RADIATION OPERATIONAL RISK MANAGEMENT

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RADIATION OPERATIONAL RISK MANAGEMENT

• Health Physics Program
• US Army Center for Health Promotion and
  Preventive Medicine

. SAMUEL G. DUNSTON samuel.dunston_at_apg.amedd.army.
mil [phone] (DSN 584)
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Terminal Learning Objectives

• Determine the medical risk associated with
  radiation in a theater of operations.
• Broadly understand the basis for radiation risk.
• Know the resources for radiological measurements.

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References

• NRC Regulatory Guide 8-29
• Tech Guide 238, Radiological Sources
• BEIR V, National Research Council
• NCRP 115 Risk Estimates Radiation Protection
• TG 236A, Basic Dose Estimation
• FM 3-100.12 Risk Management
• NCRP 93, Radiation Exposure

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Risk Assessment
Operational FM 3-100.12 and TG-248
OEG and RES Long-term Health Effects.
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Outline

• References
• Radiation Risk Assessment
• Current Standards
• Radiation Effects
• Radiation Measurement
• Summary
• Future Considerations

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Operational Exposure Guide (OEG)

• The maximum amount of nuclear radiation which
  the commander considers his unit may be permitted
  to receive while performing a particular mission
  or missions. (FM 100-30, Nuclear Operations)

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Radiation Exposure State (RES)

• Designed as a measure of external exposure,
  measured in cGy (rad)
• Assigned to units as a whole
• Used to determine units capacity to conduct
  missions, given specific OEG, which may have
  associated radiation exposure
• RES 0 unexposed, RES 1 0ltgt75 cGy, RES 2
  75ltgt150, RES 3 gt150 cGy

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Risk Estimation

• Framed in terms of OEG and RES
• Time allowed in specific radiation environment,
  given OEG
• OEG recommendation based on mission time and
  specific radiation environment
• Will record conservative estimate of dose

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NATO Standardization Agreement 2473 (STANAG 2473)
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Risk Assessment
Operational FM 3-100.12 and TG-248
OEG and RES Long-term Health Effects.
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Reg Guide 8.29
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Radiation Effects,Dose Based

• Acute
• 50 cGy, deterministic limit
• 75 cGy, negligible severity medical risk

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Radiation Effects,Dose Based

• Chronic
• 5E-4 per cGy fatal cancer

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Inputs for the Tables

• Radiation Doses or
• Exposures and Exposure Scenarios

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UDR-13
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Contributions to thePublic Dose (.36 cGy)
Consumer Products 3
Medical 14
Other 1
Cosmic 8
Terrestrial 8
Internal 11
Inhaled 55
Source NCRP Report No. 93, Ionizing Radiation
Exposure of the Population of the United States,
1987
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Exposure Pathways

• Air
• Water
• Soil
• Foodstuff
• External

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Sampling

• Water
• Soil
• Air
• Foodstuff
• Units are mass not dose
• If external radiation levels are greater than 20
  microGy (2mR/hr), consult a health physicist

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AN/VDR-2

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The 3 Level Concept

• Level I
• PM personnel with VDR-2
• quick, rough estimate of risk
• turnaround time of minutes to hours
• simple execution (worksheets, tables)
• overestimate of doses (conservative, best guess)
• high degree of uncertainty, high lower limit of
  detection
• Basic Radiological Dose Estimation- A Field Guide
  (TG-236A)

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AN/PDR-77 Components
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The 3 Level Concept

• Level II
• TAML (2 N4s, 2 72As, RPO kit, gamma spec,
  portable liquid scintillation, a/b counter )
• greater turnaround time (hours-days)
• more complex analysis
• decreased uncertainty
• lower limits of detection
• Advanced Radiological Dose Estimation (TG-236B)

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The 3 Level Concept

• Level III
• USACHPPM expertise and equipment
• turnaround time of days-weeks
• most accurate and precise estimate of risk
  (commensurate with US industry standard)
• very low detection limits
• legally defensible
• retrospective, as well as prospective
• Radiological Health Risk Assessment (TG-239)

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Summary

• If dose estimate 50 cGy or higher, then acute
  effects should be considered.
• If external radiation levels are greater than 20
  microGy, get help.
• Do occupational limits/standards apply?
• What level of radiation support do you need?

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Future(?) Doctrine

• Recently, the perceived threat has shifted from
  acute radiation effects to potential long-term
  health effects from stability and support
  operations

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Questions

• ?