Re: Shielding of Rb-86; the "bigger picture" question

[Steven.Rima@DOEGJPO.COM (Steven Rima)]

     Rhonda O'Keefe recently wrote:
     
     
     >I am not a health physicist, and so am seeking the help of those on 
     >this
     >list who may have experience working with isotopes that are both beta 
     >and gamma emitters.  I would like to know what sort of shielding is 
     >appropriate for someone working with around 1mCi of 86-Rb in a 
     >research lab situation.  
     >The advice I have been giving is to treat it like a pure beta emitter 
     >and
     >use plexiglass for primary shielding, since most of the emissions are 
     >betas. However, the user plans to treat it like a gamma emitter and 
     >use lead (i.e. lead shielding around the source, wearing a lead 
     >apron).  Is the best solution to use plexiglass as a primary shield 
     >with lead as a secondary shield?  Any help will be appreciated!
     
     Several radsafers have provided answers to Ms. O'Keefe's direct 
     question. I have a "bigger picture" question: With all due respect to 
     Ms. O'Keefe, who admits that she is not a health physicist, is there 
     not a health physicist _anywhere_ at this facility who _should_ be 
     answering this question? This seems to me to be a very fundamental 
     health physics question that any RSO, or equivalent, should be able to 
     answer.If there is not such a qualified RSO at this facility, why 
     not??? When questions such as this are posted on radsafe, and 
     DISCLAIMED answers are provided, is there not a problem somewhere? If 
     the user of this source is overexposed, who is liable? Certainly not 
     the radsafers providing answers (I hope).
     
     Steven D. Rima, CHP
     President, DATUM Enterprises, LC
     steven.rima@doegjpo.com
     or
     sdrima@aol.com