An evening radiographer is asked by housekeeping to clear an overflowing holding area where a sealed bag labeled radioactive waste is leaking fluid onto the floor. No nuclear medicine staff or radiation safety officer is on site, and the hallway remains in use for portables. Which personnel protection procedure for handling and disposal of radioactive material should the radiographer follow?

Correct personnel protection applies time, distance and shielding with contamination control by restricting access, immediately notifying the radiation safety officer, wearing gloves and using long-handled tools to limit exposure, and securing waste only in a designated shielded container labeled for radioactive material for decay and licensed disposal. Cleaning the fluid with gloves and mops before calling fails by concept because immediate decontamination without guidance spreads contamination and increases time near the source, violating notification-first and ALARA principles even though restricting the area is appropriate. Placing waste in double biohazard bags fails by concept because biohazard bags lack shielding and radioactive labeling and enter the wrong waste stream, violating licensed radioactive waste segregation even though restriction, notification and glove use are correct. Documenting and waiting until morning with storage in a regular closet fails by concept because delayed notification and unshielded, unlabeled storage prolong exposure to staff and public and risk loss of the source, violating immediate control and designated storage requirements. Exam caveat: ARRT expects never placing radioactive material in regular or biohazard trash and always involving the radiation safety officer promptly, and practical check is to keep distance, prevent foot traffic, avoid touching with hands, and verify survey and labeling with the radiation safety officer before release.