Describe a typical decontamination procedure for a floor contaminated with a radionuclide spill.

• A. Contain area; wear PPE; choose appropriate decontamination agent; use absorbent material; mop with approved cleaner; perform wipe tests; dispose of waste as radioactive.
• B. Evacuate area and ignore.
• C. Use dry sweeping only.
• D. Contact the manufacturer.

Answer: (D)

When a floor is contaminated with a radionuclide spill, the priority is to prevent spread and protect people, then remove the contamination and verify it’s gone. Start by containing the area to stop tracking contamination to other spaces and set up barriers or signage as needed. Put on appropriate PPE—gloves, a protective gown or coveralls, shoe covers, eye protection, and a respirator if the risk warrants it or per the site’s radiological protection program.

Next, choose a decontamination agent that is effective for the specific radionuclide and surface, rather than something generic. Use absorbent materials to pick up the liquid and debris, and then clean the floor with an approved cleaner designed for radiological decontamination. This helps dissolve and lift the contamination rather than simply moving it around. After cleaning, perform wipe tests to confirm that residual contamination meets the required limits; if findings are still above limits, repeat the cleaning process.

Finally, treat all waste as radioactive and dispose of it through the proper radioactive waste streams according to regulatory requirements, while documenting the cleanup and notifying the radiation protection program as needed. This sequence ensures containment, protection, effective removal, verification, and proper waste handling. Evacuating and ignoring is unsafe, dry sweeping can spread contamination, and simply contacting the manufacturer does not provide a complete on-site cleanup procedure.