[ RadSafe ] "war stories" re: SEM radiation issues?

[KARAM, PHILIP]

Well - they ARE radiation-generating devices. Some states look at the strict definition and decide to regulate them; some states look at the dose rates and decide not to. I have never seen any dose rates that are regulatorily significant - I'm sure there might be some older units where you can get a reading, but I've never seen one. What I worried about was the x-ray diffractometers - SEMs (and TEMs) were far down on my list of priorities.

Andy

P. Andrew Karam, PhD, CHP
NYPD Counterterrorism Division
(718) 615-7055 (desk)
(646) 879-5268 (mobile)

-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu [mailto:radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu] On Behalf Of Ted de Castro
Sent: Friday, October 28, 2016 2:07 PM
To: The International Radiation Protection (Health Physics) Mailing List
Subject: [ RadSafe ] "war stories" re: SEM radiation issues?

Does anyone have or is able to point to ANY radiation incidents involving SEMs??

Considering the SEMs I've had experience with - I can't imagine such.  I mean low kV and low beam current less than that of the largest old CRT Black and White TV set!!  Also in the units I've seen the sample area was in vacuum contiguous with the x-ray source - thus when access is possible there is no vacuum and no vacuum - no x-ray - the best interlock possible.

So - has anyone experienced anything different??  There MUST be SOME reason that they require a State License.

Thanks

Ted de Castro

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