Environmental Area Monitoring; Checking For Surface Contamination - International Medcom Inspector Alert Operating Manual

A ten-minute average is moderately accurate. You can repeat it
several times and see how close the averages are. To establish a
more accurate average, take a one-hour timed count. If you need
to determine whether there is prior contamination, take averages
in several locations and compare the averages.
For more information on using the timer, see "Taking a Timed
Count" in Chapter 3.

Environmental Area Monitoring

You can keep the Inspector Alert in CPM or mR/hr mode
whenever you want to monitor the ambient radiation, and look at
it from time to time to check for elevated readings. You can also
use Alert mode to warn you if the radiation increases above the
alert level.
If you suspect an increase in ambient radiation, use the timer to
take a five or ten minute count, and compare the average to your
average background count. If you suspect an increase that is too
small to detect with a short timed reading, you can take a longer
count (for example 6, 12, or 24 hours).

Checking for Surface Contamination

To check a surface, hold the Inspector Alert with the alpha
window facing and close to the surface. If you want to find out if a
surface is slightly radioactive, place the Inspector Alert next to it
and take a timed count or a longer accumulated count.
CAUTION: Never touch the Inspector Alert to a surface that may
be contaminated. You may contaminate the instrument. The
rubber strips on the back can be replaced if they become
contaminated. Replacement strips are supplied with the Inspector
Alert.
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