NukeWorker Forum

Career Path => Radiation Safety => Topic started by: Canadian Bacon on Feb 17, 2012, 06:39

Title: How much dose is too much dose
Post by: Canadian Bacon on Feb 17, 2012, 06:39
I can't be in the only work group that has a few guys at around 700 - 1000 mr a year and the rest are sitting at under 50 mr for the year?
Does any other work groups have this issue?
The funny part is when the guy with the most over time is sitting at 20 mr and the rest of you are at 400 - 600 mr.
Title: Re: How much dose is too much dose
Post by: retired nuke on Feb 17, 2012, 06:47
That guy that has the most over time, and is sitting at 50 mR - he got his dose years ago when he was less senior in his craft. And he learned that getting the most dose doesn't mean you are doing the most work. Are most of your low dose guys the older, more experienced workers? and now they are overseeing the work? Or possibly some of the lower dose people are the ones that are not trusted in critical, complex work situations. There are many reasons for a disparity such as the one you describe. It could also be as simple as the boss always sends the same crew in on the hot jobs. This sounds like a good discussion to bring up at a pre-job briefing, or with your site ALARA committee.

Let us know how it turns out...
Title: Re: How much dose is too much dose
Post by: peteshonkwiler on Feb 17, 2012, 07:43
Canadian Bacon, I'm in HouseDad's corner on this.  I'm also wondering how large your work crew is, how long have you been together for the dose you are describing, and what tasks are in your control?   After all, a small crew, recently assembled for hot jobs, and having completed one would result in what you are telling us.
Title: Re: How much dose is too much dose
Post by: OldHP on Feb 18, 2012, 12:27
OSHA only allows a person to be exposed to 5,000m/r a year in the United States. 
I never quit on these guys, I gave them everything I had, never missed work, took all the extra training classes I could.

I would say that you obviously didn't understand the basic GET that you received before you "took all the extra training classes"!  OSHA is not the regulating agency.  Since you didn't say what type of facility - the regulatory agency would be NRC, DOE, or an Agreement State and the term is mrem (or mRem) not m/r.
Title: Re: How much dose is too much dose
Post by: GLW on Feb 18, 2012, 12:36
I would say that you obviously didn't understand the basic GET that you received before you "took all the extra training classes"!  OSHA is not the regulating agency.  Since you didn't say what type of facility - the regulatory agency would be NRC, DOE, or an Agreement State and the term is mrem (or mRem) not m/r.

There are only 37 agreement states and OSHA could be the cognizant regulator at a non-licensed facility,....

Now, anybody picking up that kind of dose at an unlicensed, non-DOE, OSHA cognizant facility seems to be a bit of a stretch,...

But perhaps ArthurRyan will help fill in the blanks at a later time,... 8)
Title: Re: How much dose is too much dose
Post by: peteshonkwiler on Feb 20, 2012, 10:59
There are only 37 agreement states and OSHA could be the cognizant regulator at a non-licensed facility,....

Now, anybody picking up that kind of dose at an unlicensed, non-DOE, OSHA cognizant facility seems to be a bit of a stretch,...

But perhaps ArthurRyan will help fill in the blanks at a later time,... 8)
Maybe what we have here is a Canadian worker, bored on his job north of the border, who has read a bit of U.S. nuke regs and has decided to have some fun on this forum.  Where, or where, is stormgoalie when we need him?   ;)
Title: Re: How much dose is too much dose
Post by: duke99301 on Feb 20, 2012, 11:35
I was just looking at report from hanfordwhere my dad got 420 REM to his lung ambedded PU and AM241 so you do the math is this to much to have 18 r in your gonads 7 R in your liver
Title: Re: How much dose is too much dose
Post by: Rennhack on Feb 20, 2012, 01:38
18 r in your gonads

IN the gonads or TO the gonads.  It might be hard to get it IN there.

Look out, he has a hot load!  Pew! Pew!
Title: Re: How much dose is too much dose
Post by: HydroDave63 on Feb 20, 2012, 02:37
IN the gonads or TO the gonads.  It might be hard to get it IN there.

GI tract/respiratory uptake, and nuclide of concern having a favorable affinity?
Title: Re: How much dose is too much dose
Post by: thenukeman on Feb 20, 2012, 06:53
FDG  has a favorable afinity for cancer so you can image it.  I guess that would be favorable so  you can determine if someone has cancer and where it is.  There is good and bad uses for Nuke.  Nuke  plants Good!! Bombs Bad,  Unexpected uptake bad,  Iodine ablation for thyroid cancer good.  Heart, bone, hida scans good. Tc99m  only has 6 hour half life so it goes away rapidly.

Hydrodave is right, GI and Respiratory usually bad, unless we want to argue Hormesis which means a little Nukie is good for you. 
Title: Re: How much dose is too much dose
Post by: GLW on Mar 12, 2012, 09:41
There are only 37 agreement states and OSHA could be the cognizant regulator at a non-licensed facility,....

Now, anybody picking up that kind of dose at an unlicensed, non-DOE, OSHA cognizant facility seems to be a bit of a stretch,...

But perhaps ArthurRyan will help fill in the blanks at a later time,... 8)

and then again,......mebbe not,...
Title: Re: How much dose is too much dose
Post by: OldHP on Mar 12, 2012, 10:10
and then again,......mebbe not,... 

Since we are way [OT], I think maybe not based on his response yesterday in "Leads for Summer Work".  It appears he picked up some jargon, but has no knowledge or experience to go along with it!  Probably a kid who has nothing better to do!