SI units! -Reply

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

Bjorn and Other Non-US RADSAFERS,

Please excuse our US brethren who -- unlike Sandy, Bob, Otto, Fritz,
yourself and others who rely on facts in their discussions -- run out
of things to say and choose to beat their chest, break out their
*Teddy Roosevelt Big Sticks* and resort to the age-old *Oh yeah?!
Well, my dad can beat up your dad!* argument.

In reading several of the *nationalistic* responses, all I could think
of was *where in the world did THAT come from?*  What does
winning a war have to do with a country's decision to use one unit
system or another?

My colleagues used to freak out when I would use Bq's instead of
Ci's.  I think it was more of an SI-stigma than actually *using* the
units.  I find it much easier to work in Bq.  I think most people would
find multiplying by 60 easier to do on the fly than multiplying by
2.22e6 when coming from micro Ci.

I still do not, however, have the intuitive feel for Bq quantities that I
do for Ci quantities.  But that is a matter of study and familiarization. 
If we chose to go the SI route, it would be a simple matter of
deciding when it would happen and strive toward that end.  New
students would be taught both systems from the outset, but part of
the problem with that is the *old* professors that would also have to
learn the SI system!

As others have aptly pointed out, cost and justification are
considerable obstacles for the US, which makes the need for
change questionable.  US rad regs rarely intersect with foreign
regulations and where they do, many of these unit conversions have
already taken place.  International guidance transmitted in SI is
readily converted for US use by those in the scientific community.

The question that I am left with is basically Bob's:  if we can move
easily between unit systems, what would be the *net* benefit of
changing (with costs considered)?  Has a cost estimate ever been
performed for the US?

My own personal/non-corporate thoughts,
v/r
Michael
mford@pantex.com
TX Radiation Advisory Board
Amarillo, TX
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