Document Number:

Office of Compensation Analysis and Support OCAS- TIB-OO6

Effective Date:

09/08/2003

Technical Information Bulletin

Revision No. 0

Interpretation of External Dosimetry Records at the Savannah Page 1 of 3

River Site (SRS)

Approval: Date: Supersedes:

None - RECORD OF ISSUE/REVISIONS

1.0 Purpose

The purpose of this Technical Information Bulletin (TIB) is to provide guidance on the

interpretation of Savannah River Site dosimetry from 1973 through 1988. In addition, guidance

on how the shallow dose should be reconstructed is also included.

2.0 Interpretation of External Dosimetrv Records 1973-1988

The SLHP3 form submitted as part of the SRS dosimetry package is a printout summarizing

external dosimetry data from archived site records. This data contains only positive dosimeter

readings (either shallow or deep) for a given cycle between 1973 and 1988. Starting with the

year 1989, the site has added all dosimeter readings for workers at the site.

Since only positive readings (either shallow or deep) for a given cycle appear on the SLHP3

form, the absence of cycle data should not automatically be interpreted, as an individual worker

was not monitored. According to site personnel,1 the absence of badge cycle information could

result when 1) the data was below the limit of detection or 2) the worker was not monitored for

radiation exposure (i.e. did not enter a radiological control area).
In addition when an entire year is missing from the SlHP3 form, this also should not be

interpreted, as an individual worker was not monitored. The absence of an entire year from the

SlHP3 form could result from 1) the data for that year was below the limit of detection, 2) the

worker was not monitored for radiation exposure during that year (i.e. did not enter a

radiological control area), 3) a combination of both.

When cycle data or year information is missing in the SLHP3 form, the dose reconstructor

should evaluate the energy employee's 1) external dosimetry profile, 2) bioassay records

indicating internal radiation monitoring, 3) work history information, and 4) Computer Assisted

Telephone Interview (CA TI) to determine the best method for assigning missed dose. When

there is considerable uncertainty in whether missed dose should be assigned, the uncertainty

should be claimant favorable (i.e. missed dose should be assigned). A discussion of the method

used for missed dose and the rationale for why it was included or excluded shall be included in

the dose reconstruction report.

3.0 Shallow Dose Interoretation

The Savannah River Site used a 16 keY calibration curve from 1961-19703 to determine the low

energy photon dose for workers primarily exposed to plutonium with negligible beta exposure

(HB-Line, FB Line, 321 M). Within the SRS records, this low energy photon dose was added to

the deep dose for these workers and total was reported as the shallow dose. As a result, the

low energy photon dose « 30 keY) should be determined by subtracting the reported deep

dose from the shallow dose. Since the low energy photon dose is determined through

subtraction, all the remaining deep dose shoufd be interpreted to be from 30-250keV photons

(i.e. 100% 30-250 keY). The correction for Hp(10) should be applied to both photon energy

groups (i.e. multiplication by 1.119).

When a 16 keY calibration curve was not used .@!1d the energy employee worked in a plutonium

area between 1961-1970, the energy employee should be considered to have a mixed beta, low

photon energy « 30 keY) and intermediate photon energy (30-250 keY) exposure. The dose

from the open window of the dosimeter reported as shallow dose should be interpreted to be

the beta dose and the deep dose should be interpreted to be the photon dose. The guidance

provided in the Savannah River Site Technical Basis Document2 should be used to determine the

photon energy distribution of the deep dose (i.e. 25% - <30 keY and 75% 30-250 keY).

4.0 Summar~

This Technical Information Bulletin provides guidance on how missed dose should be interpreted

between 1973 and 1988. In addition, this TIB provides guidance on how the Low Energy

photon dose should be determined for workers primarily exposed to plutonium.
5.0 References

Savannah River Site (2003), Telphone Conversation between Russ Morgan (SRS Dosimetry

Records) and Tim Taulbee NIOSH, September 4, 2003

2. ORAU Team, Technical Basis Document for the Savannah River Site To Be Used for

EEOICPA Dose Reconstructions, ORAUT -TKBS-0003 Rev 01 (2003)

3. DPSOP-45, Operating Procedure for Health Physics Personal Meters, Rev 3, E.I. DuPont De

Nemours and Company, Savannah River Site, (1961)
Document Number:

Office of Compensation Analysis and Support OCAS- 11B-006

Effective Date:

09/08/2003

Technical Information Bulletin

Revision No. 0

Interpretation of External Dosimetry Records at the Savannah Page 1 of 3

River Site (SRS)

Approval: Date: Supersedes: J.W. Neton, Health Science Administrator

None

RECORD OF ISSUE/REVISIONS

1.0 Purpose

The purpose of this Technical Information Bulletin (TIB) is to provide guidance on the

interpretation of Savannah River Site dosimetry from 1973 through 1988. In addition, guidance

on how the shallow dose should be reconstructed is also included.

2.0 Interpretation of External Dosimetry Records 1973-1988

The SLHP3 form submitted as part of the SRS dosimetry package is a printout summarizing

external dosimetry data from archived site records. This data contains only positive dosimeter

readings (either shallow or deep) for a given cycle between 1973 and 1988. Starting with the

year 1989, the site has added all dosimeter readings for workers at the site.

Since only positive readings (either shallow or deep) for a given cycle appear on the SLHP3

form, the absence of cycle data should not automatically be interpreted, as an individual worker

was not monitored. According to site personnel,' the absence of badge cycle information could

result when 1) the data was below the limit of detection or 2) the worker was not monitored for

radiation exposure (i.e. did not enter a radiological control area).
In addition when an entire year is missing from the SLHP3 form, this also should not be

interpreted, as an individual worker was not monitored. The absence of an entire year from the

SLHP3 form could result from 1) the data for that year was below the limit of detection, 2) the

worker was not monitored for radiation exposure during that year (i.e. did not enter a

radiological control area), 3) a combination of both.

When cycle data or year information is missing in the SLHP3 form, the dose reconstructor

should evaluate the energy employee's 1) external dosimetry profile, 2) bioassay records

indicating internal radiation monitoring, 3) work history information, and 4) Computer Assisted

Telephone Interview (CA TI) to determine the best method for assigning missed dose. When

there is considerable uncertainty in whether missed dose should be assigned, the uncertainty

should be claimant favorable (i.e. missed dose should be assigned). A discussion of the method

used for missed dose and the rationale for why it was included or excluded shall be included in

the dose reconstruction report.

Shallow Dose InterDretation

The Savannah River Site used a 16 keV calibration curve from 1961-19703 to determine the low

energy photon dose for workers primarily exposed to plutonium with negligible beta exposure

(HB-Line, FB Line, 321 M). Within the SRS records, this low energy photon dose was added to

the deep dose for these workers and total was reported as the shallow dose. As a result, the

low energy photon dose « 30 keV) should be determined by subtracting the reported deep

dose from the shallow dose. Since the low energy photon dose is determined through

subtraction, all the remaining deep dose should be interpreted to be from 30-250keV photons

(i.e. 100% 30-250 keV). The correction for Hp(1 0) should be applied to both photon energy

groups (i.e. multiplication by 1.119).

When a 16 keV calibration curve was not used ~ the energy employee worked in a plutonium

area between 1961-1970, the energy employee should be considered to have a mixed beta, low

photon energy « 30 keV) and intermediate photon energy (30-250 keV) exposure. The dose

from the open window of the dosimeter reported as shallow dose should be interpreted to be

the beta dose and the deep dose should be interpreted to be the photon dose. The guidance

provided in the Savannah River Site Technical Basis Document2 should be used to determine the

photon energy distribution of the deep dose (i.e. 25% - <30 keV and 75% 30-250 keV).

Summary

This Technical Information Bulletin provides guidance on how missed dose should be interpreted

between 1973 and 1988. In addition, this TIB provides guidance on how the Low Energy

photon dose should be determined for workers primarily exposed to plutonium.
5.0 References

1 Savannah River Site (2003), Telephone Conversation between Russ Morgan (SRS Dosimetry

Records) and Tim Taulbee NIOSH, September 4, 2003

2 ORAU Team, Technica/Basis Document for the Savannah River Site To Be Used for

EEO/CPA Dose Reconstructions, ORAUT - TKBS-0003 Rev 01 (2003)

3. DPSOP-45, Operating Procedure for Health Physics Personal Meters, Rev 3, E.I. DuPont De

Nemours and Company, Savannah River Site, (1961)