Monitoring

Equipment Calibration and Maintenance  

After the daily briefing, the field team will field calibrate, document, and perform any required maintenance on the monitoring equipment to be used.

The satisfactory operating condition of each piece of equipment used will be verified before transport.

All equipment used for emergency operations will be checked monthly and factory calibrated annually in accordance with National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

The two instruments routinely used are a PID to detect organic vapors in the atmosphere, and a radiation meter to detect ionizing radiation sources.

A CGI will be used as indicated above to detect the presence of combustible gases.

The maintenance and calibration of all monitoring equipment will be recorded in the field logbook, and on separate calibration log sheets maintained for each instrument. The radiation survey meter is calibrated annually and will not require in-field calibration.

All environmental monitoring equipment will be calibrated according to manufacturer's recommended protocol or regulatory standards (whichever is more stringent).

The operation Section Chief will ensure all field equipment is inspected and approved for use.

The following items will be recorded in the field logbooks and the calibration log sheet, at a minimum:

• Type of equipment and its identification number.
• Date of entry.
• Name and signature of individual making the entry.
• Equipment calibration status (initial "zero" reading, initial calibration gas reading, final span setting).
• Equipment nonconformance.
• Equipment inspection and repair records. 

Equipment will be calibrated before and after each day’s use, more frequently than once a day if field personnel suspect that calibration may have been altered (e.g., change of batteries, equipment being dropped or knocked about, significant changes in temperature or humidity).