Re: European Communities and Radiation Exposure of Flight Crews

[Al Tschaeche <antatnsu@pacbell.net>]

David Scherer wrote:

> This is an issue between management and labor in the airline industry.  Why
> should "we" be getting our ducks in a row?  Why is it "our" business?
> Addressing the scientific basis of general radiation standards is one
> thing, but should we go around taking positions in private disputes?

Dave, as to "why is it ‘our business,'" Otto Raabe put it very well when
he said, "I believe that the Health Physics Society is a national
resource as ‘Specialists in Radiation Safety' and, as such, is poised to
contribute to solutions of societal problems involving radiation."  If
I, as a health physicist, can constructively participate in having the
public, flight attendants, regulators, whoever, understand what we
currently know as the "truth" about radiation effects to humans, then I
am willing, no, I have a duty to do so.  I do not regard the issue of
radiation exposure to flight crews as a matter solely between management
and labor in the airline industry.  Both sides must know the "truth" and
must be able to distinguish between that and the lies that anti nuclear
people tell, including the untruths that some nonanti nuclear people
permit to exist.  

I trust that there will be appropriately trained and experienced
individuals who will provide information to the airlines and the flight
crews on the subject of the real, measurable effects of low doses of
radiation so that they can make up their own minds about what, if
anything to do about the doses that are measured for individual members
of flight crews.  If that is not done, we all will have failed in our
duty.

Maybe this is the time and the issue at which we do stand up and, with
our ducks in a row, be counted.  We don't seem to have done very well up
to now.  Al Tschaeche antatnsu@pacbell.net