[en] The the US National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) has suggested ''...as guidance for radiation programs that cumulative exposure not exceed the age of the individual in years x 10 mSv (years x 1 rem).'' The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) has recommended a dose limit of 10 rem averaged over 5 years. With these developments in mind, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) requested the ALARA Center of the Brookhaven National Laboratory to undertake two parallel studies. One study, which is still ongoing, is to examine the impact of the newly recommended dose limits on the nuclear industry as a whole; the other study was intended to assist in this larger project by looking more closely at the nuclear power industry. Preliminary data had indicated that the critical industry as far as the impact of new regulatory limits were concerned would be the nuclear power industry, because, it was conjectured, there existed a core of highly skilled workers in some groups which routinely get higher than average exposures. The objectives of the second study were to get a better understanding of the situation vis grave a vis the nuclear power industry, by identifying the high-dose worker groups, quantifying the annual and lifetime doses to these groups to see the extent of the problem if there was one, and finally to determine if there were any dose-reduction techniques which were particularly suited to reducing doses to these groups. In this presentation we describe some of the things learned during our work on the two projects. For more detailed information on the project on dose-reduction techniques for high-dose worker groups in the nuclear power industry, see NUREG/CR-5139. An industry/advisory committee has been set up which is in the process of evaluating the data from the larger project on the impact of new dose limits and will shortly produce its report. 7 refs., 5 figs., 6 tabs

[en] This report is the third in a series of bibliographies supporting the efforts at Brookhaven National Laboratory on dose reduction at nuclear power plants. Abstracts for this report were selected from papers presented at recent technical meetings, journals and research reports reviewed at the BNL ALARA Center, and searches of the DOE/RECON data base on energy-related publications. The references selected for inclusion in the bibliography relate not only to operational health physics topics but also to plant chemistry, stress corrosion cracking, and other aspects of plant operation which have important impacts on occupational exposure. Also included are references to improved design, planning, materials selection and other topics related to what might be called ALARA engineering. Thus, an attempt has been made to cover a broad spectrum of topics related directly or indirectly to occupational exposure reduction. The report contains 252 abstracts and both author and subject indices

[en] In 1984 the Brookhaven National Laboratory was asked by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to set up a Center to monitor dose-reduction efforts in the US and abroad and to focus the industry's attention on ALARA. The paper summarizes the main work of the ALARA Center between 1984 and 1992. The Center maintains nine data bases for the NRC and the Nuclear Power Industry. These databases are constantly updated and access to them is provided through a personal computer and a modem and by periodic publications in the form of a newsletter and NUREG reports. Also described briefly are eight other projects related to dose-reduction at nuclear power plants that the Center has carried out for the NRC. Among these are projects that analyze the cost-effectiveness of engineering modifications, look at worldwide activities at dose reduction and compare US and foreign dose experience, examine high-dose worker groups and high-dose jobs, develop optimum techniques to control contamination at nuclear plants, and look at the doses being received by men and women in all sectors of the nuclear industry

[en] The essential elements of an international information exchange system on dose control at nuclear power plants are summarized. Information was collected from literature abstracting services, by attending technical meetings, by circulating data collection forms, and through personal contacts. Data are assembled in various databases and periodically disseminated to several hundred interested participants through a variety of publications and at technical meetings. Immediate on-line access to the data is available to participants with modems, commercially available communications software, and a password that is provided by the Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) ALARA Center to authorized users of the system. Since January 1992, rapid access also has been provided to persons with fax machines. Some information is available for ''polling'' the BNL system at any time, and other data can be installed for polling on request. Most information disseminated to data has been through publications; however, new protocols, simplified by the ALARA Center staff, and the convenience of fax machines are likely to make the earlier availability of information through these mechanisms increasingly important

[en] This paper has two main topics. The first part describes the establishment and work of the ALARA Center; the second part presents some results of studies at the Center with international data on doses at PWR plants. This data then is used to reach a preliminary understanding of some of the factors that are causing high doses at PWRs. This approach should help in reducing occupational exposures in a more effective manner

[en] The efficacy of various national programs on dose reduction is examined with a view to evaluating the most significant factors that help in reducing occupational exposure. Among the most successful of the dose reduction programs at water reactors are those of France, Sweden, and Canada where average annual plant doses are significantly less than the dose at US plants. Important research is also going on in other countries such as the UK, West Germany, Switzerland, and Japan. Some programs are directed towards hardware solutions; others are oriented towards such approaches as better work planning and procedures. The general thrust and some of the specifics of these programs are examined and factors which may be applicable to US conditions are discussed

[en] Staff at the ALARA Center of Brookhaven National Laboratory have established a data base of information about current research that is likely to result in lower radiation doses to workers. The data base, concerned primarily with nuclear power generation, is part of a project that the ALARA Center is carrying out for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This report describes its current status. A substantial amount of research on reducing occupational exposure is being done in the US and abroad. This research is beginning to have an impact on the collective dose expenditures at nuclear power plants. The collective radiation doses in Europe, Japan, and North America all show downward trends. A large part of the research in the US is either sponsored by the nuclear industry through joint industry organizations such as EPRI and ESEERCO or is done by individual corporations. There is also significant participation by smaller companies. The main emphasis of the research on dose reduction is on engineering approaches aimed at reducing radiation fields or keeping people out of high-exposure areas by using robotics. Effective ALARA programs are also underway at a large number of nuclear plants. Additional attention should be given to non-engineering approaches to dose reduction, which are potentially very useful and cost effective but require quantitative study and analysis based on data from nuclear power plants. 9 refs., 1 fig

[en] This report is the fourth in the series of bibliographies supporting the efforts at the Brookhaven National Laboratory on dose reduction at nuclear power plants. Abstracts for this bibliography were selected from proceedings of technical meetings, journals, research reports and searches of the DOE's Energy Data Base. The abstracts included in this report to operational health physics as well as other subjects which have a bearing on dose reduction at nuclear power plants, such as stress corrosion, cracking, plant chemistry, use of robotics and remote devices, etc. Material on improved design, materials selection, planning and other topics which are related to dose reduction efforts are also included. The report contains 327 abstracts as well as subject and author indices. All information in the current volume is also available from the ALARA Center's bulletin board service which is accessible by personal computers with the help of a modem. The last section of the report explains the features of the bulletin board. The bulletin board will be kept up-to-date with new information and should be of help in keeping people current in the area of dose reduction

[en] A methodology is described for the optimization of the actions taken to control contamination. It deals with many aspects of contamination, such as the monetary value assigned to a unit of radiation dose, the treatment of skin and extremity dose, and the inefficiencies introduced from working in a contaminated environemnt. The optimization method is illustrated with two case studies based on cleanup projects at nuclear power plants. Guidelines for the use of protective apparel, and for monitoring radiation and contamination at various levels of contamination are presented. The report concludes that additional research is required to quantify the effect of a contaminated environment on work efficiencies

[en] This is the third volume in a series of reports that provide information on dose-reduction research and health physics technology for nuclear power plants. The information is taken from data base maintained by Brookhaven National Laboratory's ALARA Center for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This report presents information on 80 new projects, covering a wide area of activities. Projects on steam generator degradation, decontamination, robotics, improvement in reactor materials, and inspection techniques, among others, are described in the research section. The section on health physics technology includes some simple and very cost-effective projects to reduce radiation exposures. Collective dose data from the United States and other countries are also presented. In the conclusion, we suggest that although new advanced reactor design technology will eventually reduce radiation exposures at nuclear power plants to levels below serious concern, in the interim an aggressive approach to dose reduction remains necessary. 20 refs