Section III. FIELD AND LABORATORY TESTS 



1. General Program Design 



General program design involves a By-Product Material License from 

 AEC, scheduling and planning field operations to coincide with ORNL 

 reactor shut-down schedule, and selection of a season when wave climate 

 will permit operations on the "beach, through the surf, and offshore. 



Although the use of xenon-133 tends to minimize radiation hazards, 

 certain radiation safety precautions are required. Greater precaution 

 is necessary when isotopes with a higher radiation output, such as gold- 

 198, krypton-85, or chromium-51, are used. Appropriate AEC regulations 

 were observed at all times. Application for the required AEC By-Product 

 Material License is made on Form AEC-313. The license is obtained from 

 AEC with the concurrence of-the State concerned. 



Personnel involved in the experiment were supplied with radiation 

 dosimeters or ORNL film badges. These indicators were checked by the 

 Program Health Physicist who maintained records of cumulative dosage on 

 all personnel exposed to radiation hazards. Upon completion of a test, 

 Cumulative Exposure Form DD-llUl was completed and provided to the Safety 

 Office at the permanent duty station of the individual participant. In 

 all the operations to date, no one has received a significant exposure 

 to radiation. 



To ensure safe operations during the test, full-scale rehearsals of 

 all field procedures (particularly transport, mixing and injection of the 

 tracer) were conducted prior to working with radiated sand. Following 

 rehearsals, the Program Health Physicist presented a lecture on general 

 radiological safety procedures to participating personnel. 



The temporary storage areas for the radioactive sand were marked in 

 accordance with AEC regulations; access to the areas was controlled. , 

 Similarly, once the radioactive sand was emplaced, the beach test area 

 was marked and access controlled. 



The tagged sand was injected under water, either as a line or a 

 point source, by use of either the mixer-hopper or the clamshell device 

 (see Section II ). Safe transfer of the sand from the shipping package 

 to the sand hopper was ensured by positive gasketed flange connections 

 between the shipping container and the injection equipment. Personnel 

 making the transfer, or otherwise handling the tagged sand, wore protec- 

 tive clothing. Use of the clamshell device, which is self-shielding, 

 greatly simplified handling procedures. 



Personnel, equipment, and the survey area were monitored throughout 

 the test to locate areas where radioactive sand might have accumulated. 

 If necessary, equipment (including shipping containers) was decontaminated, 

 to acceptable radiation limits, generally by washing. 



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