Re: Children in Research Areas -Reply

[Alan Roecklein <AKR@nrc.gov>]

The new Part 20 defines Occupational dose as that received during "...course of
employment   in which assigned duties involve exposure to radiation...". What
matters in not where you are, but what you are doing. The basis is justification, that
is, some benefit is derived such as employment, training, education, that justifies
the dose.

A graduate student or any student should be considered occupational if course
assignments or research involve exposure to radiation. If the student is a minor
than the "justified" limit is 10% of the adult limit. "Tourists" who are not
employed, enrolled,or under contract, and are permitted access to the controlled
area should be considered members of the public regardless of age and must be
limited to <100 mRem ( 1.0 mSv)in a year.

Any student, adult or minor, must receive training commensurate with the hazards
present, if the student is likely to receive more than 100 mRem in a year from
licensed activities. Another way of saying that is if dose can exceed 100 mRem then
you are no longer dealing with a member of the public.

               AKR@NRC.GOV