Radiation Protection Standards and Safety Programs - Chapter 10

Effective Dose (EfD)

Amount of absorbed dose, radiation weighting factor, and tissue weighting factor

Equivalent Dose (EqD)

Product of absorbed dose and radiation weighting factor

Effective Dose Limiting System

Method for assessing radiation exposure and associated risk of biologic damage to radiation workers and general public

International Commission on Radiation Protection (ICRP)

International authority on safe use of ionizing radiation, guides safe ionizing radiation use, and makes recommendations for occupational dose limits and public dose limits

National Council on Radiation Protection (NRCP)

Incorporates ICRP recommendations into US criteria.

United Nations Scientific Committee (UNSCEAR)

Evaluates human and environmental ionizing radiation exposures from a variety of sources develops guidelines and

uses data and research conclusions to develop radiation risk assessments for radiation-induced cancer and genetic effects

NAS/NRC-BEIR

Reviews studies on biologic effects of ionizing radiation.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

Controls atomic energy use and enforces standards and oversees the nuclear energy industry

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Responsible for protecting the health of humans and for safeguarding the natural environment from industrial practices and harmful waste disposal

US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Conducts ongoing product radiation control program, regulates the design and manufacturing of electronic products including x-ray equipment and conducts onsite inspections of mammography units

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

Monitors workplace hazards and employee safety.

Radiation Safety Program

Mandated program for imaging service facilities that include a committee and an RSO

Radiation Safety Officer (RSO)

Oversees radiation safety program and compliance.

Tissue Reactions/Deterministic

Biologic effects observed shortly after radiation exposure, occurs above a certain threshold dose and the severity of biologic damage increases with radiation dose

Stochastic Effects

Randomly occurring effects observed years after exposure and any dose is capable of causing biologic damage (no safe dose)

Effective Dose Limit (EDL)

Upper-boundary dose of ionizing radiation that results in a negligible risk of bodily injury and hereditary damage

Workers age x 10 mSv (1 rem)

Cumulative effective dose limit

50 mSv or 5 rem for radiation workers.

Annual occupational effective dose limit

150 mSv or 15 rem annual exposure limit.

Annual lens of eye limit

500 mSv or 50 rem annual exposure limit

Annual skin/extremities limit

Pregnant Workers Limit

0.5 mSv/month during pregnancy.

1 mSv or 0.1 rem annual limit

Annual effective dose limit - frequent exposure

5 mSv or 0.5 rem annual limit.

Annual effective dose limit - infrequent exposure

1 mSv/year for students in training

Limits for education and training

0.01 mSv/year or 1 mrem/year limit.

Negligible Individual Dose Limit

0.5 mSv (.05 rem)/month

5 mSv (0.5 rem) for the entire pregnancy (after declaration)

Limits for Pregnant Radiation Workers

Mastered (7)

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