b 2 1¢ Fara: A further consideration ir the bets dose to the hande resulting fron handling objects contaminated with fallout material. although come data are avallable on bete burns from handlin: radloactive objects, the conditions are s0 different from those associated with faliout that comparisons proba- bly would not be vwelid.*# Tf the above assumptions and calculations are correct sencerning con~ tamination of a general area from fallout, then the transfer of 411 the radioactive material to the hands from an object of equal area would not constitute a hasard. Thus, one might consider using as criteria for son itoring objects, the doce readings given above for monitoring persannel ' euvsice the general radiation field. 1+” Eowewer, the problem is more complex since the hands say cone into eontact with contaminated surfaces many tices larger in ares than the hands, with an unceternined percentage of activity being transferred to the hends. Of course, an added uncertainty is the frequency of washing of the hand» and/or the rubbing off of the material frox the hands, Furticr, one might speculste that a given surface could have signifie cantly higher contarination than the general ares and NG handiing of auch @ surface could constitute a greater risk, This might be true because of the greater amount of activity transferred to the hands or because of the doses delivered during the time of actually handling the object. The uncertainty of the percentage of transfer of saterial has been mentioned, (ne uncertainty in the second case is the length of tina the object would be handled. *"Petea Ray Burns of Human Skin". Knepwiton, et al. viecical As ociations ¥. 141, Ro. 4. Sept.hy 1949. af « r. —- AL