Re: X-rays or Strip Search? -Reply -Reply -Reply -Reply-Reply

[Charles Willis <CAW@nrc.gov>]

Al,

You jest.  I doubt that any government ever had the power to do what the ICRP
recommends in advocating "justification."  Governments take many things into
account in deciding to outlaw a practice, but to prohibit everything that has not
been proven to have net benefit -- well, that would not be politically expedient.  

ALARA?  If you are looking for the "optimization" analysis recommended by
ICRP-22 and several more recent documents, we do not do that either.  If you
mean the British interpretation, viz. "do not pay too much for this muffler,"  there
is a chance that it was done.  The American interpretation of "do essentially
everything that does not quite break the bank," is done only under duress.  

Charlie Willis
caw@nrc.gov
************************************************************************
The RADSAFE Frequently Asked Questions list, archives and subscription
information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html