[ RadSafe ] NBC News story on airport scanner (25 mrem dose)

[Hansen, Richard]

Sandy,

<snip> Estimated 0.005 mrem per scan and then, the government recommends
25 mrem from a single source per year is 25 mrem! What is this 25 mrem
value? What are they talking about? <end snip>

There is an ANSI/HPS standard for security screening systems that use
x-rays and are designed to be used on people. This standard states
maximum dose per scan, the maximum dose to the operators, and the
minimum information to be provided to the persons being scanned.

ANSI/HPS N43.17-2002
American National Standard Radiation Safety For Personnel Security
Screening Systems Using X-rays

Under maximum operating parameters, the effective dose shall not exceed
0.10 microsievert (10 microrem) per scan of the subject's front.

The facility shall be operated to ensure that no individual scanned
receives from the facility an effective dose in excess of 0.25
millisievert (25 millirem) in any twelve-month period.

Best regards,
Rick Hansen
Senior Scientist
Counter Terrorism Operations Support Program
National Security Technologies, LLC, for the U.S. Dept of Energy
hansenrg at nv.doe.gov
www.ctosnnsa.org

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Message: 1
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 20:44:49 -0500
From: "Perle, Sandy" <SPerle at mirion.com>
Subject: [ RadSafe ] NBC News story on airport scanner
To: "radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu" <radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu>
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<5326C9CB0E90714DA70EE1AD39296DFE01E1C6E96C at MIRION-EXCH-HQ.mirion.local>
	
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Good coverage tonight, except for the following statement:

Estimated 0.005 mrem per scan and then, the government recommends 25
mrem from a single source per year is 25 mrem! What is this 25 mrem
value? What are they talking about?

Otherwise, a good story.

Sandy Perle
Sent from my Windows phone from AT&T
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