Re: Use of Portable Radiation Monitoring Equipment

["baumbaug@nosc.mil" <baumbaug@nosc.mil>]

        David,

        My "personal" opinion is that You NEED a second instrument.  A
partial reason for my opinion:

        a.      I have personally had a G.M. saturate (in a VERY high field)
and NOT give me a warning - so I always turn it on (and put sound on) before
I enter a room (with a Scint. probe you can [often] check before you even
open the door - I just leave the D__n thing on all the time and when the
sound drops I know that either the source has retracted/the machine has shut
off even before I even open the door).

        b.      If the one inside the room is broken/turned of/unplugged
etc., you have a backup (I found one turned off once).

        c.      I've always done it because its the right thing to do (boy,
I'd better "duck" after that one...but it true!)

        d.      Prudence! Hey - mama didn't raise no fool!!!

        I am SURE that fellow RADSAFERS will come up with a plethora of
additional reasons for (and probably against) using a second instrument...

        
        Joel

..


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>
>	Therefore, my question:  Is it correct in your judgment for me to conclude
>that having an area radiation monitor inside the treatment room is
>sufficient to exempt the Co-60 unit operator from having to carry and use a
>portable radiation monitoring instrument upon entering/exit of the room to
>verify that the radiation beam is "off"?
>>
..
Joel T. Baumbaugh (baumbaug@nosc.mil)
Naval Research and Development (NRaD)
San Diego, CA., U.S.A.

The content of this message has not been reviewed or endorsed by my employer
(the U.S. Navy), the Federal government or my supervisors.