Re: Just what is SAFE? -Reply

[Michael S Ford <MFORD@pantex.com>]

Bill, you may be correct.... I sometimes have a quixotic tendency to
tilt at windmills ... or trefoils in this case.  But consider this:

1.  There have been reactor fatalities in the US (ANL-1) and in the
Former USSR (Chernobyl) that were caused by radiation injury.  The
nuclear industry survived.

2.  The Three-Mile Island non-event is interesting in that it had more
of a negative impact on the industry than the deadly incidents
above.

3.  Engineered controls in nuclear weapons and at nuclear utilities
protect the workers, the public, and the environment from radiation
injury.  Only the stupid or the suicidal ever try to defeat those
controls.  See #1 above.

4.  The genesis of the "conservative hypothesis" in post WWII era
into the current rad con regs proceeded in an unabated fashion, not
because there was an overwhelming public acceptance, but
because we become engrossed in the "how low can you go?"
question in the ever-improving measurement technologies... 

AND because we scientists didn't have a full appreciation of 1) the
fact that there may be more than one way to interpret a statement,
especially when the bureaucrat/public is left to interpret meaning
and 2) how policy decisions would impact the HP (or.." hey, I lost
my slide rule!  'Anybody 'seen my slide rule?")

5.  Imagine if we tried to put the same rad con controls in place in a
nuclear medicine or radiation oncology ward that we currently put in
an industrial setting:

"Sorry Doc, you've reached your 1 rem Administrative Control Level,
you'll have to step away from the patient."  OR

"Excuse me nurse, our surveys indicate that 10,000 dpm I-131 was
found on the toilet seat of Patient X's room.  We know this is a
therapy patient, but it's a reportable occurrence.  You'll need to  fill
out these 15 forms, report to this critique at 0600 tomorrow and be
prepared to present your corrective actions/lessons learned at your
monthly safety meeting."

I know.... this is the real world.
v/r
Michael
mford@pantex.com
TRAB
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