Re: Badge for X-ray machine users?

["Randy Ross" <RNROSS@BCSC02.GOV.BC.CA>]

*** Reply to note of 03/17/95 07:02
rnross@bcsc02.gov.bc.ca

Don't get all caught up in the red tape. THE POINT IS a TLD does not protect a
person from diffraction/fluoro/diagnostic/NDT/ etc. The point is a TLD
does not protect. Period!  All it's useful for is to tell you how bad that
 bad thing you did really was,technically.  Never confuse radiation protection
with radiation dosimetry.  They are completely different things and don't let
 the CDRH, BRH etc. tell you any different.  It's your people you trying to
 protect not some regulation you are trying to meet.
If someone is getting readings each year no matter how small let them keep
their badge. After all the point of their badge is really to tell you how
things are going at their machine. If someone has been wearing a badge for
a few years and has never gotten a reading go talk to them.  Check out their
work habits if there are no changes planned in the future tell them they don't
really need a badge.
The best way to depoliticize (?) x-ray users into giving up their badges is
 to convince them that the badges are useless in terms of PROTECTING them and
and that they have never gotten a reading anyway therefore they are not being
 exposed to x-rays by their machine.
Some x-ray devices really do not need badged operators - the entirely enclosed
kind don't eg. cabinet x-ray units, baggage inspection units only need them
because their operators are .... (not sure how to finish this sentence)
but totally enclosed redundantly interlocked units do not!

You can live back in 1977 if you want.  "we had a serious injury 18 years ago
so therefore we are making everybody wear badges even though it won't protect
 them" oh great. hurray.
Get with the program.  Nobody needs a badge unless they have some "real"
expectation on the part of the RSO of an exposure - (not overexposure, just
exposure).

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