Question 76: The Department of Energy (DOE) does not
assign a 50-year dose commitment in the year of intake for
its workers exposed to internally deposited radioactive
material. The internal dose is assigned on an annual
basis. Will commercial nuclear power plant licensees be
required to assess internal 50-year dose commitment for
workers coming from DOE facilities? Some radionuclides
encountered at DOE facilities may be beyond the normal
assessment methods of commercial nuclear power plants.
Answer: The statement that DOE does not assign a 50-year
dose commitment in the year of intake is not correct.
Although the DOE dose limits are applied to the dose
actually received in a year, DOE facilities are required by
DOE Order 5480.11 to generate and maintain individual
occupational dose records that include "committed effective
dose equivalent from intakes occurring during the year" and
"committed dose equivalent to organ and tissue of concern
from intakes occurring during the year." DOE Order 5480.11
also requires that records of exposure be made available to
the worker upon request of the worker. See related
Question 6. (References: 10 CFR 20.1204, DOE Order DOE
5480.11).