Re: Beta source exposures

[Wes Van Pelt <VanPeltW@mail.IDT.net>]

Wesley M. Dunn wrote:
> 
> snip......
> 
> So even if rad and non-rad work is being mixed, the potential
> radiation dose to the P-32 worker has become pretty low.
> 
> Wes
> 

To Wes (Texas) and Fellow Radsafers,

In my opinion, potential radiation doses to P-32 users using 0.1 to 1
mCi are low except for cases of SKIN CONTAMINATION. If only 1 microcurie
of P-32 contaminates a small portion of the skin, the skin dose in 24
hours is about 150 rads! This exceeds the annual skin dose limit by a
factor of three. And this could occur with less than 1 percent of the
activity finding its way to the skin.

And in this scenario, a body badge and ring dosimeter may not detect
anything at all.

On the other hand, (I smell a pun) 1 microcurie of P-32 on the skin or
clothing is quite easy to detect with a GM probe frisk. This emphasizes
the importance of training P-32 users to frequently check their skin and
clothing, and to estimate the quantity of any contamination before
starting to wash it off.

cheers, Wes (NJ)

-- 
Wesley R. Van Pelt, Ph.D., CIH, CHP                   KF2LG
President, Van Pelt Assoc., Inc.      vanpeltw@mail.idt.net
Consulting in radiological health and safety.
"TIME, its what keeps everything from happening at once."