Aberdeen Radiation Protection Services provides a full radiation protection service to a wide range of sectors including research institutes, technical service companies, medical facilities, and oil and gas operators. ARPS operates with seven fully qualified Radiation Protection Advisers (RPAs) and three trainee RPAs. Five of our RPAs are qualified Radioactive Waste Advisers (RWAs) and one is a Dangerous Goods Safety Adviser (DGSA).
Following a competitive tender process, ARPS was appointed to deliver Radon and Radiation Protection Services to a UK-based mine operator.
Challenges
Our specialist RPAs Matt Brodie and Rory Jamieson conducted a survey of radon levels at the Northern UK-Based mine. Using a Pylon AB5 monitor, they measured radon concentrations in five underground work areas.
Data collected on the day was compared with measurements taken from passive detectors and an AlphaE radon monitor to provide a floating mean (or average) of the concentrations of radon in the air over the working day. This helped verify the AlphaE’s suitability to provide accurate readings.
The survey also explored whether radon concentrations in various work areas fell to acceptable levels within a one-hour period of the forced ventilation systems being turned on. The survey data helped guide ARPS when making recommendations on keeping workforce exposure to radon as low as reasonably possible.
The Solution
The survey found that it took longer than the estimated one hour for radon concentrations in non-ventilated areas to drop to acceptable levels after ventilation was applied.
Based on these findings, ARPS was able to advise that the local rules be updated to reflect a new safer time period of two hours between switching on the ventilation and entering the area to work.
Monitoring also highlighted a significant time lag in the AlphaE monitor recording changes in radon concentrations present in the air – mainly due to two pouches used to protect the monitor from the effects of moisture in the mine air.
ARPS recommended that a system be implemented to try and speed this up. ARPS also advised the mine owners to investigate whether existing ventilation systems could be improved to bring more air from outside into the mine to reduce concentrations of radon in working areas.
