RE: Radiography HP

["Perrero, Daren" <Perrero@IDNS.STATE.IL.US>]

I think you've hit the most confounding issue right on the head.  All the

administrative rules in the world will only make doing something stupid a

violation after the fact.  The industry has been regulated out the wazoo and

has been subjected to a number of reengineering efforts of their equipment.

We've made obsolete equipment illegal to use in the States (and forced them

to overseas use unfortunately)and required automated mechanical safety

features as electronic equipment doesn't take well to 30 ft drop tests.

We've instituted requirements for certified radiographers and their

assistants and used independent testing regimes for that certification.  It

still comes down to people doing those things that they should.

Unfortunately, it will take a culture change to bring that about.  Those

kinds of changes come through the marketplace and not the regulatory arena.

The working environment is terrible, the hours are horrendous and you are

typically paid by the shot not by the hour.



But as always, I'm sure there's room for improvement on our part as far as

inspection and enforcement is concerned.  The overexposure of a radiographer

is an interesting situation in terms of what is the better course of action,

going after the radiographer or company? and to what extent for both?

There's due process issues involved if you try to revoke a radiographer's

authorization in Illinois only to have them travel down the road to Texas.

But we're working at closing that loophole as well. 



The thoughts expressed are mine, mine, all mine!

I'm with the government, I'm here to help........

Daren Perrero, Health Physicist

perrero@idns.state.il.us





-----Original Message-----

From: Ted de Castro [mailto:tdc@xrayted.com]

Sent: Thursday, May 30, 2002 12:56 PM

To: Perrero, Daren

Cc: 'William V Lipton'; RADSAFE@list.vanderbilt.edu

Subject: Re: Radiography HP





I see the problem is that it is currently all handled by administrative

controls (laws, training, procedures etc.) and therefore in the most

basic sense - voluntary.  All these administrative controls can be as

easily forgotten or ignored.



All the problems cannot be solved by hardware controls but I do not

think any hardware control has even been attempted.  There need to be

some minimum equipment standards with better built in control.



We keep hearing about accidents where the source disconnects from the

cable or is otherwise improperly stowed.  Surely this can be improved or

tested for.  Better connection and or a mechanical sense of the source

actually settling home.



I suspect a source powered "HOME" indicator could be made.



The unstowed source accidents are the big accidents and I truly think

that imaginative and motivated people can find hardware solutions to

those problems.



This leaves us with administrative controls for the "lesser offenses"

which seem to result in exposures that violate limits - but not the

individual - at least immediately.



"Perrero, Daren" wrote:

> 

> What do you perceive as the major problems?  What are your suggestions for

> correcting them?

> I am all ears.

> The thoughts expressed are mine, mine, all mine!

> I'm with the government, I'm here to help........

> Daren Perrero, Health Physicist

> perrero@idns.state.il.us

> 

> -----Original Message-----

> From: William V Lipton [mailto:liptonw@DTEENERGY.COM]

> Sent: Thursday, May 30, 2002 5:55 AM

> To: AndrewsJP@AOL.COM

> Cc: tdc@XRAYTED.COM; HustonThomasE@UAMS.EDU; RADSAFE@list.vanderbilt.edu

> Subject: Re: chirper

> 

> So let's stop looking for the Blue Light Special on chirpers, and talk

about

> how we can get the regulators and licensees to take radiography hp

> seriously.

> 

> The opinions expressed are strictly mine.

> It's not about dose, it's about trust.

> Curies forever.

> 

> Bill Lipton

> liptonw@dteenergy.com

> 

> 

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