Viral Video About Body Scanners

A video is making its way around the interwebs this morning from some guy claiming he figured out a way to beat our body scanners (imaging technology).

I watched the video and it is a crude attempt to allegedly show how to circumvent TSA screening procedures.

For obvious security reasons, we can’t discuss our technology's detection capability in detail, however TSA conducts extensive testing of all screening technologies in the laboratory and at airports prior to rolling them out to the entire field. Imaging technology has been extremely effective in the field and has found things artfully concealed on passengers as large as a gun or nonmetallic weapons, on down to a tiny pill or tiny baggies of drugs. It’s one of the best tools available to detect metallic and non-metallic items, such as… you know… things that go BOOM.

With all that said, it is one layer of our 20 layers of security (Behavior Detection, Explosives Detection Canines, Federal Air Marshals, , etc.) and is not a machine that has all the tools we need in one handy device. We’ve never claimed it’s the end all be all.

However, our nation's aviation system is much safer now with the deployment of 600 imaging technology units at 140 airports. It is completely safe and the vast majority use a generic image that completely addresses privacy concerns. Also, keep in mind that is optional. Anybody can opt out of the body scanner for a pat-down. 

Blogger Bob Burns
TSA Blog Team    

If you’d like to comment on an unrelated topic you can do so in our Off Topic Comments post. You can also view our blog post archives or search our blog to find a related topic to comment in. If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact a Customer Support Manager at the airport you traveled, or will be traveling through by using Talk to TSA. 

TSA Officers Focus on Security, not Good Looks

The internet is abuzz with posts, tweets and news articles regarding allegations that TSA officers required a passenger to go through a body scanner multiple times because she was attractive.

First, I want to reassure all passengers that TSA does not profile passengers.   

Second, I’m pleased to inform all concerned parties that every single one of our millimeter wave units in the field, including those at Dallas/Ft. Worth (DFW airport), have been equipped for quite some time with privacy software that no longer displays a specific image of the person being screened.

The monitor is mounted on the scanner itself, and here’s what both the passenger and officer see:

That’s it. In fact, if there are no alarms, a green screen with “OK” is all that’s displayed. There is no longer a need for an officer to review images in a remote location because there are no longer any privacy concerns with the image. 

Even when we did review the images in a remote room, they looked more like fuzzy photo negatives than the images that some make them out to be. Furthermore, it’s not TSA’s policy to scan passengers multiple times. 

We have no record of the passenger filing a complaint when this allegedly occurred more than six months ago. Had it been reported to TSA at that time, we could have reviewed CCTV and interviewed the officers. We were instead notified about these allegations by the media more than six months after the alleged incident. 

In situations such as these, passengers should use Talk to TSA to contact a customer support manager at the airport they traveled through. Passengers can also call our contact center. We want to hear from you, good or bad. We take your feedback seriously and will use the details you provide to look into your concerns. 

Our backscatter units (another type of body scanner) will eventually use the same software and still required the need of an officer in a remote private location to view the images. That officer never sees the passenger, just their image. In case you’re wondering, DFW only has millimeter wave units.

When it all comes down to it, our officers are focusing on keeping passengers safe, not their good looks.

Blogger Bob Burns  
TSA Blog Team 

If you’d like to comment on an unrelated topic you can do so in our Off Topic Comments post. You can also view our blog post archives or search our blog to find a related topic to comment in. If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact a Customer Support Manager at the airport you traveled, or will be traveling through by using Talk to TSA.

Passengers who Refuse Screening are Denied Access to the Secure Area

Earlier today, Senator Rand Paul raised some questions about the screening process after going through one of TSA’s millimeter wave body scanners that use automated target recognition (ATR) technology. The ATR software displays the same generic image for all passengers to further protect passenger's privacy.

The benefit of automated target recognition is that when a passenger alarms, the officer can look at the generic image to see where the alarm is and then do a targeted pat down to clear the area. For example, if the alarm shows that something might be in your cargo pocket, the officer will pat down the area around your pocket to determine what caused the alarm. 

When a passenger or bag alarms in screening technology at a TSA checkpoint, the alarm has to be resolved before the passenger can enter the secure area past the checkpoint. Passengers who refuse to complete the screening process can’t be granted access to the secure area. TSA notifies law enforcement when this happens, and law enforcement officers can escort them out of the checkpoint. This isn’t done to punish the passenger– it’s done to ensure that every person who gets on a plane is screened appropriately. 

Blogger Bob Burns 
TSA Blog Team

If you’d like to comment on an unrelated topic you can do so in our Off Topic Comments post. You can also view our blog post archives or search our blog to find a related topic to comment in. If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact a Customer Support Manager at the airport you traveled, or will be traveling through by using Talk to TSA.

The Truth About TSA Testing Technology for Radiation

Unfortunately, yesterday’s LA Times story missed the mark and you may have seen a few additional inaccurate stories in the news claiming that TSA was buying equipment to test for radiation exposure. Truth is, we continuously test all of the technology we use and post the results to our website for all to see.

Why the confusion you might ask? TSA routinely puts out Requests for Information (RFI) that are basically market research, asking industry to tell us what else is out there. In this case, TSA put out an RFI to gather information on available tools to continue to monitor our technologies. This is simply designed to ask industry what new technology might be available.

Testing our equipment and exposure to employees is not new. TSA routinely monitors radiation levels to ensure the safety of both passengers and our workforce. We've never found any radiation concerns and the safety reports can be accessed publicly at TSA.gov. TSA made a commitment to post new reports as they're completed to our website so passengers can see for themselves that the machines are meeting safety standards.

Based on all of our previous testing, as well as monitoring from independent sources, we’re confident that all of our equipment meets national safety standards, and is safe for all passengers and our workforce.

As far as another backscatter (body scanner) test is concerned, TSA is committed to working with Congress to explore options for an additional study to further prove these machines are safe. All tests so far, have shown they are well within the national safety standards and each scan is equivalent to the exposure one receives during approximately 2 min of flight.  

Blogger Bob Burns

TSA Blog Team 

If you’d like to comment on an unrelated topic you can do so in our Off Topic Comments post. You can also view our blog post archives or search our blog to find a related topic to comment in. If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact a Customer Support Manager at the airport you traveled, or will be traveling through by using Talk to TSA.

Loaded .380 Found Strapped To Passenger’s Ankle at DTW With Body Scanner

Saturday at DTW, a loaded .380 pistol was found strapped to the ankle of a 76-year-old man. We’ve found over 1,100 firearms this year, but what makes this one stand out from the rest is that it wasn’t found in a bag, it was found strapped to a passenger’s ankle with one of our body scanners. It’s just more proof that this technology can and will find dangerous items.

After reading comments around the web this morning, I noticed some comments stating that walk through metal detectors would have found this pistol and that they’re far less expensive than body scanners.  While that’s a true statement, the walk through metal detectors cannot detect non metallic items like explosives, which are the greatest threat to aviation today. Body scanners are far more versatile and can find both metallic and non metallic concealed dangerous items. Hundreds of dangerous, prohibited, and illegal items have been found with the scanners since January 2010. 

You can travel with your firearms in checked baggage, but they must first be declared to the airline. You can go here for more details on how to properly travel with your firearms. 

Great job DTW! 

Blogger Bob Burns

TSA Blog Team 

If you’d like to comment on an unrelated topic you can do so in our Off Topic Comments post. You can also view our blog post archives or search our blog to find a related topic to comment in. If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact a Customer Support Manager at the airport you traveled, or will be traveling through by using Talk to TSA.

TSA Week In Review: Sword canes, razor blade chewing gum, and a little splash of EVOO

Display of Prohibited Items Found at EWR

Note *** The Week In Review normally lists info from Friday through Thursday. This week I won’t be including information for Thursday. Thursday’s report comes in on Friday morning and it’s a Federal Holiday. Also, I’ll be on vacation and will return on the 28th, so the next two Week In Review posts will be abridged versions.

In an odd turn of events at Orlando (MCO), a passenger who was told that her olive oil exceeded the size limit grabbed the bottle and began pouring it upon herself and our officer. I hear EVOO is good for the skin, but yeah… this is frowned upon. 

This week, our officers found not one, but two sword canes! One at Westchester (HPN) and the other at Sarasota (SRQ). These are considered artfully concealed items, but to be fare, most passengers are shocked when we show them what was concealed in their cane. Many of the canes are hand-me-downs or they were purchased at a thrift or antique store.

At Los Angeles (LAX), an anomaly was found during screening with a body scanner. The passenger stated he had burns on the inside of his leg, so the anomaly could not be cleared and the passenger was denied access to the sterile area. Law enforcement responded and the passenger later admitted that the anomaly was marijuana. We’re not looking for drugs, but we had no idea what was concealed on the passenger until he confessed. It could have easily been explosives.

Here is how a situation played out at Houston Intercontinental (IAH).

        Passenger: I have a bomb in my bag.
        Officer: What did you say?
        Passenger: I have a bomb in my bag.
        Officer: [Looking Alarmed]
        Passenger: I’m just kidding.

After this was all said and done, the passenger was allowed to rebook, but not with his original airline. He caused his original flight to be delayed by 42-minutes affecting 224 passengers.

After being told he could not take his snow globe on the flight, a passenger at Reno (RNO) thought it best to begin shouting “I am going to blow up the plane and I know how to do it.” For the record, snow globes are prohibited because the liquid is sealed inside the globe and we have no way of screening the liquid without destroying the globe. Also, shouting that you’re going to blow up a plane is never a good thing. 

Notable News This Week: The TSA Pre✓™  pilot expanded to three more airports. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX),  Las Vegas - McCarran International Airport (LAS), and Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP). 

Firearm components, replica firearms, ammunition, unloaded firearms, a bb gun, stun guns, a belt buckle knife, brass knuckles, a brass knuckles belt buckle, a 6” knife, a collapsible baton, a 4” switchblade, and a butterfly knife, were among some of the dangerous items found around the nation by our officers in passenger’s carry-on bags this past week. And believe it or not, not one grenade turned up this week.

Unfortunately these sorts of occurrences are all too frequent which is why we talk about these finds. Sure, it’s great to share the things that our officers are finding, but at the same time, each time we find a dangerous item, the throughput is slowed down and a passenger that likely had no ill intent ends up with a citation or in some cases is even arrested. On the other hand, there are artfully concealed items. 

Artfully Concealed Items: Artfully concealed means that the item was intentionally concealed with the intention of sneaking it through security:

• A razorblade was found concealed inside a pack of chewing gum at Indianapolis (IND). Something tells me that’s not so hot for your gums.
• A brass knuckle belt buckle was found at New York LaGuardia (LGA).
• A knife with a 4 ½” blade was found concealed in the lining of a bag at Midway (MDW).

Our officers found 24 loaded firearms in carry-on baggage since I posted last Friday. (Not counting the unloaded and replica ones we found). Here’s a rundown of the loaded weapons we kept off of airplanes this week:

• 11-4: TSA Officer at  IAH detects a loaded  9mm pistol with a round in the chamber.
• 11-4: TSA Officer at  CVG detects a loaded  .38 pistol.
• 11-5: TSA Officer at  MOB detects a loaded  .22 pistol with a round in the chamber.
• 11-5: TSA Officer at  OKC detects a loaded  .40 pistol.
• 11-5: TSA Officer at  SGF detects a loaded .38 pistol.
• 11-6: TSA Officer at  IAH detects a loaded  .40 pistol with a round in the chamber.
• 11-6: TSA Officer at  STL detects a loaded  .40 pistol with a round in the chamber.
• 11-7: TSA Officer at  BZN detects a loaded  .45 pistol.
• 11-7: TSA Officer at  ATL detects a loaded  .380 pistol.
• 11-7: TSA Officer at  DFW detects a loaded  9mm pistol.
• 11-8: TSA Officer at  PIT detects a loaded  .38 pistol.
• 11-8: TSA Officer at  OMA detects a loaded  .380 pistol with a round in the chamber.
• 11-8: TSA Officer at  RDM detects a loaded  9mm pistol.
• 11-8: TSA Officer at  STL detects a loaded  .380 pistol.
• 11-8: TSA Officer at  DEN detects a loaded  .380 pistol with a round in the chamber.
• 11-8: TSA Officer at  MEM detects a loaded  .22 pistol.
• 11-8: TSA Officer at  LIT detects a loaded  .25 pistol with a round in the chamber.
• 11-9: TSA Officer at  DEN detects a loaded  pistol of unknown caliber.
• 11-9: TSA Officer at  ELP detects a loaded  .32 pistol.
• 11-9: TSA Officer at  SMF detects a loaded .22 pistol.
• 11-9: TSA Officer at  MIA detects a loaded  9mm pistol.
• 11-9: TSA Officer at  FLL detects a loaded  .45 pistol.
• 11-9: TSA Officer at  ATL detects a loaded  .40 pistol with a round in the chamber.
• 11-9: TSA Officer at  LAX detects a loaded .45 pistol with a round in the chamber.
• 11-10: No Data for Thursday due to federal holiday. (Thursday’s report comes in on Friday mornings.)

You can travel with your firearms in checked baggage, but they must first be declared to the airline. You can go here for more details on how to properly travel with your firearms. 

Body Scanner Finds: We’re not looking for drugs, but that’s normally what we find with the scanners. We don’t know what the anomalies are until we conduct a pat-down and they could very well be dangerous items.

• Vial of cocaine discovered in right front pocket. Sacramento (SMF)
• Marijuana was detected in the shorts pocket of passenger. Atlanta (ATL)
• Cocaine found in the right front pocket of passenger. Sacramento (SMF)
• Marijuana detected in the left, rear pants pocket of passenger. San Francisco (SFO)
• Marijuana detected in the right, front pants pocket of passenger. San Diego (SAN)
• Marijuana detected in the right, upper leg area of passenger. Los Angeles (LAX)

Display of Prohibited Items Found At ACY

Just because we find a prohibited item on an individual does not mean they had bad intentions, that's for the law enforcement officer to decide. In many cases, people simply forgot they had these items in their bag. That’s why it’s important to check your bags before you leave.

We also look for explosives and bomb components as well, but thankfully those are extremely rare and we're happy to keep it that way.

Blogger Bob Burns

TSA Blog Team

If you’d like to comment on an unrelated topic you can do so in our Off Topic Comments post. You can also view our blog post archives or search our blog to find a related topic to comment in. If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact a Customer Support Manager at the airport you traveled, or will be traveling through by using Talk to TSA.

In Case You Were Wondering, Our Backscatter Imaging Technology Is Still Safe

The safety of our Backscatter Advanced Imaging Technology is being called in to question again. As I’ve done before on this topic, I’m going to simply provide a bulleted list of facts and links. Also, if you haven’t heard yet, TSA Administrator John S. Pistole told Congress last week that we’re going to have another independent safety study on our Backscatter imaging technology.

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab (APL) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s Center of Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) both verified that the advanced imaging technology (AIT) equipment TSA purchased and deployed emits radiation at rates much lower than the limits set in the national radiation safety standard for all members of the traveling public and all TSA employees.  

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab assessment included several recommendations to continue to ensure the highest standard of safety and health. TSA has successfully completed each recommendation.  
A backscatter scan is equivalent to amount of naturally occurring radiation received during two minutes of flying at altitude.  

In addition to these independent studies validating the safety of imaging technology, TSA also conducts site acceptance testing of AIT units upon installation in airports to ensure each individual AIT unit meets safety standards.  Once installed, preventive maintenance is regularly performed by qualified personnel.  

Certified health physicists from the U.S. Army Public Health Command are also performing additional radiation safety surveys to ensure continued compliance with radiation safety standards.  

In early 2011, TSA posted radiation surveys for every backscatter imaging technology unit deployed in U.S. airports. The reports confirm that every backscatter unit currently used for passenger screening in U.S. airports is operating well within applicable national safety standards.  

TSAposts reports for all radiation tests, including the annual TSA-mandated testof every X-ray based technology, on TSA’s website as they are completed.  

Accordingto CBS News, MIT’s leading radiation safety experts and experts from the HealthPhysics Society, drinking three glasses of water a day for a year might giveyou a cumulative exposure of about 0.045 millirems, that's at least five timesmore than the dose from an airport scanner and well beneath the 10,000 milliremline where there is danger. According to Francis Marre, former director ofradiation safety at MIT, “There is no known risk” from being scanned.  

SanFrancisco Weekly story on backscatter technology.  

HealthPhysics Society’s FAQ: “ Safety for Security Screening Using Devices ThatExpose Individuals to Ionizing Radiation.  

FDA FAQ page: “Products for Security Screening of People”.  

SFWeekly article featuring leading radiologists refuting safety claims by UCSFprofessors.  

National standard for one backscatter scan: 0.025 millirem (two and a half one-hundreths of a millirem) per scan.  

TSA’s backscatter systems maximum possible radiation emission: 0.005 millirem (five one-thousandths of a millirem) scan.  

TSA’s backscatter systems actual emission: generally less than 0.0025 millirem (two and a half one-thousandths of a millirem) per scan.  

Advanced imaging technology screening is safe for passengers, including pregnant women and children. One backscatter technology scan produces the same exposure as approximately two minutes of flying on an airplane. Advanced imaging technology is optional for all passengers.

Blogger Bob Burns  

TSA Blog Team

If you’d like to comment on an unrelated topic you can do so in our Off Topic Comments post. You can also view our blog post archives or search our blog to find a related topic to comment in. If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact a Customer Support Manager at the airport you traveled, or will be traveling through by using Talk to TSA.

 

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TSA In The Tabloids

Every morning I take a glance to see what's bubbling up to the surface in the blogosphere. I saw where we had made the tabloids in two different stories. In both examples, I noticed I could use these stories to clarify a couple of things with travelers. Nothing major, but good to know. Read on…

Story #1: Kris Humphries Wedding Ring DISASTER Averted  - In this story, the TMZ reporter talks about how Kim Kardashian’s husband had to take off his wedding ring prior to walking through the walk through metal detector and dropped it on the ground. This near disaster could have been averted. Passengers do not have to remove jewelry. Our officers can advise you as to what might be making you alarm the detector, but it’s up to you whether or not you remove your rings, watches, necklaces, etc.

Story #2: So what does the scan show? Jessica Simpson goes through airport security after keeping mum on pregnancy rumours - In this story, the Daily Mail reporter is assuming we can see through an individual and know whether they’re pregnant or not with our Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT). While some might assume this, it’s just not the case. We have two types of imaging technology. Millimeter Wave and Backscatter. Neither are strong enough to see through the body.  Millimeter wave: This past summer, we rolled out new software on all of our millimeter wave units so that all we see on these units is a generic outline of a person. And that’s only if the machine detects an anomaly. Backscatter technology: We currently see this type of image when using backscatter technology. My apologies to tabloid readers everywhere, but TSA can’t answer this one for you. You’ll have to ask Jessica.

For more travel information, be sure to visit our “For Travelers” section at TSA.gov. I regret to inform you that you won’t find any tabloid news on our web page.

Blogger Bob

TSA Blog Team 


If you’d like to comment on an unrelated topic you can do so in our Off Topic Comments post. You can also view our blog post archives or search our blog to find a related topic to comment in. If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact a Customer Support Manager at the airport you traveled, or will be traveling through by using Talk to TSA.

Cancer Patient Screening At JFK: Treating Passengers with Dignity and Respect

We do our best to treat passengers with the dignity and respect they deserve, but in Lori Dorn’s case, it looks like we missed our mark. We sincerely regret and apologize for the experience Mrs. Dorn had at JFK. The Federal Security Director for JFK has personally reached out to learn more about what happened so he can help ensure that she and others will have better travel experiences in the future. While security is our primary mission, he apologized to Mrs. Dorn for not delivering the customer respect he wants all passengers flying through JFK to experience and offered to meet her the next time she flies through this airport.

 

I want to take this opportunity to clarify a few things about the screening process.

Medical cards, whether from a physician or TSA, do not exempt you from screening. They're a great way for passengers to discreetly let us know about a medical situation or disability they have. This is very helpful for the passenger and our officers because it lets us know how to better screen the passenger. Passengers may present these cards at the checkpoint to our officers. In this case, our officers should have allowed the passenger to present her card and been more empathetic to her situation while completing the screening process. Passengers who would like to create their own card can go here.

Private screening can be requested by any passenger for any reason and in situations such as this one, our officers should offer it.

If advanced imaging technology detects an anomaly that cannot be cleared, secondary screening is required to ensure the passenger does not have threat items, such as explosives concealed under clothing. We sincerely regret any instance such as this one when a passenger does not have a positive experience.

TSA has just rolled out an in-service technical training course focused on screening prosthetics. This curriculum focuses on all types of prosthetics and the requirements of the standard operating procedures related to the screening of Persons with Disabilities and Medical Conditions. It is a four part curriculum with one of the modules focusing on different scenarios and the decision making (critical thinking) process and the outcomes of the decision made by the officer. The training should be complete nationwide in a little over a year.

 

TSA works with numerous groups including breast cancer organizations to continuously refine and enhance our procedures to improve the passenger experience while also ensuring the safety of the traveling public.

Blogger Bob
TSA Blog Team 

If you’d like to comment on an unrelated topic you can do so in our Off Topic Comments post. You can also view our blog post archives or search our blog to find a related topic to comment in. If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact a Customer Support Manager at the airport you traveled, or will be traveling through by using Talk to TSA.

Tenth Anniversary Report Card on 9/11 Commission Recommendations

I blogged recently on how far TSA has come and what we’ve done to meet the 9/11 Commission’s recommendations. If you haven’t read that post, take a few moments to review it and you’ll see just how much we’ve accomplished in all areas of aviation security.

New Technology, In-Flight Security, 100% Screening, Professionalized Workforce, Information Sharing and Detection…

There is no doubt that aviation security is safer than it was on 9/11. You’ll never eliminate the threats though… They’ll continue to evolve, and we are equipped to evolve with them.

A Bipartisan Policy Center report released yesterday somewhat echoes what I said in my post and cites specific TSA successes in the areas of information sharing, pre-screening and matching all passengers against government terrorist watch lists to keep travel secure.

In addition, TSA has made significant enhancements to improve technology and to protect passenger privacy. What we do have is a solid lineup of state of the art world class security technology that when used in conjunction with constantly improving processes and a well-trained staff, provides a safe and solid layer of security at our airports.  In fact, TSA has certified 10 Explosive Detection Systems and is a global leader in setting the standards for technology that safely screens passengers, luggage and air cargo. Advanced imaging technology (AIT), intelligence, behavioral detection officers, canine teams, and federal air marshals are also key parts of our layered approach. And with the adoption of automated target recognition software for AIT screening devices, we continue to improve passenger privacy.

Alone, each layer enhances security. Together, they provide a formidable defense that detects threats and deters potential attackers to keep the traveling public safe. And we’re always testing new technologies and procedures to enable us to evolve with the threats while improving passenger security and privacy.

Blogger Bob

TSA Blog Team

If you’d like to comment on an unrelated topic you can do so in our Off Topic Comments post. You can also view our blog post archives or search our blog to find a related topic to comment in. If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact a Customer Support Manager at the airport you traveled, or will be traveling through by using Talk to TSA.

TSA Takes Further Steps to Enhance Passenger Privacy on Millimeter Wave Machines Nationwide

Back in February, I posted about how we had begun testing Automated Target Recognition (ATR) software for millimeter wave Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT).  The testing started at the Transportation Security Lab (TSL) back in the fall of 2010, and after piloting the software in the field (ATL, DCA, and LAS) we’re ready to start rolling it out!

Over the next few months, the software will be installed on every millimeter wave imaging technology unit in the field.  Future millimeter wave units will come with the new software already installed.  There are currently nearly 500 AIT units in the field (both backscatter and millimeter wave), and there are plans to roll out even more later this year. As far as backscatter units, there are plans to test similar software in the fall.

If you’re not familiar with ATR, it works with our imaging technology (Body Scanners) and eliminates passenger-specific images and replaces them with the generic outline of a person.  Here’s how it works: You step into the AIT machine and the new software will auto-detect potential threats and show their location. The image is on a monitor that is attached to the AIT unit in public view. Because this eliminates privacy concerns, we no longer have to place an officer in a separate room to view the images. 

Alarm image:

If there is no alarm, the following is displayed:

We are always looking for new technology and procedures that will both enhance security while strengthening privacy protections. That’s why we worked with the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Science & Technology Directorate (S&T) and private industry to develop the software. For more information about TSA and advanced imaging technology, visit www.tsa.gov/ait.

Blogger Bob

TSA Blog Team

If you’d like to comment on an unrelated topic you can do so in our Off Topic Comments post. You can also view our blog post archives or search our blog to find a related topic to comment in. If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact a Customer Support Manager at the airport you traveled, or will be traveling through by using Talk to TSA. 

TSA Cancer Cluster Myth Buster

This is old news, but it’s back in the news and since it’s such an important topic, we wanted to address it again to alleviate any concerns it might be causing.

Myth: There is a TSA employee cancer cluster at the Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) related to the backscatter body scanners.

Fact:  There is no relationship between any cancer diagnoses in Boston and the technology in the airport. (Based on a survey by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health). In fact, there were no body scanners at BOS when the complaints were filed.

I blogged about this back in May, but all of our X-ray technology (backscatter body scanners, and all baggage scanners) has been tested and retested and our scanners are operating safely. You can actually take a look at the reports and read about how we test the machines here. 

Common Questions: 

Q: Why aren’t your officers permitted to wear dosimeters? 

 

A: There is a really good reason for this. The emissions from our X-ray technology are well below the requirements that would require their routine usage. To  help reassure passengers and employees that the technology is safe, however, health physicists with the U.S. Army have been conducting area dosimeter surveys at multiple airports nationwide.

Q: Why doesn’t TSA allow third party testing for the backscatter technology?

A: We have. Independent third party testing and analyses of TSA backscatter technology have been conducted by the U.S. Army Public Health Command, the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL). They all came to the same conclusion by the way. It’s safe…

Blogger Bob

TSA Blog

If you’d like to comment on an unrelated topic you can do so in our Off Topic Comments post. You can also view our blog post archives or search our blog to find a related topic to comment in. If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact a Customer Support Manager at the airport you traveled, or will be traveling through by using Talk to TSA.

The Radiation Retest Results are In: Scanners Operating Safely

Remember how we told you in this post that there had been some errors in our reports and we were going to retest all of our AIT units to ensure they were screening at safe levels? Well, we’re done, and everything came back just fine. You can see all the reports here just as we promised. You can read a recent Reuters article on the subject and while you’re reading up on the subject, be sure to take a look at an article from the Archives of Internal Medicine, co-authored by a UCSF scientist concluding that there is no significant threat of radiation from the scans.

To put things in perspective, here are some sources of radiation you may not have been aware of: 

• One year of naturally occurring background radiation: 300 millirem 
• Annual recommended limit to the public of radiation from man-made sources: 100 millirem
• Chest X-ray: 10 millirem 
• Flight from New York to Los Angeles: 4 millirem 
• One day of natural background: approximately 1 millirem (corrected 3/16/11 20:56)
• Drinking three glasses of water a day for a year: 0.045 millirem
• One backscatter X-ray scan: Approximately 0.005 millirem 

Blogger Bob
TSA Blog Team

If you’d like to comment on an unrelated topic you can do so in our Off Topic Comments post. You can also view our blog post archives or search our blog to find a related topic to comment in. If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact a Customer Support Manager at the airport you traveled, or will be traveling through by using Talk to TSA.

 

Archives of Internal Medicine on TSA Backscatter: “There is no significant threat of radiation from the scans.”

It’s no secret that Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) has been a hot topic ever since we first wrote about in 2008. While we’ve posted many times on the subject, readers often want to hear from independent third parties to see what their take is. That’s understandable.  So, as we’ve  done in the past, we’re going to highlight another piece on backscatter safety from a third party.

This report comes to you from the Archives of Internal Medicine. In the report, they conclude that there is no significant risk from the radiation emitted during the scans. You can read the full report here:  

Airport Full-Body Screening: What Is the Risk?

Blogger Bob

TSA Blog Team

If you’d like to comment on an unrelated topic you can do so in our Off Topic Comments post. You can also view our blog post archives or search our blog to find a related topic to comment in. If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact a Customer Support Manager at the airport you traveled, or will be traveling through by using Talk to TSA.

 

TSA Scanner Levels 10x Higher Than Expected?

I recently posted about mistakes made in radiation testing reports. Since then, I’ve seen a lot of chatter on the web about how our advanced imaging technology (AIT) backscatter machines were operating at higher levels. While there were errors in the reporting, please rest assured that our body scanners were still screening well below national standards.

For those of you who like to get into the weeds, the “10x higher” issue stems from a field on the survey form that was not divided by 10 as the survey specified. So, the amount was incorrectly reported as 10x higher than it was supposed to be, not 10x higher than the requirement. So, how did we know the number in the third example was inaccurate? That’s an easy one. The machines are incapable of operating at those levels. They’re designed that way… Like the protection a circuit breaker provides to a home, the AIT machines contain safety systems that prevent the production of radiation levels in excess of federally established limits.

You can read the post I mentioned above about how we’re going to retest all of the machinery and post the results on a special section of our web page.

Blogger Bob

TSA Blog Team

If you’d like to comment on an unrelated topic you can do so in our Off Topic Comments post. You can also view our blog post archives or search our blog to find a related topic to comment in. If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact a Customer Support Manager at the airport you traveled, or will be traveling through by using Talk to TSA.