In
the course of their work, some individuals may receive exposure above background
levels. The Department of Energy (DOE) carefully monitors these levels at
all of its facilities and sets limits for acceptable doses.2 The DOE annual dose limits for occupational radiation exposure at
National Labs are shown in Table 1. These limits are in addition to the average
background dose of 200 mrem/yr and do not include medical exposure.
Table
1. National Labs Annual Occupational Dose Limits. |
Group |
Dose
limit (mrem/yr) |
 |
Radiological worker |
5000
|
Embryo-fetus
of a worker |
500
|
Minors,
members of the public, and general employees*
|
100
|
 |
*The
internal guideline for general employees is more restrictive than
the DOE limit. |
 |
 |
|
Figure
2. Occupational Radiation Doses Received by National Labs Personnel
in 1998. |
|
|
National Labs strive to keep radiation doses to workers, the public,
and the environment as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) below the annual
dose limits set by the Department of Energy (Table 1 above). As Figure 2
shows, National Labs have been very successful in keeping radiation exposures
ALARA. In 1998, 96 percent of all personnel monitored received no occupational
radiation exposure. This exposure distribution is typical at Laboratories.
For a perspective, Table 2 shows the average doses received by workers in
other occupations.
Table
2. Average Annual Occupational Radiation. |
Occupation |
Dose
(mrem/yr) |
 |
Airline
flight crew member |
~500 |
Nuclear
power plant worker |
310 |
Medical
personnel
|
70
|
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