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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Safe-Step Remediation: A new technology for monitoring at the dig-face during waste site excavation

Conference ·
OSTI ID:140957
 [1]
  1. EG&G Idaho, Inc., Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
Conventional characterization efforts fall short of providing the level of information on buried waste that is consistent with human safety during clean-up operations. Preliminary design has been completed for a new technology, called Safe Step Remediation, that addresses this problem. The key component of the Safe Step approach is a dig-face monitoring system. The monitoring system produces waste characterization data in small, careful increments. Each characterization increment drives a new increment of excavation. The dig-face monitoring system searches for hazards continuously by scanning the dig-face with an array of focused radiological, chemical and geophysical sensors. Earth moving and retrieval operations proceed steadily in safe steps, while the sensors monitor and characterize approaching hazards. The monitoring system operator interprets the sensor data and issues a warning when it is no longer safe to proceed. The detected hazard is now in a position where it can be thoroughly and confidently evaluated.
OSTI ID:
140957
Report Number(s):
CONF-930304--
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English