Radioactive aviation instruments

Avionic instrument dials can be coated with radiating paint. Don't be scared, but beware of the health risks!
The radioactive paint is used since Radium containing paint keeps illuminating for hours after removing a light source. So the dials are lit in the dark for a while. After years the illuminating effect fades away. but the radiation is still there. The radiation risk is relative low as long as a reasonable distance is big enough. The dose is four times less for each two times the distance to the source. A couple of centimetres should do the trick. The risk of contamination by inhaling/ingesting is much bigger! So don't open avionic instruments unless you are trained and have the equipment to handle this safe. Avoid scratching, filing, sanding the paint to prevent spread of particles.
In this video the radiation detection is very clear. Almost every dial radiates a relative low dose of radiation except one double dial. The background radiation is here 0,1 uSv/h. (The video starts at a higher number due to the measurement before the video in combination with the meter averaging.) The dose measurement peaks at 36 uSv/h. Since there's glass between the dial and the detection tube, only Bèta and Gamma radiation is detected. The main radiation is Alpha radiation, but doesn't penetrate the glass. So the radiation is likely much more behind the glass. Therefore avoid breaking/damaging the glass. Radium decays to Radon (gas), so keep the instrument in a well ventilated place.
If no dose meter is available, uv-light can be used to detect radioactive paint. The paint will illuminate clearly if uv-light is applied. Usually old instruments are pained with Radium. Newer instrument are usually painted with white paint to avoid the health risks. White paint won't illuminate as much as Radium paint.
As long as the instrument are not damaged/opened, it's rather safe to handle them.
A Gamma Scout dose meter is used.

Видео Radioactive aviation instruments канала polytech_nu