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Exceptions were made for emergency and other tactical situations. The operation was defined as the period from 15 days before the first ready date to 15 days after the last shot. A special MPE of 10 R was authorized for crewmembers of air - sampling aircraft. In the event of operational error or emergency, an additional exposure of 10 R would be accepted. Any exposure in excess of 20 R total would be considered as on overexposure for alrcrew samplers.
The limit of 3.75 R per 13-week period was slightly greater than the National Council on Radlatlon Protectlon and Measurements and the Internatlonal Commisslon on Radlatlon Protectlon limit of 3 R per 13 - week period In effect at that time. The limit of 5 R for the Operation is equivalent to the exposure currently permitted per year by Federal guidelines for radiation workers. Appropriate remarks were to be included in the medical records of personnel who exceeded the 3.75 and 5 R limits. Military personnel were to be advlsed that they should not be exposed to further radiation until sufficient time elapsed to bring their average radiation exposure down to 0.3 R/week. Civilian personnel in this category were to be informed that limitations on further radiation exposure were to be determined by the laboratory or agency having administrative jurisdiction over such personnel.
A film badge program provided an exposure - indlcating device to all JTF 7 personnel to maintain complete exposure information on everyone entering the EPG during the operation. The commander of the scientific task group assigned overall badging responsibility to a special task unit. Beginning 1 April 1958, film badges were issued to all individuals upon their arrival at the EPG with instructions that the badge be worn at all times and turned in on recall, upon exit from any contaminated area, or upon departure from the EPG.
SUMMARY OF TASK FORCE EXPOSURES
The table on the following page documents the numbers and percent of task force personnel who received exposures in various categories. These data are based on the latest data available and may be added to as research is completed. Of the some 19.600 individuals badged at HARDTACK, 99 percent had exposures that did not exceed the current Federal guidelines of 5 R per year. The highest recorded exposure for the series was 12.41 R. The overall joint task force mean exposure was 0.87 R.
During the conduct of the series only one incident occurred of an exposure of a large group of JTF 7 personnel to significantly elevated radiation levels. hls happened on 14 May when the base islands (Enewetak and Parry) at Enewetak Atoll received fallout from a test shot that had been detonated at Blkini two days before. This fallout episode, which lasted about 60 hours, could have contributed as much as 1.2 to 1.5 R total dose to personnel on Enewetak Atoll depending upon the island on which they lived and their work activities, however. since nearly all personnel wore film badges, this fallout exposure is reflected in the film badge doses.
There was one known incident of offsite fallout. Two Japanese research vessels operating outside the danger area set up around the EPG detected an increase in radiation after shot POPLAR. An investigatlon by the JTF 7 Staff Surgeon revealed that this exposure was small amounting to, at most 0.085 R for the crew, and even this figure did not reflect the decontamination procedures that were used to lower the contamination.
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