DOE 2000. - Waste Isolation Pilot Plant - U.S. Department of Energy

WIPP RH PSAR DOE/WIPP-03-3174 CHAPTER 1
For protection of the immediate worker, the waste hoist brake system is designated Safety Significant and
assigned in Attachment 1, Preliminary Technical Safety Requirements. The risk associated with the
potential exposure to the immediate worker from RH4-A is deemed acceptable for the following reasons:
Ç
The conservatism inherent in all of the accident analysis source term variables used to estimate the
above consequences,
Ç The existing elements for protection of the worker discussed in detail in Section 5.1.7.
1.3.2.3 Non-radiological Evaluation Guidelines
DOE orders do not contain a unique set of approved non-radiological risk evaluation guidelines. The
WIPP non-radiological risk guidelines are based on Emergency Response Planning Guidelines (ERPG)
published by the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA). ERPGs are estimates of
concentration ranges for specific chemicals above which acute (< 1 hour) exposure would be expected to
lead to adverse health effects of increasing severity. The EPRG-1 values represents a concentration that
would have little or no health effects, while EPRG -3 values have the most severe health effects.
The definitions of ERPGs are:
ERPG-1 The maximum concentration in air below which it is believed nearly all individuals could
be exposed for up to one hour without experiencing other than mild transient adverse health
effects or perceiving a clearly defined objectionable odor.
ERPG-2
ERPG-3
The maximum concentration in air below which it is believed nearly all individuals could
be exposed for up to one hour without experiencing or developing irreversible or other
serious health effects or symptoms that could impair their abilities to take protective action.
The maximum concentration in air below which it is believed nearly all individuals could
be exposed for up to one hour without experiencing or developing life-threatening health
effects.
ERPGs have been developed for approximately 100 chemicals and do not exist for some of the chemicals
found in TRU mixed waste. Chemicals without established ERPG values will use Temporary
Emergency Exposure Limits (TEELs) developed by the DOE Emergency Management Advisory
Committee’s Subcommittee on Consequence Assessment and Protective Action (SCAPA), Revision 18,
Table 4. SCAPA developed TEELs to allow for the preliminary identification of hazardous or potentially
hazardous situations for emergency planning even when ERPGs were not available. The TEEL is an
interim parameter meant to approximate an ERPG so that emergency planning and preparedness activities
can be conducted. Whenever an ERPG is developed for a new chemical, the ERPG replaces the TEEL.
The definitions of TEELs are:
TEEL-0 The threshold concentration below which most people will experience no appreciable risk
of health effects;
TEEL-1
TEEL-2
The maximum concentration in air below which it is believed nearly all individuals could
be exposed without experiencing other than mild transient adverse health effects or
perceiving a clearly defined objectionable odor.
The maximum concentration in air below which it is believed nearly all individuals could
be exposed without experiencing or developing irreversible or other serious health effects
or symptoms that could impair their abilities to take protective action;
1.3-11 January 24, 2003