In the nuclear power and radioisotope handling facilities, one of the most important problems is a radioactive contamination on skin. Hand skin contamination occurs very often in the operation area and such surface contamination must be removed as soon as possible to protect an internal contamination.
From 1967 to 1971, training courses for skin decontamination had been held with total 350 of trainee based on JAERI radiation protection manual at the Oarai Research Establishment. In the training courses, fresh pig skin samples used instead of human skin were contaminated with 137Cs, 131I, 144Ce and 239Pu aqueous solution, respectively. These samples were washed practically by trainee with the skin decontamination method recommended in the manual.
Results obtained in the courses showed that such training itself is a significant work and this skin decontamination method is an excellent first aid.
