Assessment of the benefits and impacts in the U.S. Nuclear Power Industry of hypothesized lower occupational dose limits

Conference · Wed Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:54639

Andersen, R L; Schmitt, J F ^[1]

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1. Nuclear Energy Institute, Washington, DC (United States)

The International Commission on Radiological Protection and the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements have issued recommendations that would limit occupational exposure of individuals to doses lower than regulatory limits contained in the Nuclear Regulatory Commission`s 10 CFR Part 20, {open_quotes}Standards for Protection Against Radiation{close_quotes}. Because of this situation, there is interest in the potential benefits and impacts that would be associated with movement of the NRC regulatory limits toward the advisory bodies recommendations. The records of occupational worker doses in the U.S. commercial nuclear power industry show that the vast majority of these workers have doses that are significantly below the regulatory limit of 50 mSv (5 rem) per year. Some workers doses do approach the limits, however. This is most common in the case of specially skilled workers, especially those with skills utilized in support of plant outage work. Any consideration of the potential benefits and impacts of hypothesized lower dose limits must address these workers as an important input to the overall assessment. There are also, of course, many other areas in which the benefits and impacts must be evaluated. To prepare to provide valid, constructive input on this matter, the U.S. nuclear power industry is undertaking an assessment, facilitated by the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), of the potential benefits and impacts at its facilities associated with hypothesized lower occupational dose limits. Some preliminary results available to date from this assessment are provided.

• Research Organization: Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC (United States). Div. of Regulatory Applications; Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (United States)
• OSTI ID: 54639
• Report Number(s): NUREG/CP--0143; BNL-NUREG--52440; CONF-940505--; ON: TI95008770
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
ALARA
COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS
ICRP
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
RADIATION PROTECTION
RECOMMENDATIONS