Re: Dirty Bomb Rescue Worker

["John Wills" <radiationguy@EARTHLINK.NET>]

EPA-400-R-92-001, May 1992, USEPA Manual of Protective Action Guides and

Protective Actions for Nuclear Incidents, ..."provides radiological

protection guidance that may be used for responding to any type of nuclear

incident or radiological emergency, except nuclear war."



Table 2-2 Guidance on Dose Limits for Workers performing Emergency Services:



dose limit: 5 rem TEDE for all activities, except

10 rem TEDE for protecting valuable property ( when lower dose not

practicable), and

25 rem TEDE for lifesaving or protection of large populations (when lower

dose not practicable, and

>25 rem TEDE lifesaving or protection of large populations (only on a

voluntary basis to persons fully aware of the risks involved).



FRMAC Radiological Emergency Response Health and Safety Manual

(DOE/NV/11718-440, May 2001) adopts same limits for Federal responders.





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

From: <rob.w.powell@exxonmobil.com>

To: <radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu>

Sent: Monday, December 15, 2003 9:28 AM

Subject: Dirty Bomb Rescue Worker





> During the last 2 years of discussions about dirty bomb response, did

> anyone see/develop a maximum exposure limit for a rescue worker?  For

> instance, a bomber explodes the bomb but the gamma source just becomes

> unshielded, it doesn't disperse to any extent.  An injured, immobile,

> bleeding employee is in the 'hot zone' near the source, and a rescue

worker

> arrives with a Geiger counter.  As he/she approaches the employee while

> reading the Geiger counter, at what reading (exposure rate) should the

> rescue worker stop after determining that his/her risk of death during the

> rescue is as great as that of the bleeding employee's death?  We've been

> assuming that the rescue worker takes 15 minutes to remove the employee

> from the hot zone (< 2 mR/hr).  This all may seem too dispassionate, but

we

> have guidance about rescuing employees who have been electrically shocked,

> been overcome with gases, etc.

>

>

>

> -Rob Powell

> ExxonMobil

> Safety, Health, & Environment

>

>

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