Dr. Tsubokura's Radiation Lecture Vol.135

Author: Masaharu Tsubokura PhD.

Editors: Akihiko Ozaki M.D.,PhD., Yuki Senoo

269.. Challenges reflected in a health survey of workers

Occupational exposure refers to exposure to ionizing radiation during the performance of one’s duties. Occupational groups that are routinely exposed to radiation include coal miners, who usually work in high-natural-radiation areas, airline crews, workers at nuclear power plants, physicians, nurses, and radiology technicians.

Naturally, the radiation exposure of the workers at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, who were required to engage in radiation work immediately after the 2011 accident, was also considered to be occupational exposure, regardless of its urgency.

According to a report that the United Nations published in 2013, the average exposure dose over a period of 19 months after the Fukushima nuclear accident among workers at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant was approximately 10 millisieverts. Hoverer, it was also reported that 0.7% (173) of the workers had exposure doses exceeding 100 millisieverts.