Re[3]: Answers to Electronic Dosimetry Operability Checks

["Eric L. Darois" <daroiel@naesco.com>]

     We (Seabrook Station) have partially addressed this issue, and, there 
     is another twist:
     
     1. For "loud areas" we have adapters for our DMC100s that connect to 
     an ear jack or flashing light.  We have not had to use them much, but, 
     they are available for issue by the HP techs.
     
     2. Some workers with partial hearing impairment are affected at the 
     alarm frequency of the EDs.  To address this we have done qualitative 
     hearing tests for workers using a jury-rigged ED that has a push 
     button to activate the audible alarm.  We simple ask, if they can hear 
     the alarm.  If not, then make special arrangements with HP.  No 
     significant problems with this approach thus far.
      
     
     3. This can become a large "can o worms".  If we all are aware of the 
     problem and deal with it case-by-case, that should be sufficient.  I'm 
     not sure it is possible to cover all angles of this issue. (i.e. what 
     about moderate noise areas with partial hearing impairment, or 
     stimulous overload ??).  This can get crazy.
     
     Good luck to us all...
     
     
     Eric Darois, CHP
     Daroiel@naesco.com


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re[2]: Answers to Electronic Dosimetry Operability Checks
Author:  radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu at Internet
Date:    9/25/96 9:43 PM


     We have recently had an event surrounding the use of the electronic 
     dosimeter (ED) in a "loud" background area.  You may all laugh, yet 
     this old rad-man had somehow ignored the fact that you couldn't hear 
     the 80 db alarm function on the ED when the background noise was so 
     high.  Really I knew it could happen, it just didn't click.
     
     Our license also requires an alarming ED function when working in a 
     high rad area (other options include timekeeping or a dose rate 
     instrument).  Since the alarm could not be heard, we may have been in 
     violation of our license.  That is under review.
     
     Radsafers, be warned.  Obviously you would never make the mistake we 
     did.  But over time, as rules change, it seems decisions also evolve 
     and the technical basis for the original decisions is lost.  20 years 
     ago we would never have sent a man (or woman) into a high rad area 
     without timekeeping.  We had begun to rely upon the ED too much.
     
     THE ABOVE IS ONLY MY OPINION AND NOT THAT OF MY EMPLOYER.  
     
     Paul Knoll
     LaSalle Nuclear Station
     
     
______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: Answers to Electronic Dosimetry Operability Checks
Author:  radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu at INTERNET 
Date:    9/25/96 8:55 AM
     
     
     ur experience has shown that there are a very small number of failures 
     in the alarm check when looking at the big picture.  In 1995 we had 
     actual 41 actual alarm check failures and so far in 1996 we have had 
     16. We have had some pseudo-failures which involved the worker not 
     inserting the dosimeter in the reader properly.  In putting these in 
     perspective, we have 1000 EPDs in service and there have been over 
     250,000 uses of the EPDs this year. While the number of failures is 
     small when compared to the overall useage, they are real and can be 
     detected prior to issue.
     
     
     Hayden 'Doc' Mercer
     FPL - St. Lucie Plant
     dmercer@email.fpl.com
     normal disclaimers apply - whaterver that really means.
     
     ______________________________________________________________________
     
     
     About a week ago I posted a request for information about 
     howoperability checks for electronic dosimetry are performed.  
     Specifically I wondered if the readers check the speaker function 
     prior to entry.  I received two responses to my question.  One was 
     from a user whoagreed that the speaker function should be checked.  
     The second was from a vendor explaining that his product does not 
     require a check because of the high reliability.
     
     Jamie Mallon