kw1TYj27

1NORM_Intro_1
2Welcome To NORM Awareness
3
4NORM_Intro_2
5Introduction
6
7NORM_Intro_3
8Radiation is almost everywhere. It’s in the food we eat, the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the ground we walk on. It’s even in our bodies. 
9Low levels of naturally occurring radioactive material, or NORM, are a fact of life.  At normal background levels, the health risks of NORM are minimal. 
10Human activities such as drilling and oil exploration, however, can change NORM, making it more dangerous to the environment and to people. 
11In this course you will learn about NORM and the workplace safeguards that can help protect you from the harmful effects of exposure to radioactive material. 
12
13NORM_Intro_4
14By the end of this course you will be able to explain what NORM is and name industries where NORM is typically found. You will be able to identify the health hazards of exposure to radiation, explain the purpose of monitoring for NORM, and describe ways to protect workers from exposure.
15
16NORM_Intro_5
17This course has five modules. In Module 1 you will learn basic information about NORM. Module 2 addresses where NORM is found and Module 3 is about the dangers to workers. Module 4 covers detection and monitoring and Module 5 covers ways to protect workers from exposure.
18A short quiz follows each module, and there is a final quiz at the end of the course. 
19
20NORM_M1_S1
21Module 1: About NORM
22
23NORM_M1_S2
24At the end of this module you will be able to define NORM and TENORM and explain what radiation is. You will also be able to list factors that increase a person’s dose of radiation.
25
26NORM_M1_S3
27As you learned in the introduction, Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material – or NORM – exists naturally all around us in low concentrations. It comes from rocks and sand in the earth’s crust. Exposure to this natural, background level of NORM is believed to have minimal effect on health, if any. 
28
29NORM_M1_S4
30Industrial activities such as mining and oil and gas production can bring NORM to the surface and concentrate it, creating hazardous conditions that can cause disease and death. 
31This more dangerous NORM is known as TENORM, or technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive material. 
32For the purposes of this course, the term NORM includes TENORM. 
33
34NORM_M1_S5
35We’ve been talking about radioactive material, but what is radiation? 
36Radiation is energy that travels through space. It can cause serious health problems if it gets into the body.
37
38NORM_M1_S6
39There are different kinds of radiation. Sound waves, visible light, radio waves and microwaves are called non-ionizing radiation. NORM is ionizing radiation, which can cause changes in the cells of the body.
40There are three main kinds of ionizing radiation: alpha, beta, and gamma.
41When we talk about radiation in this course we are talking about ionizing radiation. 
42
43NORM_M1_S7
44Alpha radiation consists of heavy and fast-moving charged particles. Because alpha particles cannot get through the skin they are not as dangerous as as beta particles and gamma rays.
45
46NORM_M1_S8
47The charged particles of beta radiation are lighter, faster, and more penetrating than alpha particles. Beta rays can penetrate the skin at higher doses, causing burns.
48
49NORM_M1_S9
50The very high-energy light waves of gamma radiation are so penetrating they can break through the skin. 
51
52NORM_M1_S10
53The average person in North American receives about 310 to 360 millirems of background radiation from natural sources every year. (A millirem is a measure of radiation exposure.) Most of this background radiation come from the air in the form of radon. Food and water, the earth itself, and the cosmic rays from space add to the natural exposure.
54
55NORM_M1_S11
56Certain factors can increase a person’s dose of radiation, such as living or working at a higher elevation and or in a brick, stone, or adobe building.  Smoking one and one-half packs of cigarettes a day increases a person’s annual dose of radiation over ten times. Many people are exposed to excess amounts of radiation through the work they do and through CT scans and other medical procedures.   
57
58NORM_M1_S12
59Regulations set limits to the maximum amount of radiation people are allowed to receive in their workplaces. 
60Since there is no known safe level of exposure to radiation, regulations aim to keep exposures as low as reasonably achievable, or ALARA. 
61Regulations vary by the industry and the location of the workplace. It is important to know the regulations that apply in your workplace.
62
63NORM_M1_S13
64In this module you learned what NORM, TENORM, radiation, and ionizing radiation mean. You also learned that regulations govern occupational exposure to radiation. 
65Now we’ll have a short quiz to review the module.
66
67NORM_M2_S1
68Module 2 - Where Is NORM Found?
69
70NORM_M2_S2
71By the end of this module you will be able to name five industries where NORM is commonly found and list three byproducts that often contain NORM. You will also be able to recognize equipment that may be contaminated with NORM and identify activities that can bring NORM to the surface.
72
73NORM_M2_S3
74As you know, NORM is found naturally in rocks and sand. Industrial activities can concentrate the NORM and bring it to the surface, making it more dangerous for workers and the environment. This module explores industries, materials, equipment, and activities where NORM is commonly found. 
75
76NORM_M2_S4
77Removal of oil, gas, and minerals brings NORM to the surface, where it can come in contact with workers and the environment. 
78NORM settles out and forms radioactive waste in pipes, wastewater, equipment, and parts.
79NORM spreads to landfills and other facilities when contaminated equipment and waste are moved. 
80
81NORM_M2_S5
82Sludge, drilling mud, and pipe scales are by-products of oil and gas production that can contain high levels of NORM. Scale is a mineral deposit that forms on the inside of pipes and tanks; it is a major way NORM is brought to the surface.
83
84NORM_M2_S6
85This video shows a worker operating a natural gas drilling rig, with pipes in the foreground. 
86What in this operation could bring NORM to the surface?
87
88NORM_M2_S7
89NORM could be brought to the surface through the scale in the pipes and from drill mud.
90
91NORM_M2_S8
92Many different mining activities bring NORM to the surface where workers can be exposed to it. These include drilling, blasting, crushing, screening, stockpiling, sampling, smelting, loading, and transporting,
93
94NORM_M2_S9
95NORM is produced in other industries as well, including wastewater treatment plants, underground utilities, and the manufacture of phosphate fertilizers. NORM also found in the fly ash from coal power plants. 
96
97NORM_M2_S10
98Norm is also found in disposal and recycling facilities, uranium processing sites, drilling waste sites, and scrap iron yards. 
99
100NORM_M2_S11
101Welding on a pipeline can expose workers to scale buildup on the inside of the pipes. Dismantling, refurbishing, and recycling NORM-contaminated equipment can also expose workers to radiation. 
102
103NORM_M2_S12
104Equipment used in industries that generate NORM include valves, storage tanks, separators, desalinators, wellheads, and dehydrators like the one pictured here. 
105Any of this equipment could become contaminated with NORM during operation.
106
107NORM_M2_S13
108Clockwise starting on the left you see a gas wellhead, a gas separator, and oil tanks with gate valves – all sources of NORM contamination.
109
110NORM_M2_S14
111A number of consumer products typically contain NORM, including bricks and cement blocks, granite countertops and glazed tiles, tobacco products, and phosphate fertilizer.
112
113NORM_M2_S15
114Radon is a natural occurring radioactive gas. It is most commonly found in rock and soil, but it can also be in well water. Radon can build up to dangerous levels in the air in buildings and in underground mines and tunnels. 
115
116NORM_M2_S16
117In this module you learned about industries in which NORM is found, including oil and gas production, mining, phosphate fertilizer manufacturing, and others. You learned that NORM can also be found on contaminated equipment and on some consumer products. 
118Now we’ll have a short quiz to review this module. 
119NORM_M3_S1
120Module 3: Dangers to Workers
121
122NORM_M3_S2
123By the end of this module you will be able to name 3 ways radiation contamination can get into the body and list possible effects of radiation exposure during pregnancy. You will also be able to explain how dose and time affect the possibility of harm from radiation and list 3 types of workers who are at risk of radiation exposure. 
124
125NORM_M3_S3
126As you learned earlier in this course, the health risks from exposure to background levels of radiation are low. Human activities such as mining, oil and gas production, and metal recycling can increase exposures to levels that can cause health problems. 
127
128NORM_M3_S4
129Workers may be exposed to NORM because of their work. Oil and gas workers and miners may bring up NORM in the course of extraction and production. Waste disposal workers may work on top of waste from oil and gas production. Workers in recycling plants may handle contaminated equipment and pipes that contain drilling mud, sludge or scale. Workers in fertilizer plants may also be exposed to radiation.
130
131NORM_M3_S5
132Radioactive contamination can enter the body through the nose, the mouth, or the skin. Ingestion is a very common way radiation gets in the body. For example, you can move contaminated dust from your skin or clothing into your mouth while eating, smoking, or drinking. From there the radiation can move through your body. 
133Airborne dust containing NORM and radon can be inhaled. Liquids containing NORM can be absorbed through the skin. 
134
135NORM_M3_S6
136The health effects of exposure to radiation can take years to show up. 
137Long-term exposure to low levels of radiation can cause certain types of cancer, including lung, stomach, thyroid, brain, nervous system, and breast cancer and leukemia.
138
139NORM_M3_S7
140Exposure to very high levels of radiation can cause acute health problems – problems which occur immediately or soon after exposure.  These include nausea, fatigue, vomiting, hair loss, diarrhea, hemorrhaging, and possible death. 
141
142NORM_M3_S8	
143A developing fetus is very vulnerable to the effects of radiation exposure. Exposure to high levels of radiation during pregnancy can cause miscarriage, birth defects, decrease in IQ, hereditary effects, and a higher risk of childhood cancer.
144
145NORM_M3_S9
146Exposure to too much radiation is harmful. The type and degree of harm depend largely on the amount of radiation you are exposed (the dose) to and how long you are exposed. 
147In general, the higher the dose, the greater the severity of acute effects and the greater the possibility of long term effects such as cancer.
148
149NORM_M3_S10
150This table has three columns: Acute Effects, Long-term effects, and Exposure during pregnancy. In each column list at least 4 health effects that fit with the heading. 
151
152NORM_M3_S11
153Acute effects include nausea, fatigue, vomiting, diarrhea, hair loss, hemorrhage and death. Long-term effects include cancer of the lung, stomach, thyroid, brain, nervous system and breast as well as leukemia. Exposure during pregnancy may result in miscarriage, decrease in IQ, birth defects, childhood cancer, and hereditary effects. 
154
155NORM_M3_S12
156In this module you learned how radiation enters the body and the dangers of exposure to radiation. Your learned about long-term and acute health effects and about the increased risks of exposure during pregnancy. You also learned that health effects are largely determined by the dose and the amount of exposure time. 
157We’ll have a short quiz to review what you learned. 
158
159NORM_M4_S1
160Module 4: Detection and Monitoring 
161
162NORM_M4_S2	
163By the end of this module you will be able to explain the purpose of monitoring for NORM, define ‘exposure limit’, and describe thraee methods of monitoring for NORM.
164
165NORM_M4_S3
166NORM cannot be detected by the senses. We can’t feel it, taste it, hear it, see it, or smell it. For this reason special instruments are used to detect, identify, and monitor exposure to NORM. 
167
168NORM_M4_S4
169Monitoring is the way to find out the location of NORM and measure the levels of NORM. Monitoring protects people and the environment by making sure workers’ exposures are not above the exposure limit and by targeting efforts to control contamination. 
170
171NORM_M4_S5
172Monitoring must be done when there is the potential that NORM will exceed exposure limits.
173
174NORM_M4_S6
175An exposure limit is the highest acceptable level of airborne concentration of a particular substance. Exposure limits are set by regulatory agencies. 
176
177NORM_M4_S7
178NORM monitoring follows a process. If monitoring does not detect NORM, normal operations can go forward. If NORM is detected, the employer has to identify the contaminated equipment and/or waste, and then control the contamination and protect workers.
179
180NORM_M4_S8
181NORM is typically monitored using direct reading instruments, sampling and laboratory analysis, or personal radiation detectors. 
182
183NORM_M4_S9
184Geiger counters are one of the best known radiation detection devices. These direct reading instruments measure the radiation and display the results. 
185
186NORM_M4_S10
187Geiger counters can detect radiation on equipment, on people, in the air, in plants, and in the soil. 
188
189NORM_M4_S11
190Another way to test for NORM is to take samples and then have a laboratory analyze the samples to see if they contain radiation.
191
192NORM_M4_S12
193A personal radiation detector (PRD) measures an individual’s radiation exposure. It is required for certain occupations. 
194Thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs), Electronic personnel detectors (EPD), and film badges are three types of PRDs. PRDs may be single or multiple use. Some have alarms and some record exposure history. 
195
196NORM_M4_S13
197The monitoring program must be supervised by a competent person. He or she must be trained in the principles of occupational health and know the equipment and procedures. He or she must be able to monitor radiation exposure and interpret the results. The competent person must also be able to recognize unacceptably high levels of radiation and take action to protect workers.
198
199NORM_M4_S14
200Monitoring results must be made available to workers or their representatives. Records of worker monitoring must be kept for a certain number of years, according to the regulations that apply. 
201
202NORM_M4_S15
203Monitoring for NORM is not a one-time event. It must be done again if previous monitoring results indicate a possible problem or if there are changes in plant, process, or substance that could affect NORM exposure. Reassessment is also a way to find out if worker protections are reducing exposures enough. 
204
205NORM_M4_S16
206Activity: What to Do if NORM is Detected?
207Earlier we talked about the NORM monitoring process. According to that process, what must be done in a workplace if NORM is detected? 
208
209NORM_M4_S17
210If NORM is detected the workplace must identify the contaminated waste and/or equipment and then take steps to control the contamination and protect workers. 
211
212NORM_M4_S18
213In this module you learned the purpose of monitoring for NORM. You learned about exposure limits and equipment for monitoring. You also learned that a competent person must oversee the monitoring process, that monitored results must be reported and recorded, and that reassessment may be needed. 
214
215
216NORM_M5_S1
217Module 5: Worker Protection
218
219NORM_M5_S2	
220At the end of this module you will be able to name the three basic principles of radiation protection and describe how shielding protects workers. You will also be able to explain the purpose of boundaries around NORM areas and why personal hygiene is important for radiation protection.
221
222NORM_M5_S3
223As you have learned, exposure to NORM can rise to dangerous levels as a result of certain industrial operations. The process of protecting workers from dangerous exposures starts with identifying hazards and developing precautions. Protective measures center on minimizing exposure to NORM, which is done through training; proper maintenance, decontamination, and storage; and monitoring. 
224
225NORM_M5_S4
226Time, distance, and shielding are the basic principles for protecting workers from ionizing radiation. 
227Time: The less time you spend near a source of radiation (such as NORM), the lower your exposure. 
228Distance: The farther you are from a radiation source, the lower your exposure. 
229Shielding: Having something absorb the radiation between the person and the radiation sources lowers exposure. 
230The protective measures that follow are based on time, distance, and shielding. 
231
232NORM_M5_S5
233Shielding can stop radiation or reduce a person’s exposure to it. Lead bricks, lead aprons, shielded doors, high density concrete block, mobile radiation barriers, and glass blocks are types of shields that create barriers between workers and radiation. 
234
235NORM_M5_S6
236The shielding needed to protect workers from radiation depends on the type of radiation and the amount of energy the radiation has. Alpha particles have relatively low energy; a thin piece of paper or even dead skin cells is enough protect workers. Beta particles have more energy; shielding made of heavy clothing is needed.  Lead or other thick, dense materials are needed to protect against gamma particles. 
237
238NORM_M5_S7
239Boundaries around NORM work areas limit access to trained and authorized workers and prevent the spread of contamination. Workers need to be checked for contamination before leaving the work area. 
240
241NORM_M5_S8
242To avoid spreading NORM contamination during maintenance of equipment, use a waterproof groundcover under the operations. Wet down dry material to prevent it from getting into the air. Put waste in labeled drums or bags and check all equipment and tools for radiation. 
243
244NORM_M5_S9
245Equipment used in NORM operations must be decontaminated before being disposed of or moved to another job. Efficient decontamination reduces the amount of time workers are exposed, prevents the spread of NORM contamination, and minimizes the waste from the decontamination process. 
246
247NORM_M5_S10
248NORM waste should be stored in designated storage areas with limited access. Drums should be checked regularly for leakage. Waste should not be stockpiled; it should be disposed of according to regulations at a facility authorized to accept radiation contaminated waste.
249
250NORM_M5_S11
251Personal protective equipment, or PPE, for workers exposed to radiation includes non-porous coveralls, boots, and gloves, protective eyewear, and respirators. 
252PPE is always the last line of defense for workers, to be used in combination with other control measures or until better controls are put in place.
253
254
255NORM_M5_S12
256Much of the radiation that gets into our bodies enters through our mouths. Washing well with soap and water after working around NORM and not eating, smoking, drinking, or chewing in NORM work areas greatly reduce the amount of radiation contamination you ingest. 
257
258NORM_M5_S13
259Workers who may be exposed to NORM must receive training in the principles of radiation and the hazards of NORM. Training should also include the risks from radiation exposure, how radiation enters the body, and methods of reducing exposure. Workers should also understand the role of monitoring.
260Workers also need to know the site-specific procedures for working safely around NORM in their workplaces. 
261
262NORM_M5_S14
263Match the type of radiation with the material that can shield workers from that type of radiation. 
264
265NORM_M5_S15
266A piece of paper is enough to shield a person from Alpha radiation. Beta radiation requires heavy clothing. Lead shields against gamma rays. 
267
268NORM_M5_S16
269In this module you learned the 3 basics of radiation protection: time, distance, and shielding. You learned how to protect workers through boundaries and proper maintenance, decontamination, storage and disposal. You also learned about personal protective equipment, personal hygiene, and training as they relate to NORM. 
270We will follow up with a short quiz.
271
272NORM_Summary_1
273Course Summary
274
275NORM_Summary_2
276In this course you learned about NORM, what it is, where it is found, and how it is dangerous. You also learned about detecting and monitoring NORM and protecting workers from the dangers of NORM.
277Now we will go on to the final quiz.
278
279NORM_Summary_3
280Congratulations! You have successfully completed NORM Awareness. Thank you for your attention. We hope you will learn what you used to stay safe and help protect others on the job.