Health physics manual of good practices for uranium facilities

Historically from the health perspective, uranium has been considered more of a heavy metals than a radiological hazard. However, the revisions to biokenetic models for the evaluation of radiation exposure as contained in ICRP Publication 26 and 30 have resulted in a decrease in the annual limit of intake for uranium. This, coupled with recent changes in our understanding of the biological behavior and health significance of uranium along with technology advances for controlling, monitoring, and evaluating potential exposures of workers make it apparent that greater attention can and must be placed on controlling uranium contamination in the workplace. This manual should prove useful in providing information on design and implementation of radiation protection programs consistent with current standards and state-of-the-art technology. It is expected that this manual will serve as a guide in the evaluation of needed upgrade programs for older facilities as well as in the development of radiation protection programs for newer facilities.