Re: Safety question re electron beam curing device

[roseb@SMTP-gw.gdls.com (Boyd H Rose)]

>I cannot get out of my mind the 1993 report in
>Health Physics (V. 65, no. 2) about the "dark 
>current" incident at an industrial accelerator
>facility in which the current source was turned
>off but the accelerating voltage remained at
>operating levels.
     
>wayne johnston
>nh bur. rad. health

I believe you have enough information from the 1993 Health Physics article to 
present as a case study to your electron beam device operators to make them 
aware of the potential for accidental dark current x-ray exposure.  I'd 
incorporate the info from the 1993 article and any similar articles I could find
on dark current exposure accidents/hazards into future initial and refresher 
training as well as into safety talks to ensure that the operators and 
supervisors are trained and aware of the potential hazards of and precautions to
prevent accidental dark current exposures.

Boyd H. Rose, CM, IHIT
Radiation Protection Officer
General Dynamics Land Systems Division
roseb@gdls.com

The opinions expressed above are solely my own and do not under any 
circumstance reflect those of my employer.