The use of the annual average radiation dose for risk comparison purposes

For purposes of characterising and judging the acceptability of the risk to which workers are likely to be exposed under the ICRP System of Dose Limitation, the level of risk in radiation occupations has been compared in ICRP Publication 26 with the risk to workers in other occupations recognised as having high standards of safety. For these risk comparisons, the annual average dose equivalent of 5 mSv, not the dose equivalent limit of 50 mSv, was used and thus the comparisons relate to the average risk for all workers in the occupations being compared. (U.K.)