Personnel exposure records

[Les Slaback <lester.slaback@nist.gov>]

Is there any reason, other than for litigation, to retain exposure records
many years after the persons exployment or exposure?
I discount epidemiology since current practices and regulatory requirements
(i.e., point of highest exposure) bias the data upwards by significant and
unknown and undocumented factors.  And the demise of 5(N-18) has removed
the rad.protection programmatic reason.

If in fact litigation is the only reason then perhaps HP staffs should have
a legal tech for maintaining such records.  And if so perhaps NRC should
make the record retention requirements optional beyond some minimal period.

This question is prompted by a proposed HPSSC std for rad.prot records,
which includes as part of its purpose litigation protection.

Please send responses directly to me for summary unless you desire to stir
up the troops.

Disclaimer:  the above are the personal musings of the author, and do not
represent any past, present, or future position of NIST, the U.S. government,
or anyone else who might think that they are in a position of authority. 
Lester Slaback, Jr.  [Lester.Slaback@NIST.GOV] 
NBSR Health Physics 
Center for Neutron Research 
NIST 
Gaithersburg, MD  20899 
301 975-5810
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