The next step in radiation protection: Controling risk rather than dose

Although the efforts of nuclear facilities and regulatory agencies in controlling, monitoring, and recording doses received by individual workers have resulted in a very small mean individual annual dose, the ultimate goal should be to control the risks from radiation doses rather than the doses themselves. This is desirable for two primary reasons: first, a specific radiation dose does not imply a specific level of risk; second, radiation doses cannot be compared directly to levels of other hazards. Controlling radiation doses may thus be overemphasized compared to other hazards that exist in the workplace. Using a modified version of the computer code RISKAP, it is demonstrated that the overall risks to workers would be reduced if risk limits rather than dose limits were promulgated. This approach could allow all occupational risks to be evaluated on the same basis and could indicate how resources should be allocated to achieve optimal reductions in overall risks. 14 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs.