[ RadSafe ] Re: Costs of "rad protection"?

Tue Oct 25 00:26:25 CDT 2005

Dear Dr Popoff,

I did not know that Radium-226 is used in lightning arresters? Polonium-210 used to be one of the isotopes; because of its relatively short half life, the activity used must be high initially. 

Alpha or beta sources are the ideal choices as these provide  clouds of ions at the location.But Co-60or Eu -152 were also used. According to a manual, the dose rate from a typical Eu-152  source  is about 2.3 mGy/hr at one metre.

If they are using Ra-226 in the form of sealed sources they may be pretty active. Then they have  to tackle the radiation protection issues including the disposal of the sources.We need for details to comment. There is also a tendency to call anything radioactive as "radium" in some parts of the world.

I knew of instances of luminous paints called radium paints though they were fluorescent powders and did not contain any radioactivity.

What is used in the radioactive lightning arrester is an intensely ionising radioactive source.
I thought the conventional arrester is simply a sharp needle like structure made of some conducting metal firmly grounded to earth. I could not understand the need for battery in the device?

Regards

Dimiter Popoff <didi at tgi-sci.com> wrote:
While I don't really know how radioactive these conductors are (my guess is
the activity is negligible), this sounds to me like yet another comedy show
for which the public will have to pay, laughing or crying. I have seen more
than enough actions where some official side initiates spendings for radiation
protection (so conveniently being unquestionable) and the other side provides
the equipment, which may or may not work at all, the link between the two
sides being obvious to anyone who wants to see it. If the delivering side
(the "right" company or institute group etc.) cannot make things work
they will wait for years ignoring existing commercially available solutions
(usually available at a fraction of the cost), there is no problem doing this
simply because such initiatives are needed by no one except by the two
participating sides. This is how todays world is runing - but who said it has
to be fair and non-mafiotic.
So they'll bury the wires - why not initiate a program for a radioactive
waste repository for the particular purpose which will be evaluated
for risks for the next 10e6 years....

Dimiter

------------------------------------------------------
Dimiter Popoff Transgalactic Instruments

http://www.tgi-sci.com
------------------------------------------------------

> -------Original Message-------
> From: Muckerheide, James 
> Subject: [ RadSafe ] Costs of "rad protection"?
> Sent: Oct 24 '05 21:55
> 
> Friends,
> 
> 
> 
> Are these warranted actions and costs in the name of "rad protection"? And
> is this another campaign being pushed by IAEA? Or is IAEA just responsible
> for setting (extreme) "guidelines" for disposal?
> 
> 
> 
> Regards, Jim Muckerheide
> 
> ===================
> 
> 
> 
> HSA acts on radiation alert
> 
> 1,200 condos, factories, offices told to remove lightning rods
> 
> THEY can be seen all over Singapore - lightning conductors mounted on the
> rooftops of buildings.
> 
> 25 October 2005
> 
> THEY can be seen all over Singapore - lightning conductors mounted on the
> rooftops of buildings.
> 
> But some of these conductors pose a possible radiation threat.
> 
> We're talking about radioactive lightning conductors, once widely used in
> many parts of the world.
> 
> In Singapore, the Centre for Radiation Protection (CRP), which is under the
> Health Sciences Authority (HSA), has asked the owners of about 1,200
> buildings to remove these structures by December, reported Berita Harian.
> 
> The radioactive conductors in these buildings - condominiums, factories and
> offices - were installed 30 to 35 years ago.
> 
> Lightning conductors redirect lightning charges to the ground, protecting
> buildings and the people and property inside.
> 
> The HSA in an e-mail to Berita Harian said that the directive was issued in
> the interests of health and safety because the radioactive lightning
> conductors contains radioactive substances such as radium-226.
> 
> The HSA said that radium produces radiation that could also release radon
> gas.
> 
> In the long term, this could increase the risk of cancer.
> 
> Because of the dangerous nature of these materials, such lightning conductors
> can be removed only by experts.
> 
> In Singapore, only one company, RE Morris, can do the job.
> 
> That's because the disposal of radioactive materials must be done according
> to strict guidelines laid out by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
> 
> According to Haji Ahmad Dawan, a director and consultant with RE Morris,
> about 1,000 building owners have hired his company to replace the radioactive
> lightning conductors with normal conductors that use battery power.
> 
> To minimise the risk of handling such materials, staff members wear special
> jackets and gloves and other equipment that protect them from radioactive
> emissions.
> 
> Once dismantled, the conductors will be placed in special lead-lined boxes
> and handed over to the CRP.
> 
> The conductors will then be placed in steel drums and stored in CRP bunkers.
> 
> Building owners who want more information can contact the CRP at 6213-0703.
> 
> ________________________________
> 
> Copyright (c) 2005 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. Co. Regn. No. 198402868E.
> All rights reserved.
> 
> 
> 
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