Estimation of individualized radiation risk from chronic occupational exposure in Russia.

Internationally, the upper limit of acceptable individualized risk from occupational exposure for nuclear industry workers is determined by the death probability 10(-3) y(-1). The same risk value of 10(-3) y(-1) is established by the radiation safety standards currently in force in Russia. The United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation has proposed the formulas for estimating individualized risk of developing cancer with allowance for radiation dose, age at exposure, attained age, and sex.

[The identification of potential radiation risk groups in case of chronical occupational exposure: individual cancer risks among the industrial firm "Maiak" personnel].

The draft new recommendations of the ICRP emphasize the need for transition from the collective dose to the dose matrix concept with optimization of the radiation protection system. In fact, this means assessment of the attributive (radiation-induced) risk at individual level with allowance for the dynamics of dose accumulation during the whole length of professional experience. The work provides assessments for high potential risk group from the "Mayak" personnel based on the dose matrix and using the UNSCEAR technique for assessing the attributive risk.

Concept of optimisation of the radiation protection system in the nuclear sector: management of individual cancer risks and providing targeted health care.

The paper discusses the provision of targeted health care to nuclear workers in Russia based on radiation-epidemiological estimates of cancer risks. Cancer incidence rates are analysed for the workers of the Institute of Physical Power Engineering (the first nuclear installation in the world) who were subjected to individual dosimetric monitoring from 1950 to 2002. The value of excess relative risk for solid cancers was found to be ERR Gy(-1) = 0.