Office of Compensation Analysis and 

Support

Technical Information Bulletin 

Document Number: 

 OCAS-TIB-006 

Effective Date: 

 10/04/2007 

Revision No. 2 

Interpretation of External Dosimetry Records at the Savannah 

River Site (SRS)

Page 1 of 3

 

Approval: Signature on File Date: 10/04/2007 J.W. Neton, Health Science Administrator 

Supersedes: Rev 1

RECORD OF ISSUE/REVISIONS

ISSUE 

AUTHORIZATION 

DATE

EFFECTIVE 

DATE

REV. 

NO.

DESCRIPTION

09/08/2003 09/08/2003 0 New document to provide guidance on the 

Interpretation of External Dosimetry Records at 

the Savannah River Site 

02/20/2004 02/20/2004 1 Revised discussion of shallow dose 

interpretation for low energy photons 

10/04/2007 10/04/2007 2 Clarification of applicability per SC&A comments. 

This revision replaces guidance found in the 

SRS Site Profile dated 04/05/2005. 

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 meaning that an individual worker 

was not monitored. According to site personnel,1

 the absence of badge cycle information could result 
Effective Date: 

 10/04/2007 

Revision No. 2 

Procedure No. 

OCAS-TIB-006 

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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 

meaning that 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 

(CATI) 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. 

Note this interpretation of missed dose applies to all externally monitored workers at the Savannah 

River Site between 1973-1988. 

 

3.0 Shallow Dose Interpretation

During the period 1954-1981, metal filtration on the SRS dosimeter may have diminished the deep 

dose response to low energy (< 30 keV) photons. This could have affected dose for plutonium 

workers at 321-M, 221-HB, 221-FB, Plutonium Storage, 772-F, 235-F, 773-A, and 736-A. For this 

period, low energy (< 30 keV) photon dose should be determined by subtracting the reported deep 

dose from the shallow dose. In order to maintain consistency, the shallow dose quantity should be 

corrected using the Hp (10) correction factor (1.119). The deep dose quantity during this period 

should be classified as intermediate energy photons (30 – 250 keV). For the period 1982 – present, 

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). 

Inclusion of the shallow dose quantity for this time period would not be needed unless the energy 

employee had testicular, breast, or skin cancer. In these cases the shallow dose (without deep dose 

subtracted) would be categorized as < 30 keV photons. 

Note the adjustment noted above for shallow dose only applies to plutonium workers. The application 

of this methodology would result in an overestimate if incorrectly applied to workers who handled 

uranium due to the high shallow dose from beta exposure. 

4.0 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. 
Effective Date: 

 10/04/2007 

Revision No. 2 

Procedure No. 

OCAS-TIB-006 

Page 3 of 3 

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, 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)