Conservatism of RADTRAN line-source model for estimating worker exposures

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:7132109

Weiner, R. F. ^[1]; Neuhauser, K. S. ^[2]

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1. Western Washington Univ., Bellingham, WA (United States)
2. Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)

The dose rate to which these inspectors and handlers are exposed of radioactive materials during transport inspection is higher than the dose rate to which any other group is exposed during incident-free truck transportation (other groups include occupants of other vehicles on the route, persons residing near the route, others who might share the rights-of-way with trucks the spent fuel, and persons at stops), and higher than the dose rate to the drivers when they are in the truck cab. For most radioactive materials shipped in the United States there are only two handlings: one at the origin and one at the destination. The number of handlers does not vary greatly from one shipment to another of the same type. However, the number of inspections a given shipment might experience en route cannot be predicted with confidence because it can vary with changing state regulations, since there is no regulatory limit on the number of inspections that might occur. The potential population dose and risk associated with redundant inspections of spent fuel shipments should be evaluated carefully in the context of ALARA. That is the focus of this study. Two different methods were used to estimate gamma doses to inspectors for a representative fuel shipment. These methods were compared, and the results of the dose calculations were compared to other components of incident-free dose. Comparison is also made to a measured dose rate mapped in another investigation (Hostick, et al., 1992).

• Research Organization: Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 7132109
• Report Number(s): SAND--91-2601C; TTC--1119; CONF-920905--28; ON: DE93000757
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY
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ANIMALS
CASKS
COMPUTER CODES
CONTAINERS
DOSES
INSPECTION
MAMMALS
MAN
MATERIALS
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
P CODES
PACKAGING
PRIMATES
R CODES
RADIATION DOSES
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RISK ASSESSMENT
SPENT FUEL CASKS
TRANSPORT
VERTEBRATES