Norms

Norms

Safety Through Education

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

Where – WHEN- oh its there!

NORM originating in geological oil and gas formations is usually brought to thesurface in produced water. As the water approaches the surface, temperaturechanges cause radioactive elements to precipitate. Resulting scales and sludge maycollect in water separation systems. Radium is usually found in this type of NORMcontamination.


Your Health our Concern

• The health hazards associated with exposure to NORM are generally low.

• Even high concentrations of NORM are usually less radioactive than man-made sources. Therefore, radiation–induced, acute or life-threatening effects are not expected after a short period of exposure to NORM.


NORMS

• The natural levels of NORM can be significantly increased or “enhanced” as a result of activities like mining and oil production. This enhancement is referred to as TENORM – Technically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material. Sometimes, NORM can accumulate at much higher concentrations than its original natural level due to these activities.


Who Discovered Radioactivity?

Antoine Henri Becquerel

• Worked with uranium.• Noticed phosphorescence

caused film exposure after leaving uranium in the sun.

• Noticed same thing happened on cloudy days.

A few items to safety• Define NORM or Naturally Occurring Radioactive

Material• Define radiation• List type of radiation, their properties and hazards• How radiation is measured• Describe the amount of radiation that is safe and

hence not regulated• Health effects of radiation and other risks• Describe ways to keep radiation as low as reasonably

possible• List practices to follow when working with NORM


NORM Definition

Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) – any nuclide that is radioactive in its natural state ( i.e. not man-made), but not including source, by-product, or special nuclear material.


Brief History

Early accounts of NORM– Canadian oil field (1904)– Radium in Russian fields (1930)– Uranium in gas formations (1953)


Risks of NORM in Our Worksites

• Occupational exposure of workers (own personnel, or contractor personnel);

• Contamination of the (local) environment;• Transfer of contaminated equipment and scrap metal

to other companies, and possibly to other countries;• Liability;• Bad publicity

Workers have to be aware of these risks


Not Limited Too

• The following are examples of operational components where NORM may be detected:

• • Down-hole tubing, safety valves, etc• • Long piping runs • • Well heads• • Production manifolds• • Flow-lines (to gas/oil separators)• • Separators (high, intermediate, and low pressure)• • Dehydrators • • Desalinators

NORM Health Impact

No short-term acute effects

Chronic exposure(unprotected)

Higher possibility of cancer


There are two ways in which personnel can be exposed to NORM, namely:• Irradiation – external exposure where the source remains outside the body• Contamination – internal exposure where radioactive material is taken into the body via inhalation, ingestion or absorptionThe health effects associated with exposure to ionising irradiation vary depending on the total amount of energy absorbed, the time period, the dose rate and the particular organ exposed.

CanadaDerived Working Limits (DWLs) have been determined from the annual radiation dose limits to assist in dose assessment. The DWL’s pro vide an estimate of dose from the quantities that may be directly measured in the work place. A Radiation Assessment programmay compare measurement results to de rived working limits (DWLs).The occupational dose-rate that will give an incremental gamma radiation dose of 0.3 mSv/a is 0.15 μSv/h.The DWL for the gamma Investigation Thresh old is an incremental dose-rate above off-site back ground of 0.15 μSv/h.The occupational dose-rate that will give an incremental gamma radiation dose of 1 mSv/a is 0.5 μSv/h. The DWL for the gamma Dose Management Thresh old is an incremental dose-rate of 0.5 μSv/h.

Relative Penetrating Power


Radiation Emitted by NORM

Gamma raysRa-226 and Pb-210

Beta particlesRa-228, Pb-210, Bi-210

Alpha particlesRa-226,U-238,Po-210 and Pb-210


Where NORM accumulates

Scale Scrapings Sludge Thin films (radon progeny)

NORM may accumulate in the following

media:


NORM in Scale

Types of scales– Sulfate: SrSO4 and BaSO4 (RaSO4)– Carbonate: CaCO3 (RaCO3)

Effect of water mixing Change in pressure/temperature Scale accumulates in: production tubing, well

head, valves, and pumps Scale inhibitors


NORM Exposure Scenarios

ContaminationInhalation Ingestion Absorption

Irradiation

External Exposure


What is Radiation?

Radiation: energy in motion

Radioactivity: spontaneous emission of radiation from the nucleus of an unstable atom

Isotope: atoms with the same number of protons, but different number of neutrons

Radioisotope: unstable isotope of an element that decays or disintegrates spontaneously, emitting radiation. Approximately 5,000 natural and artificial radioisotopes have been identified


RadioactiveWaste

Radon

X-Rays

ConsumerProducts

NuclearPower

Nuclear Medicine

Solar RadiationCosmic Rays

TerrestrialRadiation

Food &Drink

Each Other

RADIOACTIVE SOURCESRADIOACTIVE SOURCES


NORM in Scale


NORM in Pipelines Scrapings

Crude pipelines

(Radium & Pb-210) Seawater pipelines

(Uranium)


Time and NORMS

• A worker’s radiation dose depends on many factors, such as the type of work that he does, the NORM activity assigned, the time spent on this activity, and the protective measures he employs.


Workers’ Radiation Dose

A worker’s dose depends onA worker’s dose depends on: Type of work

Cleaning vessels/tanks Maintenance

NORM activity Time Protective measures


Workers Protection

Awareness/training Protective clothes Respirators’ use Practice good hygiene Limited work scenarios

The first step toward workers’ protection is identifying NORM-contaminated equipment by using adequate detection instruments. If contamination is suspected, than methods to locate the contamination and bring about awareness should be implemented immediately.

NORM potential negative health effects can be significantly reduced by wearing suitable protective clothes such as gloves and coveralls. The use of adequate respirators will prevent the inhalation and ingestion of NORM nuclides.

ALARA

• As Low As Reasonably Achievable

• How?– Time– Distance– Shielding

• Why?– Minimize Dose


Control of NORM Waste

NORM Monitoring

Control of Contaminated Equipment

Workers Protection &

Training

NORM Program Safety at Work

Baseline Surveys

Pre T&I Surveys

Routine Assessment

s

Legacy Cont.

Surveys

Equipment Screening

NORM Equip. Storage

NORM Equip. Decontam.

NORM Waste

Storage

Minimization at Source

Waste Reduction

Permanent Disposal

Enhance Awareness

Workers’ Training

NORM Surveyor Training


Comparison of Administrative, Regulatory and Biological Effect DosesComparison of Administrative, Regulatory and Biological Effect Doses

100% of People Die, 100% of People Die, CNS SyndromeCNS Syndrome

Permanent InfertilityPermanent Infertility

Whole Body Regulatory Limit (5 rem/yr)Whole Body Regulatory Limit (5 rem/yr)Eye Regulatory Limit (15 rem/yr)Eye Regulatory Limit (15 rem/yr)

50% of People Die (450 – 500 rad)50% of People Die (450 – 500 rad)

Nausea & Vomiting (10% of People)Nausea & Vomiting (10% of People)

Whole Body UTHSCH Administrative Whole Body UTHSCH Administrative Limit (0.125 rem/month)Limit (0.125 rem/month)

Whole Body ExposureWhole Body ExposurePartial Body ExposurePartial Body Exposure

Extremities Regulatory Limit (50 rem/yr)Extremities Regulatory Limit (50 rem/yr)

Eye UTHSCH Administrative Eye UTHSCH Administrative Limit (0.375 rem/month)Limit (0.375 rem/month)

Rad or RemRad or Rem

Extremities UTHSCH Administrative Extremities UTHSCH Administrative Limit (1.275 rem/month)Limit (1.275 rem/month)

General Public Whole Body Regulatory General Public Whole Body Regulatory Limit (0.100 rem/yr)Limit (0.100 rem/yr)

No Clinical Symptoms Seen Below 10 remNo Clinical Symptoms Seen Below 10 rem

Cataract FormationCataract Formation

Loss of HairLoss of Hair

Skin ReddeningSkin Reddening

Decreased White Blood Cell CountDecreased White Blood Cell Count

Ulcers on the SkinUlcers on the Skin

Molecular Death (> 100,000 rad)Molecular Death (> 100,000 rad)

Gastrointestinal SyndromeGastrointestinal Syndrome


NORM Monitoring

NORM Detected?

Normal Operation

NORM Free Equipment

Identify NORM Contaminated

equipment/waste

Decontaminate NORM

equipment

WorkersProtection &

Contam. Control

Assess Radiological

Risks

Interim Storage of NORM equipment

NORM Waste PermanentDisposal

NORM wasteInterim Storage

Yes

No

NORM Contaminated Equipment

NORM Waste

NORM Waste

NORM Management Process Cycle

Release for general use


Monitoring is required to ascertain whether NORM is present in a medium. It can utilise direct measurement instruments which can be taken to the onshore or offshore fields to measure the levels of radiation emitted. Alternatively, samples can be collected and sent to a laboratory for radiometric analysis. In practice, a monitoring programme will usually make use of all available monitoring methods and techniques based on specific requirements of individual organisation. Various components of a monitoring programme may include:• Baseline surveys• Pre-shut-down surveys• Operational assessments• Legacy contamination surveys.


Time

Less time = Less radiation exposure Use RAM only when necessary Dry runs (without radioactive material)

Identify portions of the experiment that can be altered in order to decrease exposure times

Shorten time when near RAM Obtaining higher doses in order to get an experiment

done quicker is NOT “reasonable”!


Distance

• Effective & Easy• Inverse Square Law

– Doubling distance from source, decreases dose by factor of four

– Tripling it decreases dose nine-fold

• More Distance = Less Radiation Exposure

• Tongs, Tweezers, Pipettes, Pliers


Radiation use will be labeledlabeled on door, work area & storage area

Research laboratories work with very low levels of radioactive materials

Safety can check for potential contamination prior to work in a lab that uses radioactive materials

As a precaution: wear gloves, safety glasses and wash handswear gloves, safety glasses and wash hands

Radiation Postings


Types of Badges Available


Radioactivity

• Rate of Decay / Potential to Decay • “Strength”• Curie (Ci) - 1 gram of radium disintegrates • 3.7 X 1010 disintegration/ second

(dps)• Becquerel (Bq)

= 1 disintegration/second (dps)• 1 mCi = 37 MBq


Absorbed Dose

• Energy deposited by any form of ionizing radiation in a unit mass of material

• Roentgen Absorbed Dose (rad)• Gray (Gy)• 1 Gy = 100 rad


Radiation Detectors

• General Classes of Detectors– Gas-Filled Detectors– Solid Detectors– Liquid Detectors

Gas-Filled Detectors

• Proportional Counter• Ion Chambers• Geiger-Mueller

Counters

• Main Difference - Charge Multiplication

Response to radiation depends on:

• Total dose• Dose rate• Radiation quality• Stage of development at the time of exposure


Minimize Exposure by Maximizing Distance

As the distance from a radioactive source doubles, the exposure rate

decreases by a factor of four.P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

The work procedures should include provisions for:· Equipment hazard evaluation when the equipment is opened. The evaluation should include the use of gamma detectors, pancake probe measurements and lab analysis for activity and identification of the isotope.· Protection of workers from external gamma radiation, if necessary.· Protection of workers from NORM contaminated dust.· Controlling the spread of contamination.· Waste classification to ensure NORM is controlled while minimizing wastevolume.

NORM storage areas should be separated from other materials and entry should berestricted. The storage area requires periodic radiation surveys to ensure gammalevels are not increasing above hazardous levels and/or site contamination is notoccurring from leaking containers.

NORM is not usually present in refining operations as oil production removesNORM contaminated water before delivery to the refinery. Propane produced atrefineries is usually from NORM-free crude oil so the hazard from NORM is veryslight.

• Training and awareness are major components of a NORM management system. Workers need to be made aware of the hazards associated with NORM, the controls that are required for their protection and the methods for preventing environmental contamination.

• Training should focus on operational personnel who are potentially exposed to NORM and directly involved in maintenance operations. Key personnel should be identified and provided with training that will permit them to ensure that the work they do pays due regard to the hazards of NORM and prevents the spread of NORM contamination.

• Workers awareness can be enhanced through NORM awareness sessions.• A formally structured training programme provides training in the following

areas:• • Workers’ course• • Surveyors’ course• • Supervisors’ course/Radiation Safety Officers’ course.

Safety Education

Training First

Norms

Presentations & Public Speaking

Transcript of Norms