Re[2]: ALARA

[James Reese <jreese@smtpgate.ddrw.dla.mil>]

     Ron, et al
     
     Anything that requires the excerise of "professional judgement" is 
     subject to being misrepresented for the purpose of advancing someones 
     individual agenda.  ALARA does have a place in the radiation safety 
     community and must be excersised whenever the ALARA cost/benefit 
     analysis indicates the dose savings is worth the change.  I personally 
     have never heard anyone state that following ALARA is not worth the 
     bother.  My guess is that whomever stated this was not performing the 
     cost/benefit analysis correctly.
     
     
     
     Jim Reese
     Defense Logistics Agency
     jreese@ddrw.dla.mil


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: ALARA 
Author:  <radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu > at SMTPGATE
Date:    12/10/97 10:41 AM


On Wed, 10 Dec 1997, RON L. SHEPHERD wrote:
> I have noticed this theme that ALARA is very expensive and not worth the 
> bother.
> Initially, in the power industry, we thought the same until we realized that 
> ALARA could actually SAVE US MONEY!!  What some of us came to realize is that 
> dose is directly tied to money by a common factor.....time.  If we plan and
> execute tasks with fewer/no glitches we save time which also saves dose and 
> money.
> So I am unclear as to what portion of the rad world is adversely affected by 
> ALARA and thought you or others wouldn't mind letting us know what's going
> on???
> Thanks in advance
> Ron Shepherd
> SHEPHRL@GWSMTP.NU.COM
     
Here's an example from medicine:
     
We treat thyroid patients with I-131.  Afterwards, invariably the patient 
room is contaminated.  The AECB (Canada's equivalent to the NRC) requires 
us to decontaminate before the room is reused.  The limits are ALARA 
inspired, and are much lower than the annual limits for MPD in the 
regulations.  Because we cannot always decontaminate to these levels, the 
room is often 'closed down' for a period of several days or weeks to allow 
for decay.  Thus we:
1        spend a great deal of time and money trying to meet the ALARA
        limits,
2        lose a room, resulting in delays for admitting new patients 
3        lose the revenue from the private room
     
There are other aspects, but hopefully this gives you an idea.
     
Regards
     
Chris Davey
        RSO  Cross Cancer Institute  11560 University Avenue 
        Edmonton   Alberta   Canada  T6G 1Z2
        (403)432-8616   fax 432-8615    email cdavey@med.phys.ualberta.ca 
        pager number 005, just call (403) 432-8771 and ask for that pager