Re: RE: Late charges for unreturned badges

[LIPTONW@dteenergy.com]

The fact that this topic is still regularly discussed this way on RADSAFE is 
an embarrassment to the health physics "profession."  Willful or persistent 
noncompliance with occupational health and safety requirements is grounds
for 
dismissal, or, as a minimum, in the case of radiological work, loss of the 
privelege of using licensed materials or permitted devices.  If your 
management does not support this, i.e. if your management condones 
noncompliance with radiological monitoring requirements, then I would
question 
whether your health physics program is adequate for maintaining a license or
a 
permit to use a radiation producing device.  I am even more astounded at
your 
statement that compliance with monitoring requirements, "... is only really
a 
concern with Radiology and Cardiac Catheterization Lab because of their 
relatively high doses."  This implies that these are the only users who 
require monitoring.  If this is the case, you are probably better off not 
monitoring the others; perhaps relying on area monitors to alert you to 
changing conditions.  However, a monitoring program that is not taken 
seriously is worse than no program at all, since it becomes an enabler of 
poor, and possibly illegal, practices. 
 
When I worked for a DOE facility, and ran into similar problems, on some 
occasions I refused to provide health physics coverage for users who
willfully 
ignored safety requirements.  This always resulted in a repentant and 
cooperative user.  Looking back, I should have done this a lot more often. 
 
The opinions expressed are strictly mine. 
It's not about dose, it's about trust. 
 
Bill Lipton 
liptonw@dteenergy.com 
 
You wrote: 
 
 >We reserve the option of suspending someone 
>work with radiation or radioactive materials if someone loses their badge 
>until the badge is found or a dose estimate performed.  This is only really 
>a concern with Radiology and Cardiac Catheterization Lab because of their 
>relatively high doses.   
 
... 
 
>Some groups just don't seem to care.   
 
>Andy 
 
>P. Andrew Karam, CHP 
>Radiation Safety Officer 
>University of Rochester 
>(716) 275-1473 (voice) 
(716) 256-0365 (fax) 
andrew_karam@urmc.rochester.edu 
************************************************************************
The RADSAFE Frequently Asked Questions list, archives and subscription
information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html