Re: Extremity Dosimetry

[mail15077@pop.net]

> Dear Radsafers:
> 
> Where should finger rings be kept when the individual is still in the 
> restricted area, but not working with radioactive material?
> 
This is a problem of badge issue.  If one doesn't keep the finger rings with 
the individual's regular whole body badge, it can become a bit difficult to 
assign extremity dose for those periods where the person was working in "whole 
body" dose fields (and exposing the extremities at the same time) but not 
wearing specific finger dosimetry.

For the most accuracy, I have always directed that finger rings be issued with 
their own whole body badge ("set control").  When the individual wears the 
rings, he removes his regular badge and wears the control badge at the body 
location where he would normally wear his whole body badge.  When he is done 
with the rings, he should put the rings and control badge in a low dose area 
and resume wearing his "normal" badge.  When all the dosimetry is eventually 
developed, then his whole body dose is equal to his regular badge + his control 
badge, and his extremity dose is equal to his "regular" badge + each finger's 
ring dose.  This is not a profound concept, but it really saves some headaches 
when one is trying to figure out doses at the end of a quarter.

> 
Jim Barnes, CHP
RSO
Rocketdyne Division; Rockwell International