Re: Gamma Radiography

[b.mckavanagh@cqu.edu.au (Byron McKavanagh)]

Phillip:
I'll be very interested to see the discussion on this.
As an RSO, my responsibility is to ensure the safety of my people.
The RSO for the radiographers looks after his people.

>What do you do when the radiographers arrive?

I ask for a copy of their licence & working rules.
>
>Do you ask them if you may see their license and then get back and tell
>them to notify you when their through?

Yes, so I can check that they have their source(s) when they leave.

>Do you get out your copy of 10 CFR 34 and/or state regulations and check
>them out line by line?  This slows them down and may cost you money.

Not as far as their work is concerned, but as far as protecting my people
are concerned, yes. (In Australia, there is a NHMRC Code of Practise +
State Regulations)

>Do you participate in the zoning, do surveys and over see the whole
>operation?  The deeper you get involved the more liability you assume in
>the event of a boundary crossing and potential overexposure.

Help decide where to put the zoning & survey levels at the perimeter.  But
then it's up to them to do their exposures.  I have to inform my people
what is happening & not to cross the perimeters, or even not to stand there
& watch.

One of the problems we face in (parts of) Australia is ensuring the RSO is
told of the planned radiography.  It is more realistic often to arrange
this directly with the radiographers (there are only a few companies), so
that the RSO is informed of any work planned for his/her site.

There are some interesting reactions in this part of the world.  When one
crew went to radiograph a dragline boom, their short haircuts & white
disposable overalls apparently set up such a reaction in the workforce that
they shifted their (portable) mess facilities a further 2 km away from the
dragline!



---------------------------------oOOo-(_)-oOOo--------------------------
Byron McKavanagh,
Radiation Officer,
Department of Applied Physics,
Central Queensland University
Rockhampton 4702 Australia.
Ph 079-309625                   Fax: 079-309209
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Just remember you are unique.  Just like everyone else."
(Dictionary of Cynical Quotations, 1996 ed.)
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