Re: Dose estimates when dosimetry is lost/damaged

[kmq@cosmail1.ctd.ornl.gov (Kim McMahan)]

"Like one who seizes a dog by the ears
    is a passer-by who meddles in a quarrel not his own."
		- Proverbs 26:17

I realize ANSI N13.6 (1966, R-1972), Practice for Occupational Exposure
Records Systems, is a little dusty, but their recommendations apply to both
medical and industrial environments. In Section 4.7.2.3, Film Dosimeter
Investigation, they list items that should [Noted: should, not shall] be
included in a complete dose estimate. Among these are:

(4) Pertinent information revealed by the inquiry (location and tasks,
readings of the individual's other dosimeter(s), dose received by others,
and results of time-motion studies),
(6) Signature of the individual or his supervisor or both,
(7) Signature of the investigator.

Sandy's original message implied that commercial processors may
automatically enter a dose into the individual's dose of record based on
previous history, without any additional investigation on the part of the
employer (do I have that right?). There is apparently no requirement for
the customer to explicitly review and accept this estimate before the dose
is officially posted.

If the above is true, then in my opinion that would be unacceptable.
However, I can understand that a customer might want the commercial
processor to provide a dose history or average for information, and this
might even be done routinely on a separate report. But I agree with Sandy
that that dose should not be officially entered into the record until the
employer completes an investigation and notifies the processor (assuming
the processor is also contracted to maintain the official dose of record).

The above opinions are mine. With respect to the dose investigation
process, they are also the current policy of the Oak Ridge National
Laboratory.


Kim McMahan, CHP
Office of Radiation Protection
External Dosimetry Group
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
P.O. Box 2008
Oak Ridge, TN  37831-6290
Phone: (423) 576-1566
Fax:   (423) 241-5744
e-mail: mcmahankl@ornl.gov