Draft

Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

SC&A’S Evaluation of ORAUT-OTIB-0088, Revision 01, 

“External Dose Reconstruction” 

Contract No. 75D30119C04183

Document No. SCA-TR-2021-PR088, Revision 0

Prepared by

Ron Buchanan, PhD, CHP

SC&A, Inc.

2200 Wilson Blvd., Suite 300

Arlington, VA 22201-3324

September 3, 2021

DISCLAIMER

This is a working document provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 

technical support contractor, SC&A for use in discussions with the National Institute for 

Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker 

Health (ABRWH), including its Working Groups or Subcommittees. Documents produced by 

SC&A, such as memorandum, white paper, draft or working documents are not final NIOSH or 

ABRWH products or positions, unless specifically marked as such. This document prepared by 

SC&A represents its preliminary evaluation on technical issues.

NOTICE: This document has been reviewed to identify and redact any information that is 

protected by the Privacy Act 5 U.S.C. § 552a and has been cleared for distribution. 
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SC&A, Inc. technical support for the Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health’s 

review of NIOSH dose reconstruction program

Document title SC&A’S Evaluation Of ORAUT-OTIB-0088, Revision 01, “External Dose 

Reconstruction”

Document number SCA-TR-2021-PR088

Revision number 0 (Draft)

Supersedes NA

Effective date September 3, 2021

Task manager Kathy Behling [signature on file]

Project manager Bob Barton, CHP [signature on file]

Document reviewer(s) Kathy Behling [signature on file] 

Record of revisions

Revision number Effective date Description of revision

0 (Draft) 9/3/2021 Initial issue
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NOTICE: This document has been reviewed to identify and redact any information that is protected by the 

Privacy Act 5 U.S.C. § 552a and has been cleared for distribution. 

Table of Contents

Abbreviations and Acronyms........................................................................................... 4

1 Introduction and Background.................................................................................... 5

2 Overview of ORAUT-OTIB-0088, Revision 01.......................................................... 5

3 SC&A’S Evaluation of ORAUT-OTIB-0088, Revision 01 .......................................... 6

3.1 Evaluation of approach used in ORAUT-OTIB-0088.......................................... 6

3.2 Evaluation of methods used in ORAUT-OTIB-0088 ........................................... 7

3.3 Evaluation of documentation in ORAUT-OTIB-0088 .......................................... 8

4 Summary and Conclusions....................................................................................... 9

5 References ............................................................................................................... 9
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Abbreviations and Acronyms

ABRWH Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health 

DOE U.S. Department of Energy 

DR dose reconstruction 

ICRP International Commission on Radiological Protection

keV kiloelectron volt

NCRP National Council on Radiation Protection & Measurements

NIOSH National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

ORAUT Oak Ridge Associated Universities Team

OTIB ORAUT technical information bulletin
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1 Introduction and Background

On March 15, 2021, the Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health tasked SC&A with a 

technical review of ORAUT-OTIB-0088, revision 01, “External Dose Reconstruction,” issued 

October 21, 2019 (NIOSH, 2019; “OTIB-0088”). OTIB-0088, revision 01, was initiated to 

(1) correct an error in attachment A, (2) include a new attachment (C) to provide dates when U.S. 

Department of Energy (DOE) sites incorporated the recommendations of International 

Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) Publication 60 (ICRP, 1991; “ICRP 60”) for 

neutron weighting factors, and (3) incorporate formal internal and National Institute for 

Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) review comments. Since the time SC&A was tasked 

with the review of revision 01 of OTIB-0088, NIOSH issued revision 02 on June 11, 2021, “to 

provide additional guidance regarding the potential need to use ICRP 60 weighting factors with 

neutron missed dose after the ICRP 60 implementation dates for sites in the DOE complex”

(NIOSH, 2021, p. 2). SC&A has not yet been tasked to review revision 02. 

This report presents SC&A’s evaluation of the technical approach, methods used, and 

documentation in OTIB-0088, revision 01. 

2 Overview of ORAUT-OTIB-0088, Revision 01

The following is a brief outline of OTIB-0088. 

• General approach – The OTIB-0088 methodology is based primarily on information in 

OCAS-IG-001, revision 3, “External Dose Reconstruction Implementation Guideline” 

(NIOSH, 2007). 

• Initial evaluation of a claim – Figure 2-1 of OTIB-0088 (p. 7) provides a condensed, 

overall view of the method recommended for sorting and processing a claim as an 

overestimate, best estimate, or underestimate.

• Hierarchy of data – Table 2-1 of OTIB-0088 (p. 9) summarizes the order of importance 

of data sources used for dose reconstruction (DR).

• Level of worker monitoring – OTIB-0088 (pp. 9–11) recommends DR methods to be 

used for three levels of worker monitoring:

– Worker was monitored adequately. 

– Worker was not monitored. 

– Worker monitored inadequately.

• Types of external radiation – OTIB-0088, Section 2.2 (pp. 12– 16), summarizes the 

types of potential radiation exposures and recommended energy intervals. 

– Photons – The total photon dose consists of measured, missed, occupational medical 

x-ray, and environmental dose. Photons can be <30 kiloelectron volts (keV), 30–

250 keV, or >250 keV in energy. Photon dose is typically assigned as an acute 
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exposure, except environmental photon dose is always assigned as a chronic 

exposure. 

– Neutrons – The total neutron dose consists of measured and missed dose. Early 

neutron dosimetry is not always available or reliable; therefore, neutron-to-photon 

ratios must sometimes be used. Table 2-2 of OTIB-0088 (p. 15) provides the 

recommended neutron energy intervals and weighting factors. Neutron dose is 

assigned as a chronic exposure.

– Betas – The total beta dose consists of measured, missed, and skin contamination 

dose and is assigned as >15 keV electrons. Electron dose is assigned as an acute 

exposure. 

• Conversion of reconstructed external dose to organ dose – OTIB-0088, Section 2.3 

(p. 17), provides DR guidance on converting external dose to organ dose (exposure, 

absorbed dose, ambient dose, and penetrating dose). 

• Uncertainty – OTIB-0088, Section 2.4 (p. 18), provides DR guidance on assessing 

uncertainty in assigning external dose.

• Attachment A – This attachment of OTIB-0088 provides an overview, with example 

calculations, of the recommended methods to use to assess the potential number of 

missed zeros using:

– overestimating approach 

– underestimating approach 

– best estimate approach

• Attachment B – This attachment of OTIB-0088 provides a general outline of the sources 

of onsite ambient dose. It recommends assigning ambient external dose as a chronic 

exposure of 30–250 keV photons. The attachment offers some guidance concerning best 

estimate methods for ambient dose assignment. It does not provide any site-specific 

information or data tables concerning ambient external dose, as these data are contained 

in site-specific technical basis documents.

• Attachment C – This attachment of OTIB-0088 provides dates when DOE sites 

incorporated the recommendations of ICRP 60 for neutron weighting factors.

3 SC&A’S Evaluation of ORAUT-OTIB-0088, Revision 01

The following sections summarize SC&A’s evaluation of the technical approach, methods used, 

and documentation in OTIB-0088. 

3.1 Evaluation of approach used in ORAUT-OTIB-0088

SC&A evaluated the approach used in OTIB-0088 to assign external dose and found it 

reasonable and useful. Figure 2-1 of OTIB-0088 presents a useful guideline for the dose 
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reconstructor that will provide consistency in DR. The use of OCAS-IG-001 methodology 

provides for continuity in the DR process. 

3.2 Evaluation of methods used in ORAUT-OTIB-0088

SC&A evaluated the methods used in OTIB-0088 to assign external dose. SC&A concurs with 

NIOSH’s methods, equations, and recommendations in OTIB-0088. However, SC&A’s previous 

review (SC&A, 2019) of OTIB-0088, revision 00 (NIOSH, 2018), did have one observation 

concerning the lack of information in OTIB-0088, revision 00, if it is used to facilitate 

cancellation of ORAUT-PROC-0060, revision 01 (NIOSH, 2006): 

Observation 1. Need to Retain Information Contained in ORAUT-PROC0060 

Attachments A, B, and C of ORAUT-PROC-0060 are very informative sections 

of the procedure that provide the dose reconstructor with a quick reference for the 

assignment of site-specific onsite ambient dose. These attachments also help 

ensure the DR process is conducted in a consistent manner. The ORAUT-PROC0060 attachments are:

• Attachment A – External Onsite Ambient Dose Assignment for 

Monitored Site Employees 

• Attachment B – Maximizing Dose Summary

• Attachment C – Methods for Assigning Site-Specific Best Estimates of 

External Onsite Ambient Doses

Since OTIB-0088 lacks the valuable information provided in the ORAUT-PROC0060 attachments, the time to complete DRs would likely increase because the 

dose reconstructor would need to locate specific information now in the 

attachments, such as the current site environmental profile, personnel and control 

badge handling and storage policies, ambient dose levels, etc. In addition, this 

could result in inconsistences in DRs among different claims.

SC&A strongly suggests reconsideration of the cancellation of ORAUT-PROC0060 without an equivalent replacement document. 

This observation was discussed during the Subcommittee for Procedure Reviews meeting of

February 13, 2019 (ABRWH, 2019, pp. 87–91). The subcommittee closed SC&A’s (2019) 

observation 1 with the understanding that NIOSH would consider SC&A’s recommendation 

further and issue an email with a path forward. To date, SC&A is not aware of NIOSH issuing an 

email addressing this observation further; therefore, SC&A has the following observation: 

Observation 1: Path forward concerning ORAUT-PROC-0060 material in OTIB-0088

Although the Subcommittee for Procedure Reviews closed SC&A’s (2019) original 

observation 1 in 2019 with the understanding that NIOSH would consider SC&A’s 

recommendation and issue an email with a path forward, to date, SC&A is not aware of NIOSH 

issuing an email addressing this observation further. 
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3.3 Evaluation of documentation in ORAUT-OTIB-0088

SC&A evaluated the documentation in OTIB-0088 for assigning external dose and had no 

findings. A previous mathematical error in attachment A, page 21, of revision 00, identified as 

observation 2 in SC&A’s 2019 review (SC&A, 2019, p. 7) was discussed during the 

Subcommittee for Procedure Reviews meeting of February 13, 2019 (ABRWH, pp. 88–91, 

2019). The subcommittee closed SC&A’s (2019) observation 2 with the understanding that 

NIOSH would correct the error in the next revision of OTIB-0088. This mathematical error was 

corrected in revision 01 of OTIB-0088. 

However, SC&A did note several areas that would benefit from further clarification or 

explanation, which are listed in the following observations. 

Observation 2: Clarification of covered x-ray examinations

The first paragraph of page 8 states that, “Only doses that were received before the diagnosis of 

the primary cancer are included in the dose reconstruction,” and, “If the worker received medical 

X-ray examinations for occupational health screening and as a condition of employment at a 

covered site, dose reconstruction includes those doses.” However, it would provide further 

clarification if the statement included the fact that x-ray examinations that were performed for 

diagnostic or therapeutic reasons are excluded.

Observation 3: Unmonitored worker potential exposure

Page 10 of OTIB-0088 states, “In general, it is expected that reconstructed dose to unmonitored 

workers will be less than dose to monitored workers.” This statement does not appear to be 

substantiated because it does not consider the fact that “unmonitored” workers also include 

workers whose records have been lost or destroyed or are illegible. Also, some classes of 

workers had their radiation exposures controlled by their primary employer (e.g., subcontractor), 

who did not necessarily follow the same procedures as the prime contractors.

Observation 4: Use of multiple badge records

Page 13 of OTIB-0088 states, “However, for cases in which multiple badges were issued for a 

particular monitoring period, only one zero measurement should be assigned per monitoring 

period.” While this policy may apply to multiple badges from the same facility worn during the 

same time period (e.g., the badges are redundant), there are instances where a worker may have 

worked at several facilities at a site and been issued different badges at each facility (e.g., Idaho 

National Laboratory). In those cases, all badge results should be analyzed (SC&A does believe 

this is standard practice in DR). 

Observation 5: Clarification of application of NCRP-to-ICRP correction factors

Section 2.2.2 (p. 14) discusses the ICRP 60 neutron weighting factors are discussed, and 

Attachment C provides the dates that DOE sites switched to using the ICRP 60 neutron 

weighting factors. For consistency in DR, it would be useful to include a statement that indicates 

that the neutron National Council on Radiation Protection & Measurements (NCRP)-to-ICRP 

correction factors recommended in the site profile need not be applied after the implementation 

of the ICRP 60 neutron weighting factors in the 2009–2011 timeframe. A scan of several of the 

DOE site profiles for external dose issued after 2010 indicate that some instruct the dose 
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reconstructor not to apply the NCRP-to-ICRP correction factors after the ICRP implementation 

date, but some do not. 

4 Summary and Conclusions

Approach – SC&A found the approach to external DR in OTIB-0088 to be reasonable and 

useful. 

Methods – SC&A analyzed the methods and recommendations in OTIB-0088 and found them to 

be correct and applicable. However, SC&A did have an observation that SC&A is not aware of 

NIOSH issuing an email addressing SC&A’s concern with the cancellation of ORAUT-PROC0060, as described in section 3.2. 

Documentation – SC&A evaluated NIOSH’s documentation in OTIB-0088 for assigning 

external dose and found the previous error in attachment A has been corrected in revision 01. 

However, SC&A did note several areas that would benefit from further clarification or 

explanation, which are listed as four observations (2–5) in section 3.3. 

5 References

Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health. (2019). Subcommittee for Procedure Review

Wednesday, February 13, 2019 [Transcript of teleconference meeting].

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ocas/pdfs/abrwh/2019/sctr021319-508.pdf 

International Commission on Radiological Protection. (1991). 1990 recommendations of the 

International Commission on Radiological Protection (Publication 60). Ann. ICRP 21(1-3). 

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. (2006). Occupational onsite ambient dose 

reconstruction for DOE sites (ORAUT-PROC-0060, rev. 01). 

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ocas/pdfs/arch/orau/orauprocs/or-proc-60-r1.pdf 

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. (2007). External dose reconstruction 

implementation guideline (OCAS-IG-001, rev. 3). SRDB Ref. ID 38864 

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. (2018). External dose reconstruction

(ORAUT-OTIB-0088, rev. 00). https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ocas/pdfs/arch/tibs/or-t88-r0-508.pdf 

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. (2019). External dose reconstruction

(ORAUT-OTIB-0088, rev. 01). https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ocas/pdfs/arch/tibs/or-t88-r1-508.pdf 

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. (2021). External dose reconstruction

(ORAUT-OTIB-0088, rev. 02). https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ocas/pdfs/tibs/or-t88-r2-508.pdf 

SC&A, Inc. (2019). SC&A’S evaluation of ORAUT-OTIB-0088, revision 00, “External dose 

reconstruction” (SCA-TR-2019-PR001, rev. 0).

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ocas/pdfs/abrwh/scarpts/sca-tib88-010819-508.pdf