Re: Dirty Bomb Rescue Worker

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

Per EPA 400-R-92-001, page 2-10, ..."These limits apply to doses incurred

over the duration of the emergency."..."Further, the dose to workers

performing emergency services may be treated as a once-in-a-lifetime

exposure, and not added to occupational exposure accumulated during

non-emergency conditions..."



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

From: "Catherine Perham" <cperham@EHSO.EMORY.EDU>

To: <rob.w.powell@exxonmobil.com>; <radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu>

Sent: Monday, December 15, 2003 10:06 AM

Subject: RE: Dirty Bomb Rescue Worker





> The "recommended" exposure limit is up to 25 Rem per event for lifesaving.

> Taking a dose above this limit is up to the discretion of the rescue

worker.

> Does "per event" mean per dirty bomb or nuclear weapon event?  Per victim?

> Per year?  Per lifetime?  As far as I know it is open to interpretation.

> Perhaps someone has the answer.

>

> Yes, I know this has been on the list before.

> Cheers,

> -Catherine

>

> Catherine S. Perham

> Senior Health Physicist

> Emory University School of Medicine

> 1462 Clifton Road NE, Suite 312

> Atlanta, Georgia  30322

> 404-727-1348

> 404-727-5904 [fax]

> 404-742-7901 [pager]

>

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

> From: rob.w.powell@exxonmobil.com [mailto:rob.w.powell@exxonmobil.com]

> Sent: Monday, December 15, 2003 9:29 AM

> To: radsafe@list.Vanderbilt.Edu

> 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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