As part of a new-build project, the nuclear medicine department of a hospital was decommissioned. Due to the handling of radiopharmaceuticals, clearance in accordance with Section 31 et seq. of the Radiation Protection Ordinance (StrlSchV) was required. The areas concerned included patient wards, laboratories, storage areas and a wastewater decontamination plant. Decommissioning and clearance had to be carried out in parallel with ongoing hospital operations and conventional demolition work.

Safetec GmbH was responsible for the entire planning, coordination and implementation of the decommissioning and clearance in accordance with radiation protection regulations.

Site-specific decontamination and measurement strategies were developed to identify and assess contamination from short-lived radionuclides as well as any potential long-lived contaminants. The methods employed included in-situ gamma spectrometry, surface contamination measurements and laboratory-based gamma and alpha spectrometry.

On this basis, the materials and building structures were assessed and preparations made for approval. A key component of the project was the management of the authorisation and approval procedures. This involved preparing the documentation, liaising with the relevant authority and securing the approval notices.

A particular challenge was posed by the dismantling and clearance of the wastewater settling tank, which featured a pipework system branching out over seven storeys. Here, in close consultation with the authorities and experts, a suitable measurement and assessment plan was developed and implemented, enabling individual clearance to be granted.

In total, over 5,500 m² of building floor space and more than 50 tonnes of material were dismantled and cleared, in compliance with radiation protection regulations and official requirements – whilst the hospital continued to operate and demolition work was underway.