[ RadSafe ] Adopting the International System of Units for Radiation Measurements in

[Don Jordan]

The cost comes on the form of maintaining records in both systems and continually converting correctly.  My employer served clients in about 80 countries as well as the USA.  Our test results had to be acceptable to modern and traditional regulators worldwide.  

My last dealings with the NRC was to obtain SSDRs for 2 foreign gauge manufacturers.  I decided to work principally in the SI units provided by the manufacturer to reduce errors but I still had to duplicate all data in traditional units and had a few errors and problems with the reviewers.

I suggest that young people rise up and rebel against the antiquated units.

Sent from my iPhone

> On Sep 13, 2016, at 06:38, William Lipton <doctorbill34 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> The high costs of conversion are not justified by the benefits,  which seem
> limited to academic purity.
> 
> On Sep 13, 2016 11:11 PM, "Dixon, John E. (CDC/ONDIEH/NCEH)" <gyf7 at cdc.gov>
> wrote:
> 
>> As CHP, I am comfortable with SI units. But we must remember that the
>> general public is NOT comfortable with the topic of radiation as a whole.
>> Given that, it will be more difficult to relate health risks from radiation
>> if we are compelled to use UNITS which "are scary." What sounds more
>> "threatening": 1 Curie or 3.7 e10 Bq's? I am afraid that familiarizing the
>> unfamiliar with SI units within the general public realm is a hill we have
>> yet to successfully climb. We must also consider the unfamiliarity the
>> general public has with math - or should I say the resistance to think in
>> mathematical terms for the layman.  One tenth of a Seveirt doesn't sound so
>> bad until you tell someone it is 10 Rem - now that sounds "hideously high."
>> 
>> Regards,
>> John
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu [mailto:radsafe-bounces@
>> health.phys.iit.edu] On Behalf Of Cary Renquist
>> Sent: Monday, September 12, 2016 12:46 PM
>> To: The International Radiation Protection (Health Physics) MailingList (
>> radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu) <radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu>
>> Subject: [ RadSafe ] Adopting the International System of Units for
>> Radiation Measurements in the United States
>> 
>> Adopting the International System of Units for Radiation Measurements
>> Registration, Washington | Eventbrite
>> https://www.eventbrite.com/e/adopting-the-international-
>> system-of-units-for-radiation-measurements-registration-26954781477
>> 
>> U.S. Government agencies with radiation protection responsibilities
>> continue to use conventional units for radiation measurements despite
>> 30-year-old national and international recommendations to use SI (System
>> Internationale) units. The use of conventional units hinders information
>> exchanges and communications between the United States and other countries,
>> most of which use SI units, especially during emergencies. For example,
>> U.S. personnel deployed in Japan during the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident
>> encountered difficulties in communicating with Japanese counterparts and
>> the international radiation protection community.
>> 
>> The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have asked the National
>> Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to organize a workshop to
>> discuss how the adoption of SI units for radiation protection in the United
>> States could improve information exchanges and communications. The workshop
>> will examine international experiences in transitioning to SI units for
>> radiation protection and discuss possible steps towards adopting the
>> exclusive use of SI units in the United States. Download the current agenda
>> here.
>> 
>> This event will be webcast.
>> 
>> 
>> ---
>> Cary Renquist
>> cary.renquist at ezag.com
>> 
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