Re: Collective dose and its monetary valuation

["Scott O. Schwahn" <schwahn@CEBAF.GOV>]

Mr. Lipton wrote (in part):

>Before we go overboard in setting a $/man-rem value, think about this: 
> 
>If my employer sets a $10,000 / man-rem value and I have a lifetime exposure 
>of 50 rems, then I can obviously sue my employer for $500,000 if I later get 
>cancer.  Plus punitive damages, of course. 
>After all, if they refused to spend the money to prevent the exposure, they 
>owe it to me, now that I've been injured by the exposure. 
>Also, the employee will probably challenge the employer's dosimetry program 
>and hire his own "expert" to estimate a much higher dose. 
>Does your employer want to be set up for that liability?   
>Do you want to be known as the one who set them up? 

People can sue for ANYTHING.  Proving a high probablility of causation would
be difficult, considering legal limits - even if no dose prevention efforts
were made. 

It seems to me that one _has_ to set a $/person-rem value, in order to
determine whether a major design decision is to be made.  ALARA is the
principle here; remember: "taking into account socio-economic factors"?  We
are not trying to do ALAP (As Low As Possible).  All facilities should meet
their own design goals, probably should meet ICRP/NCRP/etc. recommendations,
and must meet all legal limits, which are all designed to prevent
unnecessary exposure - but an ALARA analysis must take into account a dollar
figure.  Otherwise, you are looking at ALAP.  Of course, for small, quick,
or inexpensive changes, a proper ALARA analysis would cost more than the change.

I'm afraid that until my facility has "bought off" on a number, it would be
improper for me to post the dollar figure I think is best for us.  However,
Monsieur Mure, there are generally two numbers to deal with - exposure to
radiation workers and exposure to the public.  The idea being that dose to
general public is the exposed population is spread out among a larger
population, and individual likelihood of causation is lowered - giving a
lower $/person-rem figure for protection of public.  Not that I necessarily
agree with this, but some programs do this.

These are my opinions only - neither my employer nor the Department of
Energy have reviewed or approved this message.

Scott O. Schwahn, CHP
Operational Health Physicist
Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility
(804)249-7551 (w)
(804)249-7363 (fax)
schwahn@cebaf.gov