Re: Demise of UNSCEAR?

[mark.hogue@SRS.GOV]

I don't know how Bill's experience leads him to the conclusion "that an

effective ALARA program also promotes good work practices, more efficient

utilization of resources, and high quality work." Maybe through good

maintenance training and planning Bill and others achieve these worthy

objectives.



On the other hand, wearing anticontamination clothing frequently leads to

unsafe situations and diminished ability to perform quality work. Need I

cite examples?



Mark Hogue

mark.hogue@srs.gov

"But we surely overrate the usefulness of what we like to call

"stimulation" and underrate the need for time, peace of mind, mature

reflection." -  Susan Haack



"DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed are mine and do not necessarily

represent Westinghouse Savannah River Co. or the United States Department

of Energy."









                                                                                                                

                      William V Lipton                                                                          

                      <liptonw@DTEENERGY.COM        To:       Jerry Cohen <jjcohen@PRODIGY.NET>                 

                      >                             cc:       "Jacobus, John (NIH/OD/ORS)"                      

                      Sent by:                       <jacobusj@ors.od.nih.gov>, "'RadSafe'"                     

                      owner-radsafe@list.van         <radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu>                              

                      derbilt.edu                   Subject:  Re: Demise of UNSCEAR?                            

                                                                                                                

                                                                                                                

                                                                                                                

                                                                                                                

                                                                                                                

                                                                                                                

                      10/03/02 03:23 PM                                                                         

                      Please respond to                                                                         

                      William V Lipton                                                                          

                                                                                                                

                                                                                                                















Jerry Cohen wrote:

      ...





            On the contrary, ALARA doesn't really improve safety

            performance. More likely, it causes the squandering of limited

            resources toward solving non-problems; resources that could be

            beneficially applied elsewhere.







I used to believe that myth, which is generally broadcast by those who have

limited practical experience.





On the contrary, experience at nuclear power plants generally shows that an

effective ALARA program also promotes good work practices, more efficient

utilization of resources, and high quality work.





The two major aspects of an ALARA program are:





1.  ALARA for collective dose - A program for managing collective dose also

promotes:

a.  work planning - The attention to detail required to perform a job with

ALARA also results in more efficient work practices.

b.  training - dry runs on mock ups results in more efficient work and

fewer errors.

c.  lessons learned - Jobs must be reviewed and lessons learned

incorporated into planning for future work.  This also reduces errors and

results in more efficient work.

d.  job scheduling - The optimum frequency must be determined for high dose

jobs, to avoid underscheduling, with resulting breakdowns, and

overscheduling, which generates unnecessary dose.





2.  even distribution of dose within work groups - This promotes the more

efficient utilization of the work force.  Management no longer has the

luxury of  letting a few workers carry the load and ignoring nonperformers.





In fact, the lessons learned from ALARA programs are being used to promote

improved work practices in the non-nuclear side of utilities.





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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