Re[2]: The Ethics Issue Continued

[sandy_perle@email.fpl.com]

     Here is a short list I have kept. MIGHT need some updating:
     
     Sandy Perle
          
     sandy_perle@email.fpl.com
          
     sandyfl@ix.netcom.com
          
     http://www.netcom.com/~sandyfl/home.html
     http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/1205

Source of Exposure                             Exposure      

  Natural Background                        0.006 mR/hr  
  Coal Burning Power Plant                       0.165 mR/yr  
  X-rays from TV set (1 inch)                    0.500 mR/hr  
  Airplane ride (39,000 ft.)                     0.500 mR/hr  
  Nuclear Power Plant (normal operation          0.600 mR/yr  
  at plant boundary)
                     
  Weapons Fallout                              < 1 mR/yr      
  Building materials (concrete)                  3 mR/yr      
  Drinking Water                                 5 mRem/yr    
  Coast to coast Airplane roundtrip              5 mRem/RT    
  Chest x-ray                                    5 - 20 mRem/exp    
  Pocket watch (radium dial)                     6 mRem/yr    
  Eyeglasses (containing thorium)                6 - 11 mR/yr       
  Natural gas in home                            9 mRem/yr    
  Dental x-ray                                  10 mRem/exp   
  terrestrial background (Atlantic coast)       16 mRem/yr    
  head/neck x-ray                               20 mRem/exp   
  Cosmic Radiation (sea level)                  26 mRem/yr    
  Radionuclides in the body (ie potassium)      39 mRem/yr    
  Cosmic Radiation (Denver)                     50 mRem/yr    
  Terrestrial background (Rocky Mountains       63 mRem/yr    
  Three Mile Island (dose at plant duration     80 mRem       
     of the accident)                                          
  Public dose limits due to licensed           100 mRem/yr    
     activities (NRC)                                            
  Lumbar/spinal x-rays                         130 mRem/exp   
  Pelvis/hip x-ray                             160 mRem/exp   
  Shoe Fitting Fluroscope (not in use now)     170 mRem/exp   
  Upper GI series                              245 mRem/exp   
  Cumulative Natural Background                300 mRem/yr    
  Lower GI series                              405 mRem/exp   
  Occupational Exposure Limits for Minors      500 mRem/yr    
  Occupational Exposure Limits for Fetus       500 mRem       
  Occupational Limits (TEDE)                 5,000 mRem/yr
  Occupational Limits (Eye)                 15,000 mRem/yr   
  Occupational Limits (skin)                50,000 mRem/yr  
  Occupational Limits (extremities)         50,000 mRem/yr     
  Diagnostic thyroid exam                   90,000 mRad/exp   
  Therapeutic thyroid exam               1,000,000 mRad/exp    
                                                              



______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: RE: The Ethics Issue Continued
Author:  radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu at Internet-Mail
Date:    7/1/96 10:38 AM


By the way, a number of Radsafers have mentioned that we ought to put 
radiation risks in perspective, or words to that effect.  It occurred to me, 
however, that very few suggestions have been offered as to how to do this 
effectively.  The old comparison to chest x-rays and cigarette smoking just 
don't fill the bill.  One or two that I read were excellent, and I hope 
someone is writing these down and compiling a list of those which may be 
useful to those who have to explain to the uneducated masses (in radiation 
matters, of course).