RMI Nuclear Justice Documents

4 pe wen de teats . Fe some a “+r "BIOLOGY wa AND ,= , |LASSIE state of knowledge of blast biology, determined the priorities of needs for data, and was ‘to make recommendations as to the field and laboratory experiments required to obtain these data. A similar meeting of the Thermal Biology Task Unit was held in Washington, D. c., in| September under the chairmanship of Dr. Herman Pearseof the.‘University of Rochester. s Radiation ‘Monitoring Instruments. S va Plans were made forthe evaluation of two prototype instruments combininga portable: transistor radio and a radiation dose rate meter that have been developed for civilian use. Twenty-five instruments of each type will be distributed to AEC laboratories and selected moa field personnel for test and comment. . eo . Symp ee liege aes wee ane yw A comprehensive analysis and evaluation of.the2 blology and medicine researchprogram , was completed during the quarter. This review was conducted in accordance with recommen-. . dations made during the 1957 hearingsof the’ Joint Committee on “The Nature of Radioactive Fallout and Its Effects on Man” that the AEC’s biomedical program be examined as to possible need for increased research effort in order to accelerate resolutionof the problems of the biological hazardsof radiation and radioactive fallout. The testimony at the hearings brought - out that there was a well balanced AEC~supported research program in bidlogy. and medicine ~ and that any proposed increase in research should not be at the expense of long-term basic research by a diversion of effort to a multitude of short-lived programmatic research projects. As a result of this review the Commissionapproved, for planning purposes, a 5-year plan’ for continued expansion of research in biology and medicine, emphasizing particularly the biological hazards of radiation associated with peaceful and military uses of atomic energy. 1 BERYLLIUM SURVEYS . Because of the health hazards associated with beryllium handling, the Health and Safety Laboratory of the New York Operations Office (HASL) is continually studying beryllium opera- tions and hazards in connection with AEC contractor activities in this field, as a part ofits environmental health servicesand studies. Surveys of occupational exposure to beryllium dust at the new Beryllium Corporation plant at Hazelton, Pennsylvania, were conducted in January and May 1958. The May survey showed erations could be made. A similar survey of the new Brush Beryllium Company refinery at Elmore, Ohio, conducted during the plant shakedown period, showed a large number of the 108 persons studied ' were being exposed to excessive concentrations of beryllium. HASL made recommendations | for improving dust control. It. was decided that air concentrations were not sufficiently hazardous to warrant closing the plant, but that extensive plant modifications were needed to ensure satisfactory operations. In July representatives of HASL and the Chicago.Operations Office reviewed decontamination of the AEC beryllium production plant at Luckey, Ohio. Good progress had been made in decontamination since the plant closed down in December 1957, but cleanup probably will not: be completed before May 1959. HASL will continue to advise the contractor on decontamination procedures and will help perform periodic tests of certain equipment and buildings which have been decontaminated. UNCLASSIFIED oo 5| Ty wo . Seeee retett that all production employees were receiving five or more times the maximum acceptabie concentration. It was decided to shut down the refinery until major changes in equipment and op- ar ee a Te oR bd ww eT ee ee alee ae om pe te EAL wee ee Pabbeted EXPANSION OFRESEARCH