badge sensitivity topic

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

As I recall what the processor reports is never the 'official' dose.  Site
specific issues are always present that require the RSO to properly
interpret that processor report.  Issues of radiation quality, wearing
location, field distribution, etc all necessitate interpretation.

With regard to what is 'zero' subtracting badge rack and transportation
controls ignores variation in those values which affect what a
statistically 'real' value is.  Other usage and plant specific factors also
affect this.  Even if the TLD is capable of reporting 1 mrem in a
controlled situation I find it difficult to believe in real world usage
that that would be the minimum detectable dose.

Which brings us to the topic of recording numbers reported from the
processor that are less than the MDD.  Some organizations are subject to
the whims of higher authority but most NRC licensees only have to follow
there own internal procedures (which can account for this).  I know from
previous discussion (previous to this series of notes) that there is far
from unanimity on this topic, but I vote for recording numbers that are not
statistically positive as 'm', or what ever code means that.

This does not address the original question of folks seeing numbers when
they previously had negative results.  But what is real should be a first
step in this analysis.

Question for those using the more sensitive TLDs:  What is the average and
distribution of reported doses among those persons badges but known not to
be occupationally exposed for a specific period?

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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