NRC Prelim. Notification of Unusual Occurence

[lambert@HAL.HAHNEMANN.EDU]

The annual limit of intake for P-32 is 600 uCi (10CFR20 Appendix B). Maybe 
I am dumb, but is 579 still less than 600?   NRC requirements (10CFR20.2202)
call for immediate notification if an individual receives >25 rems or more 
TEDE, 24 hour notification if an individual receives >5 rems in a 24 hour
period.  The NRC also requires a written report within 30 days if an 
individual receives an exposure in excess of the limits (e.g., TEDE > 5 
rems).  With this in mind, why is an unusual occurence report justified?  
If an individual received 4.8 rem TEDE from external radiation over the 
course of a year, would the NRC issue an unusual occurence report?

I also take issue with the statement, "The information [about this event] 
is basically all that is known by Region I staff..."  I gave the Region I 
staff much more credit - I thought that they at least knew their name, 
home address, and even some health physics :-).


Kent Lambert, CHP
LAMBERT@hal.hahnemann.edu

These are my views and not my employers.