Re: Definition of Clothing Contamination

["Leon E Brown" <lebrown@cmsenergy.com>]

Since several of you have expressed interest in the results of the survey
question I posted last week, I will provide you a summary of the responses I
received.

The same question was posted to both RADSAFE and Powernet (the Health Physics
Society Power Reactor Section's electronic BBS).  I received a total of 28
replies to these postings, both from NRC licensees and DOE facilities.  The
results of these replies as they relate to specific facilities are summarized in
the following table.

                                   NRC Licensee    DOE Facilities
     Count as Personnel Contamination Event        9         5
     Do Not Count as Personnel Contamination Event           4         1

In general, the industry practice is to count contaminated modesty garments as
personnel contamination events if the modesty garments are allowed to be worn
outside the RCA (RBA).  There is a developing trend within the commercial power
industry to treat modesty garments as part of layered PC application, in which
case contaminations are not counted as personnel contamination events.  In
situations of high heat stress areas and lower contamination levels (e.g., less
than 25K), scrubs are also being used by themselves as PCs.

Thanks to all of you who responded.

Leon E. Brown, CHP
Sr. Consultant
Big Rock Point Restoration Project
(231) 547-8419
lebrown@cmsenergy.com


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