[Milsurplus] TBY Radioactive Dust Abatement
David Stinson
[email protected]
Tue, 02 Sep 2003 13:40:10 -0500
TBY Radioactive Dust Abatement
-or-
"How I Enjoyed My TBY Without Glowing in the Dark"
Some time ago I wrote an article about handling equipment
with radium paint (need to update that article a little bit).
I've just finished with a real-world case
of flaking radium paint on a TBY-7.
I've uploaded some photos of the flaking/
detaching paint to alt.binaries.pictures.radio.
I could wipe the end of my finger on the paint
and bring back yellow dust (yes; I did wash it right off).
This is not play-pretty time or a joke; loose radium paint dust
is serious business. Radium paint that is secure on a surface is
harmless to you. Loose radium paint dust is not.
Inhaled or ingested radium paint dust
increases your risks for health issues.
Now, if you have a later-model TBY or WS-19 that looks like this,
there is *no need to panic.*
If you feel you've probably already ingested or inhaled
some of this dust, then there's good news and bad news.
The bad news is: You can't do anything about it.
Don't go running off to the nearest hospital;
you are not likely to have any health problems at all.
And they won't know what to do, other than give you
a Valium and send you home. If you could get into a very sensitive,
whole-body scanning counter, they *might* be able to find where
the dust lodged, assuming it's even still in you.
And if they did, short of lung lavage,
they can't do anything about it.
The good news is:
You only increased your RISK.
Don't let the general hysteria about radiation shake you.
If you did inhale a particle,
it's very likely you coughed it back up a short time later
(unless you're a heavy smoker).
If you swallowed it, it's probably passed already.
So don't pack your TBY/WS-19 off to the Hazardous Waste dump
just yet. You are NOT in great danger- just at increased risk.
Arm yourself with knowledge and you
can take care of the problem without trouble.
Here is a procedure that will take care of this with
maximum practical safety.
You decide just how much of this you want to do.
*** It's important that you read the entire procedure
before proceeding.
First: If you have a set with this condition in your home,
get it out in the garage or workshop away from the family
until you can deal with it.
Then we'll gather some materials and fix this problem.
You'll need:
A mask or other breathing protection.
Doesn't have to be expensive-
any good quality dust mask will do.
A disposable pair of gloves.
A can of compressed air.
A spray can of GLOSS clear coat enamel (Tester's is fine).
A small "model" paint brush.
A roll of masking tape.
Paper towels.
A liquid bench cleaner- soap and water is fine-
in a disposable container.
Hand tools.
A sealable trash bag.
*** Do not smoke, eat or drink anything while working on your set.
*** Do not work over a carpeted surface;
you need something you can wipe down, like Formica.
*** Open your trash bag and drape it over something in such a way
that you can put things in it without touching
it's outside surface (i.e. drape it over a chair back).
Put on your mask and gloves.
Remove the set from the case.
Do not disturb the paint.
Remove all the knobs and etc.
Take the set outside with the can of compressed air.
Being sure to direct the flow of air away from you,
use the air to *gently* clean any loose dust off the panel.
Do not direct a heavy blast of air at the paint; this will
just increase the problem.
You want to remove any loose dust, not make more dust.
Note: Low-level radium salts are naturally present in soils
all over the earth. Any that you blow off will sink into
the soil, bind with compounds there and be made harmless.
Mask any areas that paint will damage.
Note: You "purist" (like me) grit your teeth;
you're about to do something non-original and irreversible.
It's also absolutely necessary.
Spray some of the clear coat into the can lid and use the small
brush to coat each area of radium paint.
The pointer knobs also have radium paint. Coat them, too.
If you haven't already, remove enough of the rotted plastic
over the frequency indicators and give them a coating, too.
Be careful not to get paint into the bearings
Why gloss coat? Because gloss enamel is hard and permanent.
Do NOT use semi-gloss or flat enamels, acrylics or lacquer.
These will wear and flake,
giving you the same problem you had before.
Wait a few minutes for the painted coats to set,
then give the whole panel a coat of the gloss enamel.
No need to "lay it on thick;" a normal, complete coat
will do the job nicely.
Set the rig aside to dry.
Do the following *in this exact order*:
1. Put your paint brush, the can top you used for dipping paint,
and the spray can itself into the trash bag.
If you used anything to clean or wipe the brush
or clean up paint spills, put it in the trash bag as well.
2. Wipe down your work bench and tools with wet paper towels.
You can pick up the tools with a dry paper towel in one hand and
wipe the tools with a wet towel in the other.
Toss the towels- including the remaining unused ones-
and the left-over cleaner in the bag.
(the idea is to get ride of or decontaminate anything
touched by the gloves).
3. Remove your dust mask by grasping it without touching your skin.
Toss it in the trash bag.
4. Remove your left glove by grasping the rubber in your palm or
just above the wrist and pulling. Don't touch your skin.
Toss it in the bag.
5. Remove your right glove by hooking your thumb BEHIND the rubber
at the top of the glove and peel it down. Toss it.
6. Go inside and wash your hands and face with soap and water.
If you want to be extra careful, put the clothes
you were wearing in the washer.
7. Go back out (put some new clothes on first) and seal the trash bag.
Yes; this is very, very low level radioactive waste.
Up to you how you dispose of it, but I wouldn't
take it to the local fire department; they might
want to know what *other* radioactive things you have.
Some of these folks tend to over-react. Badly.
Now you can reassemble your radio and enjoy it in perfect safety.
Yes, the shiny gloss coat may look distasteful to some.
Tell yourself that's how it looked when they put MFP on it in 1943
and you won't feel so bad.
GL OM DE Dave Stinson AB5S