Role of the Statistician in the Decommissioning of the New Brunswick Laboratory and Other Nuclear Facilities

摘要

This report examines what the statistician can contribute to decommissioning operations, with particular emphasis on the New Brunswick Laboratory (NBL) currently scheduled for decommissioning beginning in FY81. In the opinion of the author, a professional statistician should be a full member of the planning team directing decommissioning operations at the New Brunswick Laboratory. This opinion is based in part on the familiarity with the valuable contributions made by statisticians toward the cleanup of transuranics in soil on the Enewetak Atoll. More generally, however, the professional statistician can help plan the decommissioning effort to help ensure that representative data are obtained, analyzed and, interpreted in appropriate ways so that RA decisions can be made with the required confidence. The statistician's contributions at the NBL could include providing guidance on the number and location of samples and in-situ measurements, analyzing and interpreting these data, designing a data management and documentation system, interfacing with the certification contractor's statistician, and assisting in writing documentation and final reports. In all cases, the statistician should work closely with the professional health physicist and others on the planning team in a closely coordinated effort of planning and data analysis. (ERA citation 08:009369)