Emergency Doses Allowed

[steve hand <hand@wam.umd.edu>]

Dear Radsafers:

    Please advise on the limits allowed in an emergency with references
to literature if possible.  I have NCRP REPORT No. 91 and 116.  In 116
chapter 14 page 44 says
"for life saving or equivalent purposes the equivalent dose may approach
or exceed 0.5 Sv to a large portion of the body in a short time.."  The
highest limit I can find in 10 CFR 20 for allowed doses is .25 Sv or 5
times the annual for a planned special exposure.

1.    In the case of an emergency that is life threatening to an
individual, can someone get up to .5 Sv to try and save them, or up to
.25 Sv to try and save them ?

2.   Rather than use one person in question 1 above, should several
people be used for a total of .5 or .25 Sv for life saving?  I seem to
remember reading something about not spreading the dose out anymore to
several individuals.

 Thanks


steve hand
university of maryland
radiation safety
hand@wam.umd.edu