Hello All,

I'm looking for so me advice on proceeding with a site that used Tungsten Rods with 1-2% Thori um in welding.  The question I have is would a site that has used thes e be safe, or is the material "dangerous enough" to warrant a full radiolog ical scan.  Details are given below:

One of the welding processes used at the facility used tungsten inert -gas (TIG) arc welding.  The tungsten rods used in the process contain ed 1-2% Thorium Oxide (aka as thoriated tungsten), which is radioactive.  The rods themselves are specifically except from NRC  regulations (classified as unimportant quantities of source material), however there wa s waste (dust) created by the process.  Dust from grinding and fu mes from welding likely deposited on surfaces and would likely have been pe riodically  swept out of the facility or washed out and discharged to the surface impoundment.  There may also be residual dust inside the b uilding.  If the welding process was vented, the gas and dust would ha ve been discharged into the air and then deposited on the ground.  

Craig Calvert< /P>