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Bill Lipton has a valid point in principle in his opposition to people untrained in health physics engaging in its practice. However, I believe that consideration of circumstances related to the situation that drew his attention is also important. That situation involves a trained IH evaluating a pretty small, perhaps even miniscule radiation problem.
I believe Bill underestimates the capabilities of trained IH professionals in analyzing radiation problems of the very limited scope and magnitude of the one drawing his attention. We should recognize that the fundamental concepts of radiation protection, including internal radiation dosimetry, are not alien to a well trained IH. Other aspects of the problem, such as potential airborne exposure, might actually be more properly identified as IH problems rather than HP problems, and thus should fall well within the capabilities of a well trained IH.
Bill’s blanket exclusion of IH from all things HP will probably be surprising to most IH people. Many IH people see HP as simply a field of specialty within IH. This notion was best expressed by Harry Schulte, formerly of LASL, now deceased. Though Harry started out as a trained IH, and always considered himself an IH, he effectively evolved into a pioneering HP. He routinely referred to health physics as the “lunatic fringe of industrial hygiene.”
Any but the most narrowly focused HP must often work in areas in which his education and experience is limited relative to that of people in other professions, IH often among them. For example, any health physicist evaluating airborne exposure potential is engaging in a practice in which most industrial hygienists are more competent by both training and experience. The question is not whether someone better qualified can be found to perform aspects of the work, but whether the HP is sufficiently competent for the work that must be performed. While this is a question that is difficult to answer in some situations, it can be answered pretty easily in most. The same question applies to the IH considering his radiation problem. I suspect the question can also be answered fairly easily in this case. |