[ RadSafe ] Dosimetry Survey

[Earley, Jack N]

If you're not seeing any dose, or all doses are below 100 mrem/yr, area
TLDs should suffice to provide the same level of liability protection.
Just follow your regulations--only badge anyone likely to exceed 100
mrem/yr (or whatever your current regulation is). If the legal
department insists on badging everyone, take it out of their existing
budget as a "legal expense."
 
 
Jack Earley
Health Physicist
509.372.9532

-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl [mailto:radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl] On
Behalf Of Jim Talty
Sent: Thursday, April 12, 2007 2:48 PM
To: radsafe at radlab.nl
Subject: [ RadSafe ] Dosimetry Survey

Radsafers,

The RSC at Utah State University is in the process of examining whether
the responsibility to badge individuals should be left to the RSO or
covered by a blanket policy that currently states'  that all individuals
using high energy beta, any gamma, X-ray or neutron sources shall be
provided dosimetry'. This policy came about in the early 1970's as a
result of a lawsuit filed by an individual who contented that his cancer
was the result of a radiation exposure at the university. Fortunately
the university was able to produce evidence (by dosimetry records) that
demonstrated the individual had not received any dose related to his
occupation and the lawsuit was summarily dismissed. The RSC at that time
looking for cover instituted the restrictive policy stated above and
removed from the RSO any discretion for the monitoring of individuals.
This wasn't much of an issue for me until lately as the percent of my
dosimetry costs have risen from several thousand dollars (for ~200
people in 1995) to greater than $14,000 for about the same amount of
badges in recent years. Dosimetry costs now consume ~ 40% of my budget. 

Last year we had no doses, I repeat no verified doses. In the 10 years
prior the doses never exceeded 100 mr/yr for any individual; and almost
all of these were shallow doses to the hand caused by the handling of
1-5 mCi of P-32.

The committee wants to know what other licensee's policies are (if they
exist) regarding the issuing of badges.

 

I am recommending to the committee that we monitor individuals at the
discretion of the RSO based on the actual hazard (> 10 % of the
allowable dose criteria). I would badge people who use > 1 mCi of high
energy beta's (P-32), those using open beam X-Ray machines, all nuclear
gauge users, or other engaged in other types of applications that could
possibly trigger the
> 10% threshold regardless of the radiation type or source. The 
> university
attorney is very conservative and wants to continue to badge everyone
(and I mean everyone that uses radioactive materials or devices
regardless of the actual risk).  

Hopefully the group can provide me with what your current policy is
regarding the issuing of badges and what criteria you use when it is
issued.

By the way, the money I can save would be substantial. The costs would
be reduced to ~ $3000 or less. I hope to apply the difference to
providing Laser Safety Entryway Systems for our class 3b and 4 lasers
which currently have no protection. These can as most of you know cause
extreme and real damage to a person who enters unprotected. 

Any input you can provide would be very helpful.

Please reply off list unless you feel this is an issue to the group.

Thank You,

James Talty
RSO, LSO 

Utah State University

jtalty at cc.usu.edu  

435-770-0295

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