 
Report: Nuclear Radiation Exposure
Drops to Historic Low
October 2008, Electrical Worker
 Exposure to radiation is an expected part of the job for the thousands of nuclear plant employees around the nation. But a new report says that radiation absorbed by workers has fallen to its lowest level ever.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission reported in August that average radiation dosage levels at U.S. plants in 2007 dropped to 97 person-rems per plant, down more than 60 percent over the last decade.
“These results show nuclear power plant operators remain focused on decreasing worker exposure while continuing to maintain and operate the plants safely,” said NRC Chairman Dale Klein.
“Our workers are required to always keep the term ‘ALARA’ at the forefront of their minds while on the job,” said International Representative Todd Newkirk, referencing the NRC’s acronym for keeping radiation doses “as low as reasonably achievable.” “We have a smart work force with many years of experience performing tasks in varying types of radiation fields. Day in and day out, IBEW members affirm our commitment to keeping dose levels minimized.”
That commitment is evident at Point Beach Nuclear Power Plant, near Two Rivers, Wis. There, more than 400 Milwaukee Local 2150 members provide power to Wisconsin and adjacent states. The plant is one of the safest in the country for nuclear workers.
“We are expected to develop and utilize the most efficient methods for monitoring and minimizing exposure,” said Local 2150 radiation protection technician Brian “Bucky” Ihlenfeldt.
Such methods include limiting time that employees work inside high concentration fields and keeping appropriate distance from areas with elevated levels. All work performed inside the radiological area at Point Beach requires a radiation work permit, which employees receive only after careful instruction from the technicians. Along with pre-job hazard assessments and more extensive communication between workers, the permits help ensure that all employees fully understand the potential for exposure at the site, Ihlenfeldt said.
Technicians also identify high- and low-radiation areas for workers to help them keep their occupational dosages minimal. Continuous monitoring through surveys, audio and video systems and air tests determines whether conditions warrant additional protective controls – including discontinuing a job if levels are too high.
As plants replace worn-out equipment, better technology contributes to lowering doses. Point Beach recently replaced both reactor vessel heads with new models that have built-in radiation shields. The upgrade helps streamline work during refueling outages – a time when the majority of a plant’s occupational dose is accumulated.
“With new technology, strong teamwork and IBEW employees’ dedication to keeping doses low, we can expect the entire industry’s occupational doses to be lower each year,” Ihlenfeldt said.
The average American is exposed to 360 millirems per year from the natural environment, particular foods and medical procedures such as X-rays. Nuclear plant workers are exposed to about another 160 millirems on the job per year.
Other IBEW-represented nuclear plants that have improved their radiation averages include:
- Prairie Island (Burnsville, Minn., Local 949)
- Farley (Dothan, Ala., Local 796)
- Diablo Canyon (Vacaville, Calif., Local 1245)
- Oyster Creek (Lakewood, N.J., Local 1289)
- Hatch (Atlanta Local 84)
- Susquehanna (Bethlehem, Pa., Local 1600)
- Duane Arnold (Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Local 204)
- FitzPatrick (Syracuse, N.Y., Local 97)
- Clinton (Springfield, Ill., Local 51)
- Hope Creek (Cranbury, N.J., Local 94)
- Monticello (Minneapolis Local 160)
- River Bend (Beaumont, Texas, Local 2286)
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