Business airflights = occupational exposure?

["Ron L. Kathren" <rkathren@tricity.wsu.edu>]

Sorry, Al, but as Health Physicists we should be concerned with exposure
from all occupationally related activities.  And, it matters not whether one
believes in the LNT or not; as HP's we are obliged to look at all sources of
occupationally related exposure. and evaluate them accordingly.  It may well
be that doses from business travel are, in most instances, of sufficiently
small magnitude to be ignored.  But then again, the very frequent flier
(particularly SST)and  the pregnant flight attendant,  to name two, may well
merit further consideration. And, I take exception to your statement that
ALARA does not play a role -- it certainly does, and it may well be that
ALARA considerations dictate that doses from occupationally  related travel
should be ignored in most or even all cases.  I also take exception to your
statement that collective dose has no application:  perhaps you need to take
a(nother) look at NCRP Report 121.

But we do agree on one thing, old friend, viz. that we might get more bang
for the buck by studying medical exposures and their consequences.

Ron Kathren

PS  Didn't you watch the game on this Super Bowl Sunday????  All work and no
play, you know!

RK
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