Re: ALARA What?

["J. J. Rozental" <joseroze@netvision.net.il>]

Michael,

    The system of protection was not intended to be compreensively universal
and to cover all situations involving radiation exposure. At this moment the
system only applies to "practices" an "interventions".  Taking this into
account, it should be noted that, by introducing the concepts of practice
and intervention, the ICRP intentions were not to imply that any human
action that may cause increases in individual's exposure is a practice, nor
that any human action that may decrease individual's exposure is an
intervention. For instance, normal modifications of living habits, such
moving location or changing type of home, may increase or decrease the
individuals' background exposure, but such action should obviously not
viewed in strictu senso as practice or intervention requiring the
applications of the ICRP's System of  Protection.
My formation of Regulator and implementing Radiation Safety Standards for
more than 20 years in Brazil, oblige me to follow the ICRP and IAEA
recommendations on Radiation Safety, does not matter my own sentiments.
Ideals versus options -- The term ideals, as defined by Vincent Ryan
Ruggiero, refers to "a notion of excellence, a goal that is thought to bring
about greater harmony to ourselves and to others." To judge whether a
practice or a situation is acceptable involves balancing advantages and
disadvantages. Both may be seen differently by different persons. The
perception of advantage and disadvantage differs between individuals. Their
disposition, upbringing, education, training, operational experience, etc.
will form their attitude, positive or negative, and will also influence
their perception of risk and even their assessment of probabilities and
their picture of the consequences whether the risk originates in human
actions or is due to natural phenomena.
Let me finish with Bo Lindell : "Risk Evaluation and Decision Making - IRPA
9 - 1 - 439"
" A major problem for decision-maker is to device a control system which is
understandable and therefore more likely to be accepted. In the old days,
the situation was clear-cut. There was a limit. Below the limit it was safe.
Simple as that. Today we have a limitation system, very properly based on
protection optimization, with constraints and prescribed limits which differ
from case to case. Even below the limits no absolute safety can be
guaranteed. - You have no reason to worry, but... - We want to have the very
best protection and equity for a more understandable system. Since the
answer is likely to be no, how could we nevertheless improve understanding"


Jose Julio Rozental
joseroze@netvision.net.il
Israel

----- Original Message -----
From: Michael S Ford <MFORD@pantex.com>
To: Multiple recipients of list <radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu>
Sent: Monday, April 03, 2000 3:21 PM
Subject: Re: ALARA What?


> Jose,
>
> The point in my statement to Glenn was (and to you now) ¯- if you view
Optimization as the minimization of radiological exposures, regardless of
what the total exposures are, how do you then justify an ALARA Protective
Measure when the total exposure is only a fraction of the annual background
dose and not a multiple of it?  As would be the case in high background
regions throughout the world.
>
> This is something international standards completely ignore.  How do you
say to a Rad Worker that you are "lowering" his risk of cancer by
maintaining his doses at 5 or 10 mSv when the dose he and his family receive
from background radiation is 2 to 5 times higher (in high background
regions)?  Clearly, there is no epidemiological data in these areas to
indicate higher incidence of cancer or shortened life span.  Actually, the
evidence is to the the contrary of the cancer risk factors stated in ICRP
for populations within these high background regions.
>
> Do we act like the EPA and tell folks that the radiation in their homes
and natural environment is killing them (a la Radon), even when there's no
evidence to support it OR (more importantly) evidence to the contrary?
>
> v/r
> Michael
> TRAB & "Operational Guy"
>

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