close up picture of Mk1 Speedometer required

[RichardT10829]

Quite the opposite, he is the resident Dr who specialises in Radiological contamination... working for University of Leeds Radiation Protection Service... I am not encouraging anyone to do anything just sharing my findings on these things ass it appears not enough is known within the hobby about dangers etc... some people have contacted me asking for repro Mk1 dial faces and all have been advised that there is a risk by opening the Mk2 dial's. The thread has been running since 25th July perhaps you would now like to share and quantify your personal findings and perhaps your qualifications (or qualifications of those who you sought advice from) on the subject to give us a different perspective on this issue, as it is clearly different from the results I have been given from the Lab ?

If you would like to know more about the contact i have spoken with please google Dr Ian K Haslam B.Sc. Ph.D. M.S.R.P. "Radiation Protection Service"


stay safe folks

[kevin powles]

Richie,

I am a Senior Authorised Person Nuclear Radiological at Sizewell 'A' Nuclear power station. It is my day to day job to apply the Radiological safety rules at that location and comply with the Radiological Substances Act.

It is my opinion after working there for 25 years that you dont want to expose yourself to any risk of ingestion of this material, I would advise no one to remove the glass from the Mk2 speedo. If you have one with a damaged face, place in a sealed plastic bag and seek advice on its disposal. I believe some carrier switchs have painted ends which also require disposal.

Not trying to be big headed or tell you what to do mate but I work with radiation every day. Will tell you an interesting story about a guy who decided to bead blast a Lancaster dial at work when I next see you.

There is no way anyone from our site would of given you that advise, then offered to come and decontaminate as paid private work.

Just my opinion, its my area of work, same as the law is yours Richie, If you gave me some advice or your area of expertise, then I would take it.

I dont believe the Mk1 gauges contain any Radium.

Kevin.

The bit about the thread running from July, I sent you a pm on the 25/07/2012 telling you to leave well alone, remember??.

[RichardT10829]

yes as per my reply way up the thread.. telling me close it or get bone cancer (along those lines)

Hi Richard, Dont touch the black white mk2 gauges unless you want bone cancer.kev.


That comment is what started me off looking into the issue with the gauges.. and associated dangers hence me getting in touch with the chap above. I dont think you are big headed at all, but you have to see things from my point of view, as you had said the comment regarding bone cancer I wanted to seek information to substantiate or negate your comment. Imagine how I felt after reading it ? questions like "have i just killed my kids... hug and a kiss and bed time anything on me would be on them".... "What now"... "Am I contaminating everyone around me"... "if i am contaminated can i do anything to change my predicament", "how much is too much" "what symptoms will present and when"

hence why I ended up suiting up masking up then going taking swabs from my workshop, the 30 CPS returned (on top of background radiation) is this in your opinion accurate ? what did your meters read ?

so what would your advice be if contact had been made with the radium dust ? can you answer any of the above questions which had prior to this thread been whirring around my mind.

[kevin powles]

Richard, This is what we would do at work with this material, If you have removed the dial face, Set up a C2 contamination controlled area, (in your case barrier off your garage and area where you worked on the gauge).

You need a Radiological survey of your work area where the gauge face has been within this barriered area, whoever does this will put on a respirator and disposable coverall's and overshoes and rubber gloves, place the dial face in a plastic sealed bag using some long reach pliers. Seal the bag put it in a sealed all glass container and remove to a licenced facility for this waste, (without the glass you are exposed to Alpha and Beta radiation and enhanced gamma).

Any Measurment of counts per second found above background is contamination, they will need to do a proper radiological survey of your work area with an alpha and beta probe, then de-contaminate with approved methods, I dont recommend you do this. What have you actually done to the gauge face?, Have you used an abrasive to remove the paint?

I would suggest contacting Hartlepool Nuclear Power Station near you for guidance on who could carry out this for you. I dont advise you to carry out your own survey.

If you lived closer to me I could have sorted this for you with my employer, it may well start costing you money to bring in specialist to do this de-contamination work for you.

I can dispose of the gauge face for you at my work place. I can dispose of any used PPE, tag rags solvents used above if passed to me in a sealed plastic bag and again I can dispose of this for you.

You really need an independant body to do this work for you, this is the only advice I can give you.

Sorry Kev.

[RichardT10829]

Gauge face is in the gauge it was left alone after swabs were taken. It has not been sanded down or anything

[kevin powles]

Richard, Good leave the face there and put the speedo back together as found, this does not preclude carrying out all as advised in the previous post first. It appears you delivered some swab samples to the guy at the university who measured levels of contamination within your work area, so somehow the paint has left the face, perhaps through time degradation and has been released on opening the speedo?.

I would put your mind at rest and talk to your local GP about any health concerns you may have.

kevin.

check out 'speedo face repair' thread in the carrier section.

[Rick DeBruyn]

Check out this tread for a bit of information on radioactive gauges.

Radioactivity and our hobby