y ‘ ae ) UNCLASSIFIED| ) —> Linas —_— ‘§ ‘ TO: T. L. Shipman, M.D, —_ ea ‘ 3 —2— DATE: This theoretical calculation is conservative. 16 June 1953 Under practical conditions experience has shown that this method of decontamination is even more TS . Nate, effective than the calculation indicates.(rir. Charles Blackwell, 4 | Health Division, LASL, was on duty as Rad-Safe Officer during the period approximately 13 February to 15 March 1949 to supervise the removal of the radioactive scrap from Engebi Island. He left when it was decided that no further work would be done in contaminated areas until some months later, when systematic decontamination would be under- | | taken, During the period 6 May through 15 August 1949, Dr. Wm. H. Ray, Health Physicist, ORNL, served as Rad-Safety Officer at Eniwetok. S He conducted a scientific investigation of the situation with special emphasis on the radioactive content of dust on the Shot Islands. He was unable to detect any significant quantity of radioactivity in dust kicked up by any ordinary activities on the islands. i By stirring up dust into the air by artificial means, he was able to obtain some radioactivity. He concluded that there was not enough radioactivity in the dust to be & health problem, and that the proposal to wet the soil during decontamination | by earth-moving was unnecessary. sete anyway, to be absolutely safe), (It was later decided to wet the earth In addition, Dr. Ray supervised the removal of radioactive scrap from the Shot Islands Agmon and Runit, and prepared three recorded lectures for the instruction of contractor personnel in radiological safety precautions, Dr. Ray's work is covered in the following "Radiological Safety Reports" (Confidential): SD-225 (20 May 1949), SD-226 (3 June 1949), SD-358 (17 June 1949), SD-359 : ‘ ORM 258 50M 6-52 (8 July 1949), SD-947 (31 July 1949), SD-948 (19 Aug. 1949). ——r ~ ral er '