THE 1ST YEARS OF THE ATOMIC-ENERGY-COMMISSION NEW-YORK OPERATIONS OFFICE HEALTH-AND-SAFETY-LABORATORY

The Health and Safety Laboratory (HASL) of the Atomic Energy Commissio n has provided much of the data on exposure assessment in uranium cont ractor facilities and on fallout radionuclides in the environment The research performed in the beryllium industry 1947-1949 led to establis hment of the protection standards that exist to this day. This laborat ory was formed in 1947, as part of the Medical Division of the New Yor k Operations Office, directed by B.S. Wolf. HASL was directed initiall y by Merril Eisenbud and subsequently by S. Allen Lough and John Harle y. The history of the Laboratory is traced from its beginning, and the projects described that led to HASL's reputation as a trouble-shootin g arm of the Atomic Energy Commission.