OPERATIONAL LIMITS

Dr. G. Chourasiya
Scientific Officer-G & Head
Medical Physics & Training Section
Radiological Physics & Advisory Division
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre
Radiobiological investigations
1. Survivors of atomic bomb explosions in
Hiroshima and Nagasaki,
2. Inhabitants of Marshall islands, who were
exposed to fallout from thermo-nuclear
devices,
3. Uranium miners,
4. Radium dial painters,
5. Pioneer X-ray technicians and radiologists,
6. Patients exposed to radiation for medical
reasons; and
7. Victims of nuclear accidents (Chernobyl,
Guiana in Brazil etc.)
 Objective of Protection from
Ionizing Radiation

To prevent following effects induced from

radiation by considering economic and social
factors

o deterministic effects
o minimize likelihood of stochastic effects
 International Commission on
Radiological Protection (ICRP)

• Established in 1928
• Modifies safety recommendations time to
time
• Radiobiological investigations on human
exposed
The first ICRP recommendations were issued in 1928 and were aimed at
the protection of medical staff against occupational exposure. General
recommendations have subsequently appeared in 1959 (Publication 1),
1964 (Publication 6), 1966 (Publication 9), 1977 (Publication 26) and
1991 (Publication 60).
Over the evolution of these recommendations, the annual dose limit
(whole body) has been reduced from 1000 mSv in 1928, to 500 mSv in
1934 (for medicine), then to 150 mSv in 1951, to 50 mSv and 5 mSv in
1956 (for worker and public, respectively). The public annual dose limit
was reduced to 1 mSv in 1985, where it remains today. The annual dose
limit for workers was reduced to 20 mSv in 1991, where it remains
today.
ICRP Publication 26 saw the first comprehensive quantification of
radiation risks for individual organs, which enabled the introduction of
tissue weighting factors and the development of what is now the
quantity effective dose. The recommendations focused on preventing
deterministic (then non-stochastic) effects and limiting stochastic
effects to acceptable levels.
The dose limits in the 1977 and 1991 recommendations were mainly
based on judgments on acceptable risk. A key assumption in the ICRP
philosophy is that stochastic effects exhibit a linear-no-threshold (LNT)
dose response. While accepting that this is inherently impossible to
prove at the lowest doses, the assumption of LNT (down to zero dose)
is still maintained since it facilitates a workable system of radiological
protection and is considered to be cautious. The LNT hypothesis
remains fundamental for averaging and summing up of doses, for the
concept of effective dose and for the system of dose record keeping.
The ICRP considers that LNT remains a pragmatic, realistic and
conservative tool for radiological protection.

The ICRP’s new recommendations are to some extent aimed at a

simplification of its advice and are an attempt to consolidate the
general principles described in ICRP Publication 60 (1991). Since 1991,
internationally accepted radiation risk estimates have not changed
substantially.
 ICRP
Recommendations on Radiation Protection in 1991
ICRP Publication No.60
Recommendations on Radiation Protection in 2007
ICRP Publication No.103

International Basic Safety

Standards for Protection against Ionizing Radiation and for the Safety
of Radiation Sources (BSS)

(WHO, ILO, IAEA, Etc.)

FUNDAMENTALS OF RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION
The ICRP continues to distinguish three categories of exposure:
occupational exposures, public exposures and medical exposures of
patients (and comforters, carers and volunteers in research). If a
female worker has declared that she is pregnant, additional controls
have to be considered in order to attain a level of protection for the
embryo/fetus broadly similar to that provided for members of the
public. One of the main changes in the new recommendations is a
shift from the use of ‘practices and interventions’ to the use of a
single approach for all situations and sources on the basis that there
is no fundamental difference in the two approaches. The new single
approach encompasses three exposure situations:

† planned exposure situation;

† emergency exposure situation;

† existing exposure situations.

Planned exposure situations, which are situations involving
the planned introduction and operation of sources. (This type
of exposure situation includes situations that were previously
categorised as practices.)

Emergency exposure situations, which are unexpected

situations such as those that may occur during the operation
of a planned situation, or from a malicious act, requiring
urgent attention.

Existing exposure situations, which are exposure situations

that already exist when a decision on control has to be taken,
such as those caused by natural background radiation.
Planned exposure situations encompass sources and situations that have
been considered within the ICRP’s previous recommendations for practices.
Protection during the medical uses of radiation is also included in this type of
exposure situation. Radiological protection in medicine includes the
protection not only of patients but also of individuals
exposed to radiation while caring for or comforting patients, and volunteers
involved in biomedical research. The protection of all of these
groups requires special consideration.

The three basic principles of radiation protection— justification, optimisation

and limitation—are maintained. The principle of optimisation of protection is
applicable in a similar way to all exposure situations, subject to the following
restrictions on individual doses and risks: dose and risk constraints for
planned exposure situations, and reference levels
for emergency and existing exposure situations. The recommendations
maintain the ICRP’s current individual dose limits for effective dose and
equivalent dose from all regulated sources in planned exposure situations.
PRINCIPLES OF RADIOLOGICAL
PROTECTION

Basic the principles of ICRP radiological

protection are

 Justification of Practice,
 Optimisation of Practice, and
 Dose Limitations
System of radiological protection based on
following principles:
A) No practice shall be adopted unless its
introduction produces a positive net
benefit (Justification)
B) All exposures shall be kept as low as
reasonably achievable (ALARA), economic
and social factors being taken into account
(Optimisation of protection)
C) Limit the individual dose
Exposure due to natural background radiation
and medical exposures excluded in arriving at
dose limits
 Justification of Practice

It is judged from the total detriment from

a proposed practice involving exposure
from ionising radiation

Total detriment < The expected benefit

OPTIMIZATION OF PROTECTION

Greater the level of protection:

Higher the degree of safety

But :
Involves expenditure and
Reduces ultimate value of practice
Research Applications

Amount of radioactivity

μCi to mCi

Radiations emitted

α, β, char. x-rays, gamma rays

Huge shielding and extreme protections
Provides great safety
But would achieve a small increase in
degree of safety
Increase in the expenditure.

Thus - recommended that protective measures

should be optimized

As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA)

This consideration should be followed in optimizing the level

of protection.
 Dose limits for occupational worker & public

Application Annual Dose Limit

Occupational Public
Effective dose 20 mSv per year, 1 mSv per year
averaged over a defined period or
of 5 years, with no more than 1mSv/year;
50 mSv in any single averaged over
year @ 5 years
Annual equiv. Dose
Individual Organs
Eye Lens 20 mSv 15 mSv
Skin 500 mSv* 50 mSv
Hands and feet 500 mSv** -
Equivalent dose
Pregnant Women 1 mSv/1/20 of the ALI

@
The limit prescribed by Atomic Energy Regulatory Board is 30mSv in a year
* Averaged over areas of no more than any 1 cm 2 regardless of the area exposed. The nominal depth is 7.0 mg cm -2.
** Averaged over areas of the skin not exceeding about 100 cm 2.
Exposure from other Radiation

• 238
U, 232Th & daughters
• Cosmic radiation
• 40
K, 14C
• Terrestrial Kerala BG
• Fall out
Every inhabitant of this planet receives an average
dose
= 2.4 mSv/y
~ 2 – 3 mSv/y

(87% contribution is from natural sources and only 13% is from man
made sources)

Terrestrial & Cosmic Exposure ~ 0.77 mSv/y

Annual dose limit is just 25 times of this exposure
 Special Category
• No occupational exposure is permitted
below the age of 18 yrs.
• For students and apprentices between 16
– 18 years of age
• Eff. Dose = 5 mSv
• Equi.dose = 50 mSv for skin
= 150 mSv for extremities
• Volunteers and comforters = 5 mSv
• Medical exposure = no limit (optimum)
Thanks