troxler gauge exposure and baldness
troxler gauge exposure and baldness
(OP)
Hi all!
New to the forum and have a VERY important question. Just finished "handling" training for a new Troxler and am a bit apprehensive. Some of the older fellows, who have been exposed to their gauge for quite some time, have "jokingly" insisted that this MINIMAL exposure has led to some negative effects: including baldness, skin irritations, melanoma, etc. Is there any truth to this? I know that we are allowed 5000mrem/yr at the most,and we get approx. 360 mrem from natural "background radiation". Their film badge reports indicate very low levels...are these guys GREENING me?
Another certification and more pay does not warrant mutation!
Thanx for the input!
New to the forum and have a VERY important question. Just finished "handling" training for a new Troxler and am a bit apprehensive. Some of the older fellows, who have been exposed to their gauge for quite some time, have "jokingly" insisted that this MINIMAL exposure has led to some negative effects: including baldness, skin irritations, melanoma, etc. Is there any truth to this? I know that we are allowed 5000mrem/yr at the most,and we get approx. 360 mrem from natural "background radiation". Their film badge reports indicate very low levels...are these guys GREENING me?
Another certification and more pay does not warrant mutation!
Thanx for the input!





RE: troxler gauge exposure and baldness
When I started out years ago in Canada they used badges and then did away with them - only knew one guy that had a reading - he kept his badge on the nuke overnight everynight! Remember to handle the equipment with respect, use it the correct way and I doubt you'll have any problems - might go bald, but this would likely be hereditary!
RE: troxler gauge exposure and baldness
If the radioisotopic source is removed and carried around in your pocket (hopefully no one is that stupid...though it has happened according to a manufacturer), you can get radiation burns and overexposure. In general, the source is sealed and shielded in the machine and is only partially exposed when the rod is pushed out for testing.
RE: troxler gauge exposure and baldness
Several years ago one of the technicians I had working for me was pathologically scared of using a NDM gauge, but was also too scared to tell anyone. If he had informed someone he was not happy using it, other work would have been foound for him.
This resulted in several problems, not least that we had to get rid of him when we found he had carried out a whole days work without turning the damn thing on!!. Other favorite tricks of his was setting it on the longest reading, then running away! He rapidly earned himself the name of "nuclear Norman". All of this came out once we had to get rid of him for the episode with the gauge turned off, but fortunatley no harm was done on site, all work could easily be re-tested as it had not been covered, and the Client found the whole affair highly amusing, (the tech had only been on site for two days).
Anyway, enough of the background, once he left our employ, he went to the doctor complaining of what he thought was radioactive poisoning, in that his b#+*s kept itching,
the verdict from the Doc was his jeans were too tight!!
The previous Company I worked for held the licence for multiple gauges throughout the UK, all staff who used them were badged up, and as far as I am aware, no one in that time was exposed to anything like the minimum levels, even after years of operation. There have also been instances where the gauge has been critically damaged, and again no leakage was recorded. The previous company used to provide geiger counters to check the gauge, all part of an increased H & S awareness when using something like this.
RE: troxler gauge exposure and baldness
RE: troxler gauge exposure and baldness
RE: troxler gauge exposure and baldness
RE: troxler gauge exposure and baldness