Re: Radiation Safety Percaution in Kazakastan

[Kim Merritt <merritt9@llnl.gov>]

As it happens we just had a team return from Kazakastan after training
their RP personnel in the use of a mobile laboratory that we built for
them.  I will forward this on to one of them.  If you don't here from
anyone, you can contact Brooke Buddemeier at 925-423-2627 or
buddemeier1@llnl.gov.

>Hi All -
>
>He's a very odd request. But if anyone can help me with this I know
>RadSafer's can.
>
>I have a geologist who will be leaving for Kazakastan next week to collect
>rock samples for a paleo-magnetic lab. He will be spending several weeks in
>a village called Semitau which is located in Eastern Kazakastan. He's been
>informed by his local host that the area they will be traveling in is near
>the "nuclear polygon".
>
>He's come to me to ask advice on radiation safety while in the area. As I
>have very little experience with former USSR test sites (or any test sites
>for that matter). What issues should I advice him on? Specifically:
>
>Are there any radiological hazards still remaining in this area?
>If so, is there Kazakastan radiation safety personal that maintain site
>security in these ares? (Meaning that the geologist can't get access to
>anything that presents a hazard.)
>Should I badge our geologist going on the trip?
>Should I send them with any detection equipment? Geiger counter (-may be a
>problem because of the elevation changes) or solid-state electronic dosimetry?
>
>If anyone has experience or advice in this matter can you please e-mail me
>or call. I'll post what I hear in a summary if anyone else is interested.
>
>Thanks Ken
>
>
>----------
>Ken Smith, Radiation Safety Officer
>
>Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S)  voice: (831) 459-3911
>University of California                        fax: (831) 459-3209
>1156 High St.                           e-mail: ksmith@cats.ucsc.edu
>Santa Cruz, CA  95064                   web: www.ehs.ucsc.edu
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Kim Merritt
Physics Safety Support Officer
phone 3-9668
merritt9@llnl.gov
pager 01017
fax 2-7160
http://www-phys.llnl.gov/llnl_only/SafetySupportGroup
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The RADSAFE Frequently Asked Questions list, archives and subscription
information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html