> Sure radiological injuries do occur --- predominantly in the
> industrial radiography and medical fields --- but they pale in
> comparison to the sheer volume of occupational injuries that occur
> weekly throughout the U.S. and the world. (BTW: please
spare me
> of the unsupported argument that our rad workers receiving 500
> mrem per year will contract cancer in 20 years DUE TO their
> occupational exposures).
I'll take this as an assertion that you believe 500 mrem/yr is safe.
I work for 20 years, I get 10 rem (happens to be the threshold that the
HPS uses in its position paper for when you should start applying quantitative
risk estimates). I said before that I think "Safe" does not necessarily
= "No risk". At this level, the HPS aknowledges "some" risk.
I say, ok, still safe. Now I ask, would you just as off-handedly
dismiss 1 rem/y, or 3 rem/y or 5 rem/y as causing "no injury"? It's
all within the allowed limits. A lifetime dose of 100 rem surely
has "some" risk associated with it, thereby causing "some" injury.
This is really what it comes down to - you have your own perception about
what is safe, and I have mine. A consensus ( that the public will
buy into) is necessary. But I don't think it's a fair representation
to say, "radiography accidents are injurious, routine occupational exposure
is not". A person should not have to develop ARS for us to classify
them as being injured by radiation.
--
Keith Welch
Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility
Newport News VA
welch@jlab.org
Ph: (757)269-7212
FAX:(757)269-5048
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