Nuclear Health and Safety

Radiation Exposures for Some Cloud-Sampling Personnel Need To Be Reexamined Gao ID: RCED-87-134 September 29, 1987

In response to a congressional request, GAO examined the Department of Defense's (DOD) atmospheric nuclear weapons testing program to determine: (1) how many military personnel participated in the cloud-sampling work between 1952 and 1962 during operations Tumbler-Snapper, Redwing, and Dominic 1; and (2) the extent of their exposure to radiation.

GAO found that: (1) approximately 300 Air Force personnel took part in the sampling; (2) the amount of radiation personnel received was questionable due to inadequate information; (3) at two of the test sites, ground personnel failed to wear protective breathing devices when working around the aircraft used for the sampling; and (4) the records gathered at two of the sites had high error rates. GAO also found that: (1) the methods used to measure internal exposure to radiation were inadequate, since only one urine test was performed within a 24-hour period; (2) the monitoring devices installed in the cockpits showed a higher level of exposure than the devices the crews wore; and (3) individual records kept at one of the test sites showed a 6-percent error rate.

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