Approaches to acceptable risk

Conference · Wed Apr 30 04:00:00 EDT 1997

OSTI ID:617745

Whipple, C

Several alternative approaches to address the question {open_quotes}How safe is safe enough?{close_quotes} are reviewed and an attempt is made to apply the reasoning behind these approaches to the issue of acceptability of radiation exposures received in space. The approaches to the issue of the acceptability of technological risk described here are primarily analytical, and are drawn from examples in the management of environmental health risks. These include risk-based approaches, in which specific quantitative risk targets determine the acceptability of an activity, and cost-benefit and decision analysis, which generally focus on the estimation and evaluation of risks, benefits and costs, in a framework that balances these factors against each other. These analytical methods tend by their quantitative nature to emphasize the magnitude of risks, costs and alternatives, and to downplay other factors, especially those that are not easily expressed in quantitative terms, that affect acceptance or rejection of risk. Such other factors include the issues of risk perceptions and how and by whom risk decisions are made.

• Research Organization: National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements, Bethesda, MD (United States)
• OSTI ID: 617745
• Report Number(s): CONF-960562--; ON: TI97006904
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

56 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
APPLIED STUDIES
ASTRONAUTS
CALCULATION METHODS
RADIATION DOSES
RISK ASSESSMENT
SAFETY
SPACE FLIGHT