ARCHIVE: e-Digest Statistics about: Radioactivity

Artificial Sources of Radiation

Occupational

The value given in the table 'Exposure of the population from all sources of radiation' for occupational exposure is the collective dose received by radiation workers averaged over the total UK population. The legal dose limit for adult whole-body exposure is currently 20 mSv/year, but in 1997 the average annual dose for occupationally exposed workers was 1.6 mSv with very few workers receiving doses exceeding 15 mSv. There has been a definite and sustained downwards trend in doses since 1986, for example, the average annual dose in the nuclear industry was around 0.6 mSv in 1997, compared with 2 mSv to 3 mSv in the 1980s [1], [13].

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has a national database of occupational exposure. Approved Dosimetry Services supply annually to the database summaries of radiation doses recorded for employees designated as classified persons in Great Britain [14]. Statistical summaries are published annually and analyses of trends have been published for the periods 1986 to 1991 [15] and 1990 to 1996 [16]. In general, the data demonstrate a sustained reduction in doses since 1986.

Further Information:
Key Facts:
Sources
Artificial sources
Occupational radiation
Medical
Fallout
Products
Direct shine
Discharges
Data Tables:
No Title Download
file type
1 Exposure of the population from all sources of radiation
References, further reading and links to other resources:
[1] Hughes, J S, National Radiological Protection Board (1999). Ionising Radiation Exposure of the UK Population: 1999 Review, NRPB-R311. TSO.
[13] Hughes, J S, National Radiological Protection Board (1996). Trends in occupational exposure within the UK civil nuclear industry. Nuclear Energy, Vol 35 No 4. NRPB.
[14] Health and Safety Executive (2002). Central Index of Dose Information - Summary of Statistics for 2001. HSE Unit HDB6.
[15] Health and Safety Executive (1991). Occupational exposure to ionising radiation 1986-1991. Analysis of doses reported to the Health and Safety Executive's Central Index of Dose Information. HSE TD4.
[16] Health and Safety Executive (1998). Occupational exposure to ionising radiation 1990-1996. Analysis of doses reported to the Health and Safety Executive's Central Index of Dose Information. HSE TD4
Health and Safety Executive: information on radiation doses
Internet Links:
National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB)
National Dose Assessments Working Group (NDAWG)

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Page last modified: 16 September 2003
Page published: 10 September 2003