Health Physics Questions and Answers - Question 142

Question 142:

(a) In compliance with 10 CFR 20.2104 (a) (2), what constitutes an acceptable attempt to obtain a record of the lifetime dose for a worker?

(b) Since there are no limits for lifetime doses (other than planned special exposures), and lifetime dose reports to workers are not required, why must licensees go to the expense of obtaining and recording these doses?

Answer:

(a) The licensee should request this information from the worker. Alternatively, the licensee also may request this information from the worker's most recent employer for work involving radiation exposure or the worker's current employer if the individual is not employed by the licensee. If this request is denied, the licensee need make no further efforts to obtain the information; however, the individual will not be available for a planned special exposure.

(b) As explained in the Statement of Considerations (56 FR 23383, 23384) the requirement to attempt to obtain the records of lifetime cumulative doses follows one of the provisions of the guidance to Federal agencies on occupational radiation protection. Also, as stated in SECY-88-315 (available in the NRC Public Document Room), the recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the revised Part 20 are consistent with implementing an NRC staff recommendation to establish a registry of radiation workers and their radiation doses. Such a registry will be of value in analyzing doses received by workers at several sites during the year, in tracking exposure trends, and will facilitate epidemiological studies of potential radiation-induced health effects.

(Reference: 10 CFR 20.2104)