Considerations in factoring occupational dose into value-impact and cost-benefit analyses

An area of growing concern in recent years has been the apparent increase in levels of collective radiation dose to workers at nuclear power plants in the USA. NRC decisions and rulings related to in-service inspection, retrofits, and plant upgrades have been primarily intended to reduce the risk of public radiation exposure resulting from either routine release of radioactivity or potential accident situations. However, implementation of the required control measures and procedures can often result in increased levels of occupational radiation exposure. Recognizing the need to incorporate occupational dose into probabilistic risk assessments (PRA), value-impact, and cost-benefit analyses related to public safety, the NRC has sponsored this study with the objective of developing an appropriate methodology to factor potential worker exposures into safety assessments