What is the average occupational dose for radiation workers at nuclear power plants?

• A. 14 mrem.
• B. 140 mrem.
• C. 1,400 mrem.
• D. 40 mrem.

Answer: (B)

The amount being tested is the typical annual exposure that radiation workers at nuclear power plants receive. Across monitored personnel, the average is about 140 millirem per year, which is roughly 1.4 millisieverts. This figure reflects everyday work with proper shielding, containment, and dose-control practices, aiming to stay well below regulatory limits.

For context, the regulatory limit for whole-body exposure in routine operations is 5 rem per year (50 millisieverts). So an average around 140 millirem sits comfortably below that ceiling, illustrating how safety measures keep typical workloads within safe bounds.

Doses vary by task and outage work, so some individuals may receive higher doses during maintenance or unusual scenarios, while many receive much less. The value 140 millirem represents the overall average across the workforce, not just a single worker’s dose.

Lower options would imply a smaller overall average than typically observed industry-wide, while a value like 1,400 millirem would be unusually high for the average worker.