Occupational Exposure and Alara

Abstract

In order to maintain radiation doses to maintenance, contractor and operating personnel as low as are reasonably achievable, it is necessary to provide design features and operating procedures to reduce radiation fields around reactor coolant system components,to reduce the time needed for maintenance operations, to reduce the frequency of such operations, and to reduce the number of people involved in such operations. Plant design features intended to reduce occupational doses during plant operation also serve to lessen personnel doses during the eventual plant decommissioning. Recent recommendations by the NRC Regulatory staff,¹ under consideration by the Commission, may require that industry provide additional means to reduce occupational radiation exposure. This paper outlines the regulatory considerations for further controlling doses to personnel at nuclear power plants.