Background of QECC project

The goal of the Quantitative Evaluation of Contamination Consequences (QECC) project is to quantitatively relate workplace surface and airborne contamination levels, both radioactive and chemical, to intakes and doses. The specific objectives of the project are to 1) quantify available information that relates surface and volume contamination of equipment and materials to intakes, and therefore, health risks to workers, and 2) quantify how well air sampling predicts worker intakes and what factors improve or degrade the usefulness of air sampling to manage worker risks. The central thrust is to compile relevant quantitative information from case histories in the scientific literature, personal files, and incident reports from national and international sources. We are particularly interested in learning of current incidents and accidents or historical events for which adequate data are available. We urge those reporting such incidents to include measurement data including the type and amount of material in process; the nature, extent and amounts of fixed and total surface contamination; air sample results; the nature of personal protective equipment in use; description of work or incident and amount of time workers were present; the minimum detectable amount (MDA), decision level (DL), and uncertainty for each measurement method used, and intakes, ontakes (skin contamination), bioassay results, nasal smear results, and doses for each individual involved. We introduce a list of the information needed for quantitative evaluation of contamination consequences and present preliminary results.