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Radiation Emergencies

Radiation Emergencies
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How to Self-Decontaminate after a Radiation

Emergency

It is important to get radioactive material off your body as soon as possible to lower your risk of harm. Removing
radioactive material from a person, object, or place is called decontamination. Decontaminating yourself will lower
your exposure to harmful radioactive material.

Helping others
Decontaminating Pets

Municipal (tap) water sources may be contaminated during a

radiation emergency.
If the tap water is contaminated, public health officials may recommend that you drink bottled water instead of tap water.
You can still use tap water for decontamination. Any radioactive material that gets into surface water or ground water
sources will be diluted to very low levels by the water and will be safe to use for washing skin, hair, and clothing.

1. Remove outer layer of 2b. Wash yourself off.

clothing.
Take off your outer layer of clothing: Taking off your outer
layer of clothing can remove up to 90% of radioactive
material.
Be very careful in removing your clothing to prevent
radioactive dust from shaking loose. Put the clothing in a
plastic bag or other sealable container and put the bag in
an out-of-the-way place, away from other people and
pets.
If you can take a shower:
Take a warm shower and gently wash yourself
with lots of soap. Do not scald, scrub, or
scratch your skin. Your skin helps protect the
inside of your body from radioactive material.
Wash your hair with shampoo or soap. Do not
use conditioner because it will cause
radioactive material to stick to your hair.
Keep cuts and abrasions covered when
washing to keep from getting radioactive
material in open wounds.
2a. Wash yourself off. 3. Put on clean clothes
If you can’t take a shower: Clothes in a closet or drawer away from
radioactive material are safe to wear.
Wash your hands, face, and parts of your body that were
uncovered at a sink or faucet. Use soap and plenty of If you do not have clean clothes, take off your
water. outer layer of clothing, shake or brush off your
clothes taking care to cover your nose and
If you do not have access to a sink or faucet, use a moist
mouth, and put your clothes back on.
wipe, clean wet cloth, or a damp paper towel to wipe the
parts of your body that were uncovered. Pay special
attention to your hands and face.
Gently blow your nose, wipe your eyelids, eyelashes, and
ears with a moist wipe, clean wet cloth, or a damp paper
towel.
Put the used wipes, cloth or towel in a plastic bag or other
sealable container and place the bag in an out-of-the-way
place, away from other people and pets.

More Information Resources for Professionals

Video: Radiological Contamination and Exposure  Formative Research: IND Message Testing 
Infographic: Decontamination for Yourself and Others  [PDF – 1.13 MB]
National Alliance for Radiation Readiness 

Last Reviewed: April 4, 2018