Re: FW: Russian Criticality Accident

[Lester.Slaback@nist.gov]

>Boyd Rose stated:

>> Is there personal protective equipment which protects individuals against 
>> neutron exposure?  I have never heard of such equipment in my 12 year academic 
>> and professional career in health physics.

>Not unless a water and concrete jacket can be worn to moderate the 
>neutrons!  Of course I am being facetious... I am not aware of any 
>protective gear that can be effectively worn to protect an individual 
>from neutron exposure. Especially in the situation we are addressing. 

>I'd be interested in any new technology that does, if it exists.
>Sandy Perle

For this bare fission spectrum Sandy is correct.  Now if we were talking
about pure thermal neutrons then something like an xray apron, using boron
or lithium instead of lead would give a good protection factor.  Boroflex
(TM) is the boron product and a similar flexible product using lithium is
available.

This news error is similar to the previous one describing this beam as a
'radioactive beam' rather than a radiation beam.
-- 
the above are the personal musing of the author,
and do not represent any past, current, or future
position of NIST, the U.S. Government, or anyone else
who might think that they are in a position of authority.
NBSR Health Physics
NIST
Gaithersburg, MD 20899
301 975-5810
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Lester.Slaback@nist.gov
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