ALARA and "what is safe enough"

["Sandy Perle" <sandyfl@EARTHLINK.NET>]

> The question should be "What is safe enough  (ie ALARA)?" not "What is

> safe?".



One can not equate ALARA and "what is safe enough". They are not synonymous. In 

facility A the ALARA goal need not be the same as facility B or C or D. ALARA was 

never deemed to be considered equivalent to what is considered to be a safe level. 

Please also note that the NRC (rightly so) removed the prescriptive levels of what 

was to be considered ALARA in 10CFR20, as was once proposed.



When we as a profession start to promulgate the concept of ALARA and being safe, 

we run the serious mistake of also equating these 2 concepts as being the basis for 

litigation claims being judged valid or not. If you are not deemed being ALARA, then 

you, by your own definition, are therefore not treating your staff, or fellow workers, as 

working in a safe environment.



Please don't equate the 2 concepts. One can determine what is ALARA for their own 

facility, knowing what the environment is. One can not deem what is safe. If they can, 

I've never met that person. Unless one considers zero to be safe, and there are 

those who would state, and have stated, that zero is not safe, that there needs to be 

some level of exposure.



Food for thought?

**************************************************************************

Sandy Perle				Tel:(714) 545-0100 / (800) 548-5100  

Director, Technical			Extension 2306 			

ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Service	Fax:(714) 668-3149 	                

ICN Pharmaceuticals, Inc.		E-Mail: sandyfl@earthlink.net 	

ICN Plaza, 3300 Hyland Avenue  	E-Mail: sperle@icnpharm.com          

Costa Mesa, CA 92626



Personal Website: http://sandy-travels.com

ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Website: http://www.dosimetry.com



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