and the movement of the unit or individual with respect to the radiological
hazards were determined.
Careful consideration was given to possible or
potential contact with contaminated objects.
Activities were described in
sufficient detail to permit assessment of the dose due to inhalation or
ingestion of contaminated material, such as dust, debris, or food.
For
example, maneuver troops who crawled in radioactive areas, or who conducted
helicopter operations in such areas, were afforded extensive analysis of their
potential for inhaling radioactive dust that, when metabolized in the body,
could have resulted in doses to internal organs over periods of several years.
When there was a reasonable possibility that a given activity or set of
circumstances could have existed for the unit, the benefit of the doubt was
given.
Possible variations in the activities, as well as possible and
reasonable individual deviations from group activities, with respect to both
time and location, were considered in the uncertainty analysis of the
radiation dose calculations described in section 7.5.
7.3.
FILM BADGE DOSES.
Before film badge readings could be used to characterize the radiation
dose to a group or to an individual, it was first determined, primarily
through analysis of the activities involved, that the badge readings represented the entire period of exposure.
If they did not, or there was reason to
believe that the badge(s) did not fully represent the entire conditions of
exposure, alternative methods, such as statistical assignment or dose reconstruction, were pursued.
This was obviously required in cases of exposure to
initial radiation where neutrons were emitted from the burst, or in instances
where inhalation or ingestion or radioactive particles was an issue.
Neither
of these types of exposure would have been recorded on a film badge.
7.4
STATISTICAL METHODS OF DOSE DETERMINATION.
To use badge readings to estimate the radiation doses to unbadged
personnel, a group of participants was first identified that had common
activity characteristics and a similar potential for exposure to radiation;
that is,
individuals must have been doing the same kind of work or activity
and all members of the group must have had a common relationship to the
radiological environment in terms of time after burst, location, duration of
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