>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
>
1) ALARA is not a dose limit but a process that has the objective of
attaining doses as far below the applicable controlling limits as is
reasonably achievable; varies from 10% to 50% in many countries, according
social, economic, and technical considerations.
2) I think that your Optimization Programme, procedures and work conditions
should be revised by The Hospital Radiation Manageament or any parties
having responsibility and obligation of ensuring the protection and safety
of its activities.
3) This should be done in conjuntion with the Regulatory Authority for new
approach.
4) I recommend to those interested in this subject the following references:
J. J. Rozental <josrozen@netmedia.net.il>
Israel
REFERENCES:
ý
Operational Radiation Protection: A Guide to Optimization
Safety Series No. 101
The purpose of this publication is to provide practical guidance on the
application of the dose limitation system contained in the Basic Safety
Standards for Radiation Protection, Safety Series No. 9, (Now 115) to
operational situations both in large nuclear installations and in much
smaller facilities, with special reference to the principles of
optimization. It supersedes Safety Series No. 13.
Contents: 1. Introduction; 2. Dose limitation system; 3. Optimization and
its practical application to operational radiation protection; 4. Major
elements of an effective operational radiation protection programme; Annex
I: Review of selected parts of the Basic Safety Standards with special
reference to operational radiation protection; Annex II: Optimization of
radiation protection; Annex III: Techniques for the systematic appraisal of
operational radiation protection programmes.
STI/PUB/806 (55 pp., 8 figures; 1990)
ISBN 92-0-123090-7
Price: 240 Austrian Schillings
=====================================================
Extension of the Principles of Radiation Protection to Sources of Potential
Exposure
Safety Series No. 104
The principles of radiation protection recommended by the International
Commission on Radiological Protection for the normal operation of a
radiation source constitute a dose limitation system that has three
components: namely, the justification of a
practice, the optimization of radiation protection and the limitation of
individual doses. This report describes how the application of these
principles may be extended to unexpected or accidental situations by
changing from the dose based system of radiation protection to a unified
approach within a probabilistic framework.
Contents: Summary; 1. Introduction; 2. Basic principles; 3. Concepts and
quantities; 4. Measures of societal risk; 5. Justification; 6. Optimization
of potential exposures; 7. Limitation of individual risk; 8. Conclusions.
STI/PUB/834 (30 pp.; 1990)
ISBN 92-0-123590-9
Price: 160 Austrian Schillings
===========================================
Optimization of Radiation Protection
Proceedings of a symposium jointly organized with OECD/NEA, Vienna, 10-14
March 1986. The purpose of the symposium was to discuss whether the
optimization principle was being successfully applied in practical radiation
protection, to illustrate the
methodologies developed and to appraise the role of optimization in
radiation protection by identifying its potential and its limitations.
Contents: The role of radiation protection; Application of the principle of
radiation protection; Methods and techniques in the optimization of
radiation protection; Closing session.
PUB/716 (606 pp., 92 figures; 1986)
ISBN 92-0-020386-8
Price: 1490 Austrian Schillings
============================================================