Radiological Surveys

During remediation, refurbishment, or demolition projects, it is often necessary to conduct detailed environmental radiological surveys. These assessments provide your Radiation Protection Adviser (RPA) with a clear understanding of site conditions and help determine the specific actions required to ensure the area is made safe.

Because recommended actions can vary depending on the level and nature of contamination, the precision and reliability of the initial survey are essential. Accurate radiological data enables your RPA to design an effective and appropriate radiation protection strategy, ensuring that all subsequent work is carried out safely and in full compliance with regulatory standards.

Energy Solution provides meticulously planned and professionally executed radiological surveys for a diverse range of clients, including local authorities, universities, and oil and gas organizations. Whether your project involves planning, remediation, refurbishment, or full facility decommissioning, Energy Solution delivers a complete radiological survey package tailored to your needs. Our services can include:

• Desktop-based survey planning to define project scope and required survey techniques
• Initial radiological assessments, complete with detailed reports, annotated site plans, and contour maps showing radiation levels
• Continuous RPA and RWA support throughout every stage of the project
• Post-remediation or post-decontamination surveys to validate that the site meets agreed safety and regulatory standards
• Support with regulatory applications, preparing and submitting documents to local authorities when required
• Coordination with regulators and councils globally to ensure smooth project execution
• Consultation with international regulatory bodies for cross-border movements of equipment and facilities
• Deployment of skilled and certified Radiation Protection Supervisors (RPS) to oversee safe site operations

Radiological Defilement Surveys

Government safety guidelines require regular assessments of laboratories, open areas, and facilities where radioactive materials are used, in order to detect contamination and measure radiation levels accurately. These routine surveys form a critical part of any effective radiation protection program.

Surveys provide a direct measurement of any spilled or misplaced radioactive material and help determine the potential radiation risk associated with ongoing experiments or site operations. It is essential that personnel handling radioactive substances understand the approved procedures for conducting these evaluations. 

At Energy Solution, our Radiation Safety Team performs comprehensive contamination surveys in all locations where radioactive materials are used or stored, including laboratories, storage areas, and waste management facilities. These assessments help identify contamination, verify safe working conditions, and ensure exposure to radiation remains well-controlled.

What is contamination?

Removable contamination refers to radioactive material that can be wiped away from a surface, such as dust on laboratory benches or equipment. This type of contamination can usually be detected using wipe tests and, in some cases, survey meters. When present in large enough quantities, removable contamination may also be detected directly by placing a wipe sample near a survey meter probe.

Fixed contamination, on the other hand, has bonded to a surface chemically or through other means. This form of contamination cannot be removed by wiping and is only detectable using a survey meter. Wipe tests will show no radioactivity on surfaces affected by fixed contamination, but meter readings can confirm the presence and extent of radioactive material.

  At Energy Solution, our trained personnel are skilled in identifying both removable and fixed contamination, ensuring that all work areas and equipment are safely monitored and maintained according to regulatory standards.

How regularly must overviews be performed?

A properly functioning survey meter should always be accessible whenever working with radioactive materials, except for tritium (H-3). Personnel should routinely monitor themselves and their work areas on an “as-used” or daily basis.

It is recommended to perform frequent spot checks of hands, other exposed skin, lab coats, and shoes during and after handling radioactive materials to detect contamination early and prevent unnecessary exposure. 

Documented wipe tests and meter surveys should be carried out at least monthly, though the frequency may need to be increased depending on the specific radioisotopes in use.

At Energy Solution, our expert teams ensure strict adherence to these monitoring practices, maintaining safe work environments while complying with regulatory standards.

Radioactive Contaminated Land Management

Energy Solution is a market leader in providing health physics support for contaminated land management and conducting environmental radiological surveys of buildings prior to any radiation protection actions. Our commitment to clients ensures that all reports are thorough, detailed, and that you are kept fully informed of findings throughout the process.

What study documentation is required?

All documentation of studies must incorporate the taking after information: Date Name of individual performing the survey Room number and floor arrange map Location number, showing on the outline where the wipe test or meter perusing was taken Wipe test comes about counting background Survey meter filter comes about counting background.