ORAU Team

Dose Reconstruction Project for NIOSH

Technical Basis Document for the Argonne National 

Laboratory - West – Introduction

Document Number:

ORAUT-TKBS-0026-1 

Effective Date: 12/01/2004

Revision No.: 00

Controlled Copy No.: ______

Page 1 of 7

Subject Expert: Norman D. Rohrig 

Document Owner:

Approval: Signature on File Date: 11/30/2004

Norman D. Rohrig, TBD Team Leader

Approval: Signature on File Date: 12/01/2004

Judson L. Kenoyer, Task 3 Manager

Concurrence: Signature on File Date: 11/30/2004

Richard E. Toohey, Project Director

Approval: Signature on File Date: 12/01/2004

James W. Neton, Associate Director for Science

Supersedes:

None

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Record of Issue/Revisions ...................................................................................................................2

Acronyms ............................................................................................................................................3

1.0 Introduction................................................................................................................................. 4

1.1 Purpose ......................................................................................................................................4

1.2 Scope .........................................................................................................................................4

References ..........................................................................................................................................7
Effective Date: 12/01/2004 Revision No. 00 Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0026-1 Page 2 of 7

RECORD OF ISSUE/REVISIONS

ISSUE 

AUTHORIZATION 

DATE

EFFECTIVE 

DATE

REV. 

NO. DESCRIPTION

Draft 10/25/2004 00-A New Technical Basis Document for the Argonne 

National Laboratory – Introduction. Initiated by 

Norman D. Rohrig.

Draft 11/29/2004 00-B Incorporates NIOSH review comments. Initiated 

by Norman D. Rohrig.

12/01/2004 12/01/2004 00 First approved issue. Initiated by Norman D. 

Rohrig.
Effective Date: 12/01/2004 Revision No. 00 Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0026-1 Page 3 of 7

ACRONYMS

ANL-W Argonne National Laboratory-West

EEOICPA Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act of 2000

INEEL Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory

MDA minimum detectable activity

NIOSH National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

TBD Technical Basis Document

U.S.C. United States Code
Effective Date: 12/01/2004 Revision No. 00 Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0026-1 Page 4 of 7

1.0

Technical Basis Documents (TBDs) and Site Profile Documents are general working documents that 

provide guidance concerning the preparation of dose reconstructions at particular sites or categories 

of sites. They will be revised in the event additional relevant information is obtained about the 

affected site(s). These documents may be used to assist the National Institute for Occupational 

Safety and Health (NIOSH) in the completion of the individual work required for each dose 

reconstruction.

INTRODUCTION

In this document the word facility is used as a general term for an area, building, or group of buildings 

that served a specific purpose at a site. It does not necessarily mean an “atomic weapons employer 

facility” or a “Department of Energy facility” as defined in the Energy Employees Occupational Illness 

Compensation Program Act of 2000 [EEOICPA; 42 U.S.C. § 7384l(5) and (12)]. 

This Site Profile documents historical practices at the Argonne National Laboratory – West (ANL-W) 

and provides information for the evaluation of both internal and external dosimetry data for 

unmonitored and monitored workers; the document can serve as a supplement to, or substitute for, 

individual monitoring data. This document provides a profile of ANL-W that contains technical basis 

information for the evaluation of the total occupational radiation dose for EEOICPA claimants.

1.1 PURPOSE

This Site Profile provides supporting technical data for the evaluation, with claimant-favorable 

assumptions, of the total radiation dose that can reasonably be associated with a worker’s ANL-W 

occupational radiation exposure. This dose results from exposure to external and internal radiation 

sources in ANL-W facilities, from ANL-W occupationally required diagnostic X-ray examinations, and 

from exposure to onsite environmental releases. The discussions include doses that could have 

occurred while the worker was not monitored or that dosimetry programs could have missed. Since 

ANL-W began operations, the development of newer and more reliable scientific methods and 

protection measures has led to changes in radiation detection ability and recording practices. This 

Site Profile provides the methods to account for these changes. 

The doses are evaluated using the NIOSH Interactive RadioEpidemiological Program and the 

Integrated Modules for Bioassay Analysis program. This document describes the uncertainty 

evaluation for ANL-W exposure and dose records, which is an integral component of the NIOSH 

approach to dose reconstruction. 

1.2 SCOPE

The Site Profile consists of this Introduction and five major TBDs: Site Description, Occupational 

Medical Dose, Occupational Environmental Dose, Occupational Internal Dose, and Occupational 

External Dosimetry. 

Site Description

The Site Description TBD (ORAU 2004a) briefly describes the facilities and processes at ANL-W 

since the early 1950s. The ANL-W site is a part of the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental 

Laboratory (INEEL) site. INEEL is about 50 miles west of Idaho Falls, Idaho, in the Arco desert and 

covers about 890 square miles. ANL-W developed and operated reactors at two locations: One 

south of the INEEL Central Facilities Area (CFA) and one presently at the east edge of the site. The 

present site is about 35 miles west of Idaho Falls and covers about 900 acres. The Site Description 

TBD provides information about the facilities at ANL-W and identifies unusual events.
Effective Date: 12/01/2004 Revision No. 00 Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0026-1 Page 5 of 7

Occupational Medical Dose

The Occupational Medical Dose TBD (ORAU 2004b) provides information about the dose that 

individual workers received from X-rays required as a condition of employment. These X-rays 

included preemployment and chest X-rays during periodic physical exams. The frequency of required 

X-rays varied over time and as a function of worker age. Both the X-ray equipment and the 

techniques for taking X-rays have changed over the years covered by this TBD. These factors have 

been taken into account in determining the dose that a worker would have received from the X-ray. 

When there was a doubt about the technique used, claimant-favorable assumptions have been made 

to ensure that the dose is not underestimated. Important parameters include the tube current and

voltage, exposure time, source-to-skin distance, and the view (posterior–anterior or lateral). This TBD 

provides the calculated doses to other exposed organs from the chest X-ray. The calculated dose 

accounts for the uncertainty associated with each of the parameters. Tables list the various organ 

doses for convenient reference by the dose reconstructors.

Occupational Environmental Dose

The Occupational Environmental Dose TBD (ORAU 2004c) discusses the maximum dose to the 

whole body and organs that workers could have received when working outside the buildings at the 

ANL-W. This dose could be the result of inhalation of radioactive materials in the atmosphere, direct 

radiation from effluent plumes, and direct exposure to radionuclides that could have become 

incorporated into the soil.

The radionuclide concentrations at the ANL-W areas are based principally on measurements of stack 

effluents coupled with ground-level maximum annual average air concentrations from the National 

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. A screening process using dose conversion factors from 

the International Commission on Radiological Protection demonstrates that, of the 56 radionuclides on 

the annual effluent list, 9 radionuclides (144Ce, 131I, 147Pm, 238Pu, 239/240Pu, 106Ru, 89Sr, 90Sr, and 91Y) 

contribute about 95% of the total internal dose. This TBD provides calculated annual intakes of these 

radionuclides based on standard breathing rates and exposure times. 

Measurement of direct gamma values at the ANL-W facility fence provides annual external wholebody dose to workers from ambient radiation and from submersion in the annual radioactive material 

concentration.

Occupational Internal Dose

The Occupational Internal Dose TBD (ORAU 2004d) discusses the internal dosimetry program at 

ANL-W. 

This TBD contains a comprehensive default table to guide internal dose reconstruction in cases with 

minimal data. In addition, the TBD discusses the in vivo and in vitro minimum detectable activities (MDAs), the 

analytical methods, and the reporting protocols for the radionuclides at ANL-W. These parameters varied 

somewhat over the years for each of the radionuclides, but the capabilities were relatively consistent 

through the history of the site. The primary radionuclides of concern are those associated with spent 

high-enriched fuels: Mixed fission products, mixed activation products, plutonium (with a 

predominance of 238Pu), americium, and uranium (both high-enriched and depleted). 

This TBD describes information for reconstruction for workers with no confirmed intakes but who 

could have been exposed, in the early days, in circumstances in which monitoring did not occur, or for 

monitored readings below the detection limits. The document discusses methods for the evaluation of 

these potential doses and provides additional data for the evaluation of the worst-case scenario and 

for unmonitored workers.
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Occupational External Dosimetry

The Occupational External Dosimetry TBD (ORAU 2004e) discusses the program for measuring skin 

and whole-body doses to the workers. This document describes the dose reconstruction parameters, 

practices, and policies, and the dosimeter types and technology for measuring the dose from the 

different types of radiation. Discussion includes evaluation of doses measured from exposure to beta, 

gamma, and neutron radiation. Tables provide test results for various dosimeters exposed to different 

exposure geometries, radiation types, and energies. This TBD provides detailed discussion of 

sources of bias, workplace radiation field characteristics, responses of the different beta/gamma and 

neutron dosimeters in the workplace fields, and the adjustments to the recorded dose measured by 

these dosimeters during specific years.

This TBD discusses missed dose as a function of dosimeter type, year, and energy range. In 

addition, the document describes the use of the external dosimetry technical basis parameters to 

facilitate the efforts of the dose reconstructors.
Effective Date: 12/01/2004 Revision No. 00 Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0026-1 Page 7 of 7

REFERENCES

ORAU (Oak Ridge Associated Universities), 2004a, Technical Basis Document for the Argonne

National Laboratory - West – Site Description, ORAUT-TKBS-0026-2, Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

ORAU (Oak Ridge Associated Universities), 2004b, Technical Basis Document for the Argonne

National Laboratory - West – Occupational Medical Dose, ORAUT-TKBS-0026-3, Oak Ridge, 

Tennessee.

ORAU (Oak Ridge Associated Universities), 2004c, Technical Basis Document for the Argonne

National Laboratory - West – Occupational Environmental Dose, ORAUT-TKBS-0026-4, Oak 

Ridge, Tennessee.

ORAU (Oak Ridge Associated Universities), 2004d, Technical Basis Document for the Argonne

National Laboratory - West – Occupational Internal Dose, ORAUT-TKBS-0026-5, Oak Ridge, 

Tennessee.

ORAU (Oak Ridge Associated Universities), 2004e, Technical Basis Document for the Argonne

National Laboratory - West – Occupational External Dosimetry, ORAUT-TKBS-0026-6, Oak 

Ridge, Tennessee.