September 2008

The DOE Office of Emergency Management (OEM) has issued the following Emergency Management Update relating to the release of Revision 24 of the Protective Action Criteria Database. Using the Emergency Management Issues Special Interest Group (EMI SIG) Listserv, OEM periodically sends updates related to emergency management topics of interest.

Previous issues of updates are available on the EMI SIG website and on the Subcommittee on Consequence Assessment and Protective Action (SCAPA) page. Usually, in cases where the subject requires more than one page of discussion, the update includes a summary discussion and links are provided for more detail.

Release of Revision 24 of the Protective Action Criteria (PAC) Database

Revision 24 to the PAC Database has been released. The database documents PAC values in use in DOE/NNSA emergency management and safety analysis programs. Rev. 24 of the database is the most up-to-date listing of PAC values. Specifically, the changes to the database documented in Rev. 24 include:

  • The addition of PAC values for forty new chemicals, giving a total of 3356 chemicals for which PAC values are available.
  • Additional columns added to the database for dates of significance:
    • Date PAC values originally developed,
    • Date values last reviewed, and
    • Date values last revised.
  • Dates added in these columns through September 1997, and most recently added chemicals. Remaining dates will be added in future revisions.
  • Additional columns added for:
    • Lower Explosive Limit in ppm,
    • Source data used for PAC/TEEL value development, and
    • NFPA and HHR values.
  • All AEGL values entered through June 2008.
  • All ERPG values entered through April 2008.
  • Format changes where needed for AEGL and ERPG values:
    • AEGL values are identified by 12 pt. bold text,
    • ERPG values are identified by 10 pt. bold text, and
    • All other values (TEELs) are identified by 10 pt. text.
  • Additional new notations for many chemicals.
  • Some values changed as a result of comments sent to the TAG by people in the field.

Rev. 24 can now be found on the SCAPA web site at http://orise.orau.gov/emi/scapa/, on the searchable database at http://www.atlintl.com/DOE/teels/teel/search.html, or on the Department of Energy, Chemical Safety Program, Chemical Safety web page at http://www.hss.energy.gov/HealthSafety/WSHP/chem_safety/teel.html.