Occupational Exposure Levels and Dose Registries (The Nigerian Experience)

International Conference on Occupational Radiation Protection: Strengthening Radiation Protection of Workers - Twenty Years of Progress and the Way Forward: Occupational Exposure Levels and Dose Registries (The Nigerian Experience) - by Okoye Valentine Ikemefuna A remarkable distinction between the Public and occupationally exposed individuals alludes to the fact that the latter expectedly undergo personal monitoring that provides a good estimate of radiation dose received in the course of work. Since exposure to ionizing radiation in the workplace transcends exposure to only artificial radiation sources and encompasses exposure to naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORMs) as well as technologically enhanced radioactive materials (Te-NORMs), the demands on occupational radiation protection are getting increasingly complex. Excluding natural background ionizing radiation, any additional exposure from the workplace, if justified, is expected to conform to the "As Low as Reasonably Achievable (ALARA)" principle while taking into account the recommended occupational dose limits and applicable dose constraints. Occupational exposure levels, which cut across planned, emergency, and existing exposure situations, will potentially have different values in the different situations but the common overarching theme is the application of radiation protection optimization principle in all scenarios.