What experience do you have with sandblasting activities, using a vendor such as Arco, who has a NIOSH approved sandblasting hood, that may not be rated for radionuclides. In this particular case, the hood is NIOSH approved, with a TC number and is rated for Dusts, Mists, and Fumes, but not rated for Dusts, Mists, and Fumes, and Radionuclides. The hood has an Assigned Protection Factor (APF) of 1000, but the nuclear industry cannot take credit for it, because it is not specifically rated for Dust, Mists, Fumes, and Radionuclides.
Clearly, the hood provides protection to the worker, as their end of shift whole body counts are clean, even after working in significant DAC air concentrations, but we cannot technically take credit for the APF. The workers state that lapel air samplers inside the hood can interfere with the seal (boot) in the hood and actually cause them to become contaminated from the interfered seal if they wear a lapel. We would like to know if anyone else has faced this situation and what resolution you have come to. Thank you
