On Flight Crews as Radiation Workers

[VERNIG.PETER@FORUM.VA.GOV]

Radsafers,
I once saw a sign on a liquor store in central Colorado, it said
"The supply of Government exceeds the demand!"  This thread makes
me wonder a little the sign is correct.  I accept that airline crew
doses are into the realm of occupational doses.  But why do we measure
and control such doses in the first place?  To insure that they stay
in that realm and prevent negligance and abuse from leading to "unaccept-
ably" higher doses.  Unacceptable has different definitions for occupation-
ally exposed versus the public.
 
There appears to be little potential for negligence or misconduct leading
to higher doses.  Pilots do not exceed the design altitude of their air-
craft.  I presume there are already regs about that.  Solar flares can
increase doses, but is their a real potential for someone to be exposed
repeatedly so that they AVERAGE over either 3 rem [ICRP recommendation]
or 5 rem [Current NCRP recommendation, I think and US regulatory require-
ment for machine produced radiation and that resulting from materials use]
ON A REGULAR BASIS?
 
If a combination of solar flares and new aircraft with higher altitude
capabilities apear to change this, a mechanism exists to deal with it.
That is collective bargaining.  While collective bargaining is not ideal,
neither is government regulation.  The unions and airline association know
their industry.  Unless they do not address the issue  at the point where
it appears that it needs to be addressed why look to government to make
more rules?
 
This is obviously my opinion, & does not reflect that of any government
agency, especially the one I work for, they could care less!
 
Peter G. Vernig, VA Medical Center, Denver. vernig.peter@forum.va.gov