Lancs and Radiation Protection Systems recently provided a training and information session on the use of ventilation units and containment tents at the Hammer Training and Education Center in Richland, Washington.
Please join Larry Waggoner and other members of the Lancs Industries team at the Waste Management Symposia in Phoenix from February 26th to March 1st!
Lancs is pleased to offer training classes on radiological work practices and ALARA techniques at our plant in Kirkland, Washington, or at your facility. Two nuclear plants have recently scheduled training by Lancs personnel for their employees to assist with alpha contamination problems and glovebag use. Lancs teaches your staff key best practices in ALARA safety which translate into lower dose for workers, shorter outages and overall cost savings for your facility. Contact us today!
Lancs representatives will be attending the ISOE Alara Symposium & Region III RPM Meeting on January 8-11, and the PWR Alara Winter & Region I & II Meeting on and January 16-20, both in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Please join us, and come by and say hello!
For use during your next planned outage, Lancs carries in inventory and ready for shipment many items including lead wool blankets in the following sizes:
· 1’ x 4’ x 10 lbs sq/ft, Yellow PVC Laminate covers
· 1’ x 4’ x 15 lbs sq/ft, Yellow PVC Laminate covers
· 1’ x 6’ x 10 lbs sq/ft, Yellow PVC Laminate covers
Founded in 1998, BOP Filter/Barriers has manufactured the leading flexible high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) grade filter in contamination and particulate control applications for nuclear and pharmaceutical environments. Lancs has used these filters for over 10 years, and will continue BOP’s excellence in quality manufacturing in its Kirkland facility.
Lancs and its BOP Filters subsidiary manufacture flexible HEPA grade filters for use in contamination and particulate control applications. The filters are custom designed, and can be produced in various sizes and shapes. These flat and flexible panel filters can be welded or heat sealed by Lancs into polyvinyl chloride (PVC), or polyurethane (PU) plastic film. Our filters have been used in waste volume reduction, personnel protection, hazardous particle containment, environment control for purity of pharmaceutical reactions, containment of explosive environments (such as hydrogen generation during chemical reactions) and over-pressure protection in containment barriers. Applications also exist in biohazards and medical waste disposal, asbestos removal, “clean room” ventilation and equipment protection from hazardous environments.
We produce two standard sizes of filters: 1.5″ and 3.5″ in diameter, but can manufacture them in different sizes if required. Our filters are made to be welded into bags, sleeves or other barrier materials. The filter media function is the same regardless of the barrier material used.
BOP Filter/Barriers LLC was formed in 1998 to develop and market the technology of US Patent Number 5,720,789*. The technology was invented by Paul A. Pinson at the Idaho National Laboratory (“INL”) as a solution to a nuclear waste bag venting problem regarding the need to allow air and other gasses to vent from sealed waste bags while maintaining containment of the nuclear contamination. The patent was assigned to the Idaho National Laboratory General Contractor at that time, and BOP Filter/Barriers LLC was formed to develop and commercialize the technology. Mr. Pinson, as BOP Filter/ Barriers LLC’s founder and technical lead worked closely with Lancs over the subsequent years, and in December 2011 Lancs acquired the business including its worldwide exclusive license for the patent from Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC, INL’s current general contractor. Mr. Pinson serves as an advisor to Lancs on matters related to filter products.
Check back soon for our new product page featuring Flexible HEPA Grade Filters.
*“Method for Contamination Control and Barrier Apparatus with Filter for Containing Waste Materials that Include Dangerous Particulate Matter”
The containment gloves may become damaged while working in the containment. The damage may be noticed as soon as it occurs, but a small punch-type tear or cut could occur without the wearer being aware of it. For this reason, it is important to inspect the gloves before using them. It is also essential to discuss at the pre-job meeting the actions that will be taken if a glove is damaged while it is in use and how a damaged glove will be replaced so that everyone will understand what to do should this occur.
The most important factor to consider is preventing contamination of the glove wearer through the damaged glove and spread of contamination when replacing the glove. To accomplish this, replacement of the damaged glove should not be attempted alone by the worker whose glove is damaged. It is also critical to ensure the new glove is properly oriented when it is being installed. This step is the easiest to miss in methods where the glove is installed inside out, then inverted after installation. The method used may vary depending on factors such as level of contamination, severity of damage, injury to personnel, etc.
Three methods of replacing damaged gloves while working in containment follow:
1.) Pull the damaged glove hand up and out until the glove is in the sleeve. Carefully remove your hand from the glove, leaving the glove inside the sleeve. Remove the tape and/or rubber ring from the glove ring. Carefully roll the damaged glove cuff lip away from the sleeve to expose the center of the glove ring.
2.) Place the replacement glove cuff lip over the glove ring. Secure the glove in place with tape (or by reinstalling the rubber ring, if used.) Take care not to catch the damaged glove between the new glove and the glove ring when taping down the new glove.
3.) With the replacement gloves in place, and working through the replacement glove, cautiously roll or lift the damaged glove cuff lip over the end of the glove ring. Pull the damaged glove free and draw it into the glovebag for transfer sleeve removal.
See diagrams of the above methods here.
Installing a Glove in a Containment
1. Install rubber gloves (size 10 or 11 gloves are suggested) at locations indicated on the installation sheet.
2. Ensure proper orientation for working position.
3. Check the glove for pinholes by trapping air in the glove and squeezing.
4. Insert the end of the sleeve through the ring glove and fold the end of the sleeve over to cover the glove ring.
5. Tape the sleeve into the groove of the glove ring securely.
6. Insert the glove into the sleeve in the appropriate working position and fold the cuff of the glove over into the center groove of the glove ring.
7. Place the rubber ring (optional) over glove and sleeve and into the groove in the glove ring.
8. Apply tape over rubber ring. In place of a rubber ring, you can use a hose clamp, bungee cord, cable tie or Tygon tubing.
9. Check that glove is sealed by trapping air in sleeve and glove and squeezing.
Download a diagram of instructions here.
Next week: How to change out a glove that has a hole in it after the glove bag is contaminated.
We started this blog as a forum for Lancs to stay in touch with our customers as we share hot topics, industry news and company events. Visit us each week to learn about new products and services, check out the answers to frequent technical questions, discuss best practices, and see upcoming events. We hope you enjoy and participate!
Please join Lancs staff at the American Nuclear Society Meeting & Nuclear Technology Expo in Washington, D.C. from October 30-November 3, and the Nuclear D&D Supply Chain Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina from November 17-18.
