[ RadSafe ] NRC and SI Units

[Sandy Perle]

These may be of interest:

SECY-96-098

May 7, 1996

FOR: The Commissioners 
FROM: James M. Taylor, Executive Director for Operations /s/ 
SUBJECT:  FINAL POLICY STATEMENT - CONVERSION TO THE METRIC SYSTEM 

PURPOSE:
To seek Commission approval to publish in the Federal Register a final
statement of policy on conversion to the metric system.

BACKGROUND:
On September 27, 1995 (60 FR 49928), the U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
(NRC) published a request for public comment on its existing metrication
policy. This action was taken in accordance with the NRC's policy statement
of October 7, 1992 (57 FR 46202), in which the Commission was to assess the
state of metric use by the licensed nuclear industry in the United States
after 3 years to determine whether the policy should be modified. The
purpose of the attached Federal Register notice is to inform the public of
the Commission's decision that its Statement of Policy on Conversion to the
Metric System does not need to be modified, that it considers this policy
final, and that its conversion to the metric system is complete.

DISCUSSION:
On August 23, 1988, Congress passed the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness
Act (the Act), (19 USC 2901 et seq.), which amended the Metric Conversion
Act of 1975, (15 USC 205a et seq.). Section 5164 of the Act (15 USC 205a)
designates the metric system as the preferred system of weights and measures
for United States trade and commerce. The Act also requires that all Federal
agencies convert to the metric system of measurement in their procurements,
grants, and other business-related activities by the end of fiscal year (FY)
1992, "except to the extent that such use is impractical or is likely to
cause significant inefficiencies or loss of markets to United States firms,
such as when foreign competitors are producing competing products in
non-metric units." (Section 5164(b)(2)).

Executive Order (EO) 12770, "Metric Usage in Federal Government Programs"
was signed by the President on July 25, 1991. Its purpose is "to implement
the Congressional designation of the metric system of measurement as the
preferred system of weights and measures for the United States trade and
commerce." Further, the EO directs all executive branch departments and
agencies "to take all appropriate measures within their authority to carry
out the provisions of this order."

In response to these actions, the NRC published a metrication policy
statement for comment in the Federal Register (57 FR 4891) on February 10,
1992. The Commission considered several alternatives at that time.

One alternative considered for compliance with the Act was an abrupt
conversion of NRC activities to metric units. However, this action appeared
to be neither necessary nor prudent for several reasons. First, licensed
nuclear power plants are operated by regulated monopolies or public entities
that are not involved in the export business. They, like the bulk of NRC
materials licensees, do not participate in world markets. Therefore, the
prospect of competitive advantage of employing the metric system of
measurement is not directly relevant to these licensees. Second, the NRC has
not received any petition for rulemaking from any licensee or applicant
requesting NRC to amend its regulations to conduct licensing and regulatory
matters in the metric system. Third, an abrupt and universal conversion to
metric could possibly deleteriously affect the public health and safety
because the introduction of an unfamiliar measurement system could lead to
confusion and mistakes. This is particularly true in the case of an
emergency when quick decisive action will be needed in a high-stress
situation. Existing emergency plans are written in English units. The
individuals who would need to act in an emergency, be they licensee
personnel or agents of a local Government, are generally conversant only in
English units. Fourth, requiring licensees whose market uses the English
system to deal with the NRC only in metric units would pose an economic
burden on those licensees with no safety or other benefit.

A practical approach to using the metric system is one that is both
consistent with the intent and direction of the Act and does not introduce
the safety concerns noted above or result in an economic burden to licensees
or applicants. This type of approach would result in the use of the metric
system by those licensees and license applicants for whom the use of the
metric system presents no economic disadvantage and no safety detriment to
the public.

The policy statement consistent with this position was then published on
October 7, 1992 (57 FR 46202), which also called for the NRC to assess the
state of metric use by the licensed nuclear industry in the United States
after 3 years to determine whether the policy should be modified. As a
result, the staff contacted members of various industrial and standards
groups to determine their view of the NRC policy. On September 27, 1995 (60
FR 49928), the NRC published a request for public comment on its existing
policy to learn if any modifications to the policy were needed. The comments
received from the industrial and standards groups were included in the
request. As a result, the NRC received four comments, all from the nuclear
power generating industry and all in favor of the NRC's policy.

The staff believes that no changes to the Commission's metrication policy
are needed, and that the proposed statement of final policy should be
published in the Federal Register. This would complete the NRC's obligation
in converting to the metric system of measurement.

COORDINATION:
The Office of the General Counsel has no legal objection to this paper. The
Office of Congressional Affairs concurs with the contents of this paper.

RECOMMENDATION:
That the Commission:

Approve the Final Statement of Policy for publication (Attachment 1).

Note:

A public announcement will be issued (Attachment 2); and

The appropriate Congressional committees will be notified (Attachment 3).

 James M. Taylor
Executive Director for Operations

-AND-

§ 20.2101 General provisions.
(a) Each licensee shall use the units: curie, rad, rem, including multiples
and subdivisions, and shall clearly indicate the units of all quantities on
records required by this part.

(b) In the records required by this part, the licensee may record quantities
in SI units in parentheses following each of the units specified in
paragraph (a) of this section. However, all quantities must be recorded as
stated in paragraph (a) of this section.

(c) Not withstanding the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section, when
recording information on shipment manifests, as required in § 20.2006(b),
information must be recorded in the International System of Units (SI) or in
SI and units as specified in paragraph (a) of this section.

(d) The licensee shall make a clear distinction among the quantities entered
on the records required by this part (e.g., total effective dose equivalent,
shallow-dose equivalent, lens dose equivalent, deep-dose equivalent,
committed effective dose equivalent).

[56 FR 23404, May 21, 1991, as amended at 60 FR 15663, Mar. 27, 1995; 63 FR
39483, July 23, 1998]

§ 20.2102 Records of radiation protection programs.

----------------------------------------------------------------
Sander C. Perle 
President
Global Dosimetry Solutions, Inc. 
2652 McGaw Avenue
Irvine, CA 92614

Tel: (949) 296-2306 / (888) 437-1714 ext 2306
Fax:(949) 296-1144

Global Dosimetry Website: http://www.dosimetry.com/ 


-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl [mailto:radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl] On Behalf
Of Jeff Terry
Sent: Wednesday, July 04, 2007 10:00 AM
To: radsafe Radsafe
Subject: Re: AW: [ RadSafe ] [nuclear news] Quick facts: The effects
ofradiationfrom a dirty bomb

Hi Franz,

My comment was meant as a joke. I had spent some of the last week in  
training with all of the DOE guidelines in mrem.

Yes, the US does use SI units in scientific publications but the vast  
majority of the US populace has no concept of how long a meter is,  
what a joule is, etc.
Although liters, most have down pat for some reason.

I don't expect this to change in my lifetime. Since I spend most of  
my radioactive time in DOE facilities, mrem it is!!!

Jeff