Re: Tritium Exit Signs

[don@radpro.uchicago.edu]

It seems to me that one must weigh the benefits of the tritium exit
sign, i.e., total reliability in an emergency, vs. the improbable and small
risk of the potential H3 uptake.  There is no such thing as a risk free world-
execept perhaps one that is cold, dark, lifeless and orbits a dead sun.  These
devices are used in airplanes, where one must presume complete electrical
failure as a consequence of any emergency.  The risk of a brief exposure and
small uptake of H3 is trivial compared to the benefit of finding the door in
a fire.  Compare tritium uptake mortality to fire mortatily.

___________________________________________________________________

Don Jordan                          Tel. (312) 702-6299
Office of Radiation Safety          Fax        702-4008
The University of Chicago           email: don@radpro.uchicago.edu

           -- Opinions expressed are soley the author's --