- Please don't take this personally, but being "RSO by default" is one more example of the trivialization of the health physics "profession." It's unfair, and potentially dangerous, for you, your employer, and users.
- I suggest that you have a qualified consultant review your installation and develop procedures, including required monitoring, for the use of this device.
- x-ray diffractometers can generate beams of thousands of rads per hour. Thus, even brief exposures cannot be tolerated.
- Since the machine usually generates narrow beams, I highly recommend individual monitoring for each user. Finger rings are advised, in addition to whole body dosimeters.
- The installation should have safety features such as: a fail safe "beam on" light, and interlocked shutters which will close if the camera or other device which stops the beam is removed. These devices should be periodically tested.
- You should have a backscatter monitor installed. This is an area monitor which is sensitive to low energy photons and which will alarm at low levels or a rate of rise.
- Inexperienced personnel, such as students, should NEVER work alone.
- My experience is that researchers will look for ways to bypass safety devices. Since they are intelligent people (as indicated by the fact that most researchers survive while working in the conditions they create for themselves), they'll find them. You have to establish and enforce a zero tolerance policy for this. A potential disaster scenario is when an experienced researcher bypasses a safety device. He rationalizes that he knows what he's doing. However, the machine is then turned over to an inexperienced student who is not aware that the machine is booby trapped.
- I highly recommend that all users view a suitable training film. The one I used is, "The Double Edged Sword." This is centered on the experience of a researcher and his family. The film concludes when one of his children asks, "When will daddy's fingers grow back?" This generally makes believers out of all but the outliers.
The opinions expressed are strictly mine.
It's not about dose, it's about trust.
Bill Lipton
liptonw@dteenergy.com
PriceCarolJ@exchange.uams.edu wrote:
-----Original Message-----
From: Jonathan Foglein [SMTP:foglein@ROWAN.EDU]
<mailto:[SMTP:foglein@ROWAN.EDU]>
Sent: Tuesday, August 03, 1999 2:46 PM
To: SAFETY@LIST.UVM.EDU <mailto:SAFETY@LIST.UVM.EDU>
Subject: X-Ray Radiation and Personnel MonitoringGreetings all!
First, let me apologize for any duplicate messages you may receive, as I am
posting this to two lists. Second, I have search both of these list's
archives to no avail.
We have just finished the installation of an x-ray diffractometer. (Being
the CHO also requires that I am the RSO by default, so I have much to
learn!) I am uncertain with how to proceed with personnel monitoring.
Thus far, we are planning to monitor just outside the exposure, as well as
provide monitoring for myself (I must train others and perform repairs
within my capabilities), professors and undergraduate students performing
research. In addition, we wish to instruct 3 classes of students (10-16 per
class) on the use of the instrument.
My question is: Must I provide personnel monitoring to each student (appox.
annual cost of $1000!), or can I call them "visitors" and provide one badge
to each group? New Jersey's Radiation Protection Program provides no
specific details on the use of personnel monitoring equipment. How is
personnel monitoring handled at your institution, keeping in mind that we
are a small public institution and that this is our first functional x-ray
instrument since my arrival 3 years ago?
Any thoughts or advice should be sent directly to me and I will post a
summary to both lists. Thank you in advance.--
God Bless!
Jonathan Foglein*** NOTE NEW AREA CODE: 856 ***
Instrument Coordinator / Chemical Hygiene Officer
Department of Chemistry & Physics
Rowan University
201 Mullica Hill Road
Glassboro, NJ 08028
Phone: 856-256-4500 x3578
Fax: 856-256-4921
foglein@rowan.edu <mailto:foglein@rowan.edu>
************************************************************************