Which device may an Orange 1 person use to determine hand tool contamination?

• A. Geiger counter
• B. Wipe test
• C. Alpha detector
• D. SAM

Answer: (D)

The key idea is that for on-site checks of surface contamination on hand tools, you want a device that can directly scan the tool’s surface and give an immediate readout. A Surface Alpha Monitor is designed for this purpose: it can quickly assess alpha-emitting contamination on tools and other surfaces, helping you decide right away whether decontamination is needed.

Geiger counters are great for general radiation surveys but aren’t ideal for confirming surface contamination on a small, irregular object like a hand tool, especially for alpha contamination, which may be missed or misrepresented by a general counter. An alpha detector measures alpha radiation but isn’t typically arranged for rapid, practical scanning of tool surfaces in the field. A wipe test involves collecting a sample and sending it to a lab for analysis, which takes time and doesn’t give the immediate result required in an Orange 1 response.

So, a Surface Alpha Monitor provides the quickest, most direct way to determine hand tool contamination in this context.