safety and strength requirements. The results have demonstrated that the QuickRack can withstand vertical loads up to 11,244 pounds. In fact, this tool has proven robust enough to handle the heaviest crane counterweights, sustaining a certified 9,500-pound load with zero structural deformation. These impressive figures affirm the QuickRack’s reliability and strength, providing users with confidence that it will perform effectively under various conditions.

The QuickRack’s versatility makes it suitable for a range of applications within high-radiation and low-radiation areas (HRA and LHRA).

A Variety of Possible Uses:

• Low-dose waiting area in HRA and LHRA
• Shadow Shields for S/G Platform Workers
• Hot spot shielding
• Personal shield booth for fire watch and FME monitors
• During RCP work (draining/filling, MMD, etc.)
• Around valve and piping work
• Field Supervision and Oversight Activities
• In-core sump entries

This adaptability ensures the QuickRack serves as a multi-purpose tool that can meet the unique demands of various radiological tasks, further underscoring its value within the ALARA toolbox.

Lancs Industries’ QuickRack has been recognized by the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO) as a strength in shielding programs, specifically highlighting its impact at the Braidwood Nuclear Plant. This recognition underscores the tool’s effectiveness in radiation protection for the workers, attesting to its practical benefits and contributions to ALARA goals. As nuclear facilities continue to prioritize worker safety and minimize radiation exposure, tools like the QuickRack are essential to supporting these goals through efficient, flexible, and durable shielding solutions.

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The reduction of radiation doses is complex from start to finish and can be a challenge not only at the beginning of operation but also during maintenance periods, naturally high radiation zones and accidents or emergency situations.

Challenges in Reducing Radiation Doses:

• Operational Complexity and Maintenance 
  • Routine Exposure During Maintenance: Workers performing maintenance, inspections, or repairs often need to enter areas where radiation levels are higher. This can lead to additional occupational radiation exposure. 
  • Decommissioning Activities: During the decommissioning of old plants or components, dismantling radioactive materials presents significant radiation hazards. 
  • Wear and Tear on Equipment: As plants age, equipment may degrade and require more frequent repairs, increasing worker exposure to radiation. 

• High-Radiation Zones 
  • Radiation Hotspots: Certain areas within the plant, such as reactor cores, spent fuel pools, and coolant systems, can have elevated radiation levels that make minimizing exposure difficult. 
  • Design Limitations: Older nuclear plants may not have been designed with modern dose reduction strategies in mind, such as shielding, remote operations, or automated maintenance. 

• Radiation Contamination from Accidents 
  • Potential for Leaks or Spills: Even minor leaks or spills of radioactive materials can significantly increase the exposure risk for workers and the environment. 
  • Accidental Releases During Normal Operations: Routine operations, such as fuel handling, can sometimes result in small, unintentional releases of radioactive materials, posing challenges in managing overall dose exposure. 

• Human Exposure During Emergency Situations 
  • Limited Time for Protective Measures: In emergency situations, such as a system malfunction or potential radiation leak, workers may need to act quickly before full radiation shielding or protective protocols can be implemented, increasing exposure risk. 
  • Evacuation and Shelter-In-Place Challenges: Evacuation protocols need to be robust, as delays in decision-making or execution can expose workers and nearby communities to higher doses. 

 In many of these situations, additional radiation shielding such as lead radiation shielding and lead-free radiation shielding including Tungsten shielding and Bismuth shielding, can improve and work towards minimizing the dose reduction challenges. 

Whether you are working in the nuclear power plant industry, in a medical facility, oil and gas industry, military or more, a large part of radiation shielding happens with lead blankets.

Common Areas Utilizing Radiation Shielding Blankets: 

• Medical Imaging and Treatment: 
  • X-rays and CT Scans: Tungsten blankets shield parts of the body not being imaged, protecting patients and technicians from unnecessary radiation exposure. 
  • Radiation Therapy: During cancer treatments like radiotherapy, lead blankets are used to protect healthy tissue surrounding the targeted treatment area. 

• Nuclear Power Plants: 
  • Routine Maintenance and Operations: Workers performing repairs or maintenance near radioactive materials use lead blankets to protect themselves from radiation exposure. 
  • Decontamination and Decommissioning: Tungsten blankets are used during decommissioning of reactors or radioactive facilities to limit radiation exposure. 

• Industrial Radiography: 
  • Non-Destructive Testing (NDT): Tungsten blankets are used in NDT applications where X-rays or gamma rays are used to inspect materials for defects, protecting technicians from exposure. 

• Laboratories and Research Facilities: 
  • Radiopharmaceuticals and Isotope Handling: Tungsten blankets shield researchers or technicians handling radioactive isotopes in research and development processes. 

• Oil and Gas Industry: 
  • Logging Tools and Well Evaluation: Tungsten blankets protect workers during the use of radioactive sources in well logging and other subsurface evaluations. 

• Military and Defense: 
  • Radiation Shielding for Personnel and Equipment: Tungsten blankets protect military personnel and sensitive equipment from radiation in situations involving nuclear weapons or radioactive materials. 

Lancs Industries can also create any custom configuration you may need for your project. Whether you need the half-round shielding for your Steam Generator Replacement Project, gore shielding for your Pressurizer Surge Line, or snakes for your Dry Cask operations, Lancs Industries makes it all. 

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