Incident description

The researcher was handling the primary P32 vial when she noticed that during routine monitoring, her left glove was coming back radioactive ("hot") with readings higher than 100 cpm (counts per minute). Phosphorus-32 is a commonly used beta emitter with a short half-life. It can pose an external (skin) dose hazard as well as a potential internal hazard. This is why it is important to wear proper personal protective equipment and never eat or drink in a laboratory area.

The count rate remained after replacing with a new pair of gloves, and therefore she scanned her bare left hand where it read between 100-200cpm. 

Per SafetyNet 37, the researcher immediately washed her hands with soap and water in the laboratory sink. The reading dropped below 100 cpm after the first attempt and she was able to successfully decontaminate her left hand after multiple efforts. Due to the quick actions taken, she received a minimal dose to the extremity and no medical treatment or follow-ups are needed.

What went right?

1) Wearing proper PPE (gloves particularly in this case)
2) Constant monitoring with a Geiger counter throughout the experiment
3) Familiar with SafetyNet and immediate actions were taken as soon as contamination was detected
4) Notified EH&S regarding the incident

What should have been done differently?

N/A. The researcher has followed the correct decontamination process in a timely and professional manner.

How to prevent this in the future

N/A. Minor spills do happen during research experiments. It is more important to get familiar with the safety protocol in advance. It is also worthwhile to note that Radiation Safety team will not be issuing violations on similar incidents if proper actions were taken by the research team. We welcome you to share such incidents and applaud this researcher for their quick action.