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

[Sander Perle]

Yes there is. However, the cost of implementation, instrument displays for instrumentation in the field, SOP revisions including other documents, staff training (most have no knowledge of the units), etc. are considerations that have to be considered. Then there is always making decisions using incorrect interpretation of the units (this had already an observed issue).

In the end, it's a risk/benefit decision that has to take into the account of implementation cost. When 10CFR20 was implemented 1993 there was a significant cost just in the NPP environment (I was at FPL then). This holds true today.

Maybe when the current workers have all retired and the younger staffs are brought up using SI units, transition will be easier, but the cost does not go away.

At least in ANSI HPS Standards and other publications we include both units.

Regards,

Sandy
Sent from my iPhone

> On Sep 21, 2016, at 11:15, Jason Meade <meadeja at vcu.edu> wrote:
> 
> Having spoken with one person from the US directly involved in helping out
> with Fukushima response cleanup and a lot of the difficulties presented
> coordination-wise, I'd say there's at least an argument to be made for some
> practical advantages to the international standard.
> 
>> On Wed, Sep 21, 2016 at 1:26 PM, The Wilsons <pnwnatives at gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>> It is not international, first of all, and there is really no advantage to
>> the change. Lets not fix what isn't broken!
>> Bob Wilson
>> 
>> 
>>> On 9/20/2016 11:10 AM, clayton bradt wrote:
>>> 
>>> Let's change the definition of the curie to 10^9 Bq. That way a curie is
>>> still a convenient unit for every day work and the conversion between
>>> curies and bequerels is simple. 1Ci = 1 GBq.
>>> 
>>> Clayton
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> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Thanks,
> Jason A Meade, AS, BS, MHSA, RRPT, RT(T)
> Senior Radiation Safety Specialist
> Virginia Commonwealth University
> 
> 
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> 
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