Safety significant class determination of continuous air monitors at facilities handling alpha-emitting radionuclides

The role and use of continuous air monitors typically fall under the responsibility of institutional radiation protection programs established to maintain stochastic effects to workers at acceptable levels. This practice has led to a general perception that acute serious worker injury is not credible even with high intakes of alpha-emitting radionuclides. Using data derived from animal studies, release masses potentially causing serious worker injury are estimated. Serious pulmonary injuries to unprotected individuals are credible from airborne alpha-emitting transuranic release levels ranging between 0.1 and 10 GBq (2.7 to 270 mCi). Safety-significant designation of continuous air monitor systems should be considered at facilities where releases of these magnitudes are possible. Such designations should enhance the formality of continuous air monitor usage and ultimately improve the reliability of these systems. Serious pulmonary injuries are not considered possible from airborne releases of 235U, 238U, and 232Th due to airborne mass-loading limitations.