Open AccessRetrospective beryllium exposure assessment at the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology site
Author(s) -
Anthony E. Barnard,
Janet Torma-Krajewski,
Susan Marie Viet
Publication year - 1997
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.2172/477715
Subject(s) - beryllium , sampling (signal processing) , environmental science , mining engineering , nuclear engineering , engineering , filter (signal processing) , physics , nuclear physics , electrical engineering
Since the 1960`s, beryllium machining was performed to make nuclear weapon components at the Department of Energy (DOE) Rocky Flats Plant. Beryllium exposure was assessed via fixed airhead (FAH) sampling in which the filter cassette was affixed to the machine, generally within a few feet of the worker`s breathing zone. Approximately 500,000 FAH samples were collected for beryllium over three decades. From 1984 to 1987, personal breathing zone (PBZ) samples were also collected as part of the evaluation of a new high velocity/low volume local exhaust ventilation (HV/LV LEV) system. The purpose of this study was to determine how the two types of sampling data could be used for an exposure assessment in the beryllium shop