Protecting Workers During Cleanup and Reconstruction

As Japan begins its cleanup and reconstruction efforts, the risks to workers – including gas, electricity, telecom and water companies, road, rail infrastructure and construction companies – remains high.

For radiation, this is most prevalent in Japan’s 90-kilometer evacuation zone. In addition, other areas of the country damaged during the earthquake and tsunami also are potential hotbeds for hazardous gases, such as ammonia (NH₃), chlorine (Cl₂) and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), and vapors from volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as benzene.

This is a result of the wide range of chemicals, solvents and fuel that were swept up in the tsunami, in addition to tons of organic materials, such as trees and plants, which over time breakdown in the buried mud and can emit potentially dangerous levels of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and hydrogen sulfide (H2_S). These gases and vapors can be stirred up and become airborne during cleanup operations, especially where heavy equipment is used to remove debris.

Such heavy equipment and other tools must also be decontaminated with thorough cleaning to minimize exposure risk. Because harmful VOCs can be released during the cleaning process, VOC monitoring can help protect people and ensure property is safe.

Recommended Detection Solutions

Radiation Protection

GammaRAE II R provides rapid-response detection and accurate dosimeter measurements in a single, rugged, personal device.

NeutronRAE II provides personal protection from both neutron and gamma radiation sources.

DoseRAE is a lightweight, direct-reading electronic personal dosimeter that provides dose-monitoring accuracy.

DoseRAE 2 is a compact and lightweight direct-reading personal dosimeter and detector in one that uses RAE Systems’ dual-sensor technology for accurate and high-response-rate detection of X- and gamma-ray radiation.

AreaRAE Gamma is a combination multi-gas and radiation detector that provides real-time readings to a remotely located base controller and is fully supported by RAE Systems’ wireless software platform.

ProRAE Guardian, a real-time, wireless instrument monitoring, management and control software platform.

Hazardous Gas and VOC Protection

MultiRAE Plus combines a PID with four gas sensors in a single, compact monitor with a sampling pump.

MiniRAE 3000 is the most advanced handheld volatile organic compound (VOC) detector for leak detection.

ppbRAE 3000 is a wireless handheld VOC monitor for precise parts-per-billion measurements.

UltraRAE 3000 is the industry’s most advanced compound-specific monitor with an extended photoionization-detector (PID) range of 0.05 ppm to 10,000 ppm in VOC mode and 50 ppb to 200 ppm in benzene-specific mode.

QRAE II Pump is a rugged one- to four-gas detector with powerful built-in pump.

QRAE II Diffusion is a full-featured, rugged yet compact one- to four-sensor gas detector designed to provide continuous exposure monitoring of oxygen, hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide and combustible gases for workers in hazardous environments.