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Hanford Facility Beryllium Fact Sheet


Building Number/Name:
Date prepared:
Responsible Contractor:
Contact:
3708
February 23, 2004
FH-CP
Kenneth Jaten


PAST OPERATIONS
Beryllium brought in facility: YES
Form of beryllium: SOLID
Period of beryllium operations (dates): Start: 1950s End: 1980s
Location(s) in facility that contained beryllium materials: Unknown

Description of beryllium activities: This building, known as the Radiation Measurements Building, was built in 1948 to process personnel dosimetry badges and meters. In the early 1960s, the building was an electrical and optical shop used for storage, maintenance, and development of electrical and optical instruments. From 1967 to 1968, the facility was renovated and used as a fuel fabrication facility. In 1968, neptunium oxide fuel targets were manufactured. The following year, another blend was manufactured. Major renovations occurred in the mid-1980s when the floors, ceilings, walls, and major ventilation ducts were replaced. In the early 1990s, the north end of the building was used for the experimental canning of americium oxide and curium oxide fuel blends. From 1986 until 1997 the building was used for wet chemistry work. In 1997, the building occupants were moved out and the building was shut down.

Building monitoring data summary: None identified.
Personnel monitoring data summary: None identified.
Specify Engineering/Administrative controls used during operations: None identified.

Maximum Estimated Past Be exposure: NONE


CURRENT OPERATIONS
Building still present: YES
Beryllium present: NO
Current building occupancy/activity: This facility has been unoccupied since 1996.

2000 Characterization: Statistical beryllium wipe sampling was conducted in this facility on May 12, 2000 to characterize residual beryllium levels from past operations. All 29 samples taken had less than detectable levels of removable beryllium (<0.1 µg/100 cm2).

Maximum Estimated Current Be exposure: NONE

Basis for above information: Interviews with site personnel and WHC-MR-0388.

Comments, including any additional information needed (specify): Although many alpha emitters were used, no information has been identified to support the conclusion that beryllium was brought into the facility or worked with. The probes on counters for the badges have a beryllium alloy (1.84% beryllium) screen which may have been the reason this building was included as a potential beryllium site.


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For questons or comments, please send email to Elton_R_Hewitt@rl.gov

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