Select a Decontamination Site
The following guidelines should be observed for selecting a decontamination site:
- It should be large enough to facilitate all decontamination equipment
- It should be located upwind, uphill and a safe distance from the release
- It should be located on a flat surface
- It should be on a surface that will minimize ground contamination in the event of Spill-off/Run-off (i.e. concrete parking lot, etc.)
- If possible, it should be located in such a manner as to minimize entrance/ exit from the Hot Zone (i.e. at a fence opening, at a drive entrance, etc.).
Establishing a Decontamination Area
The following procedures should be implemented when establishing a decontamination area:
- As soon as the decontamination area setup begins on-site, the Incident Commander (IC) should ensure that the local hospital is contacted to begin setup of their own decontamination equipment.
- An attendant should be appointed to monitor the Decontamination area to ensure that no one passes out to the Cold Zone without undergoing decontamination procedures, and that no one passes from the Cold Zone into the Warm Zone without proper personal protective equipment (PPE).