Re: Caution vs. Danger vs. Warning

[tdc@ehssun.lbl.gov (Ted M. de Castro)]

Please to refer to previous message in thread for quote of what I am 
responding to....

The various regs and ANSI standard are VERY specific as to how to layout a 
radiation warning sign and when to use CAUTION and when to use DANGER.

DANGER is usually reserved for situation which are immediately life 
threatening.

As for the X-RAY warning sign .....

A CAUTION is USUALLY used with the "produces x-rays when energized" sign - 
however, if the area is less than 5 mR in any when hour when energized then 
a NOTICE sign is allowable.

I would prefer the NOTICE sign and to MAKE SURE it is less than 5.

I would presume that from your message that the DANGER situation you are 
referring to is the removal of the shutter .....

While I would surmise (not knowing the specific x-ray machine) that the 
situation with the machine energized and the shutter removed is indeed a 
DANGER situation - I would not do things in this manner.

Seeing such a sign I would assume that the sign constituted your protection 
program and that it was indeed possible to remove the shutter (without the 
use of tools) while the machine is energized without the machine shutting 
down or alarms going off.  If such is possible - your problem is NOT how to 
layout the sign - but your safety systems!!

If it requires the use of tools (ie. deliberacy) to remove the shutter and 
this sign is necessary - I'd suspect a real serious training and control 
problem!

So I guess my response would be is that this question indicates problems far 
deeper and far more serious than the layout of a sign - more like an 
accident waiting to happen senario!

I would be glad to outline to you on the x-ray safety program here at LBL 
where this kind of problem just would not be allowed to happen.