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radiography again (and again and again)
Please see the incident description below, which is copied from the NRC
Daily Event Report for March 16, 2004.
I won't pass judgment on the dropped badge scenario. That's a
relatively minor concern.
The real problem is this. Assuming the radiographer did not receive any
dose in December, 2003, he would still have exceeded 4 rem for the
year. Is this a routine practice? (It seems to be for this company,
since its corrective action would not bring in additional controls
until a radiographer reaches 4 rem for the year.) If so, I'd like to
know what aspects of a well-run radiography program would require this?
It seems that if the jobs are planned and implemented properly, doses
should be low. When my employer brings in radiographers, the doses are
very low.
Consider the provisions of 10 CFR 20.1101, including: "(b) The licensee
shall use, to the extent practical, procedures and engineering controls
based upon sound radiation protection principles to achieve occupational
doses ... that are as low as is reasonably achievable (ALARA)." I
assume that LA has similar provisions in its regulations.
When are the regulators planning to enforce this for radiographers?
The opinions expressed are strictly mine.
It's not about dose, it's about trust.
Curies forever.
Bill Lipton
liptonw@dteenergy.com
General Information or Other Event Number: 40584
Rep Org: LOUISIANA RADIATION PROTECTION DIV
Licensee: XRI TESTING
Region: 4
City: LAFAYETTE State: LA
County:
License #: LA-2918-L01
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: SCOTT BLACKWELL
HQ OPS Officer: STEVE SANDIN Notification Date: 03/11/2004
Notification Time: 14:41 [ET]
Event Date: 01/30/2004
Event Time: [CST]
Last Update Date: 03/11/2004
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
Person (Organization):
TROY PRUETT (R4)
TOM ESSIG (NMSS)
Event Text
RADIOGRAPHER MAY HAVE EXCEEDED ANNUAL EXPOSURE LIMIT
"XRI reported that [a radiographer] received an annual exposure of 6.120
R for the year of 2003. [The Radiographer] had a dose of 4.016 R prior
to December of 2003. [The Radiographer] received a dose of 2.104 R for
December 2003. Once the badge results were discussed with [the
Radiographer] in January of 2004, he stated that his badge had dropped
near a source. [The Radiographer] did not feel that it needed to be
reported at that time because of the distance from the source. According
to the facilities files [the Radiographer] received 0.315 R for the
month of December 2003. As a result of this incident there have been
some additional steps taken to prevent reoccurrence. All radiographers
have been retrained. Also if a radiographer receives a dose of 4.0 R by
December, that radiographer will not be allowed to perform radiograph
operations until the next calendar year. If that limit is reached prior
to that date, the radiographer may be granted specified permission to
work on monitored low production jobs."
LA Report ID No.: LA040003
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