Growth of the Female Professional in the Radiation Safety Department

Currently in Korea's Nuclear Power Plants (KHNP), the number of the female staffs has been increased as planned construction of new NPPs. However the role of the female staffs in NPPs is still limited as before. Because there is the prejudice which the operating and the maintenance work is unsuitable for female owing to the risk of the radiation exposure and the physical weakness. So female staffs mostly belong to the supporting departments. In particular, the proportion of the female staffs is significantly higher in the radiation safety department among those. The ratio is 15% and is twice higher, whereas the total percentage of the female workers in KHNP is 8%. In the past, the women staffs in the radiation safety department were usually charge of the non-technical duties like the radiation exposure dose management and the education for radiation workers. Although the ratio of the women about that is still higher, nowadays, the role of the female workers tends to diversify to technical supports like the radiation protection and the radioactive waste management while increased the proportion of female employees. This trend is expected to continue for many years to come. Thus, in Korea's NPPs, it is expected that many women will demonstrate their professionalism especially in the radiation safety department than any other departments. This presentation contains the detailed duty and trend about female staffs in the radiation safety department in Korea's NPPs. (author)