[ RadSafe ] Re:Reasonable risk?

[John Jacobus]

Sandy,
I sometimes look at the issue based on asbestos
exposure.  If measurements of asbestos in the
atmosphere were made in the past, and efforts were
made to keep exposure ALARA, all of the law suits
could have been avoided.

At some point, expenditures of funds to protect
workers do not do so.  But what is that point? 
Ionizing radiation is a weak carcinogen.  Maybe we
should not expend funds to keep lifetime doses less
than 100 mSv (10 rem), as there are no demonstrated
effects below this level.  Unfortunately, or
fortunately, our regulations are set at 50 mSv.

--- Sandy Perle <sandyfl at earthlink.net> wrote:

> On 21 Apr 2006 at 10:20, John Jacobus wrote:
> 
> > How do you determine how better to protect the
> > worker.  Do you go with days-lost-on-the-job or
> mrem?
> 
> John,
> 
> Interesting question.
> 
> For actual worker protection, we looked at lost-time
> injuries and 
> duration of lost-time injuries as well as injuries
> that did not 
> result in lost-time. From an ALARA standpoint, we
> looked at 
> collective manrem by department as well in
> individual manrem. This 
> was of course mandated by NRC, INPO and ANI. Just
> because it was 
> mandated does not make it a worker protection issue,
> which in the 
> end, by reducing manrem that resulted in no apparent
> observable 
> improvement to the worker's health, simply means $$
> were spent to 
> reduce dose below a threshold, when in fact, if
> there were no 
> reduction, there still would have been no adverse
> effect on the 
> worker.
> 
> -------------------------------------
> Sandy Perle
> Senior Vice President, Technical Operations
> Global Dosimetry Solutions, Inc.
> 2652 McGaw Avenue
> Irvine, CA 92614 
> 
> Tel: (949) 296-2306 / (888) 437-1714  Extension 2306
> Fax:(949) 296-1144
> 
> E-Mail: sperle at dosimetry.com
> E-Mail: sandyfl at earthlink.net 
> 
> Global Dosimetry Website: http://www.dosimetry.com/ 
> Personal Website: http://sandy-travels.com/ 
> 
> 


+++++++++++++++++++
"A scientist's aim in a discussion with his colleagues is not to persuade, but to clarify." 
Leo Szilard
-- John
John Jacobus, MS
Certified Health Physicist
e-mail:  crispy_bird at yahoo.com

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com