Table 2-2 Estimated Loss of Life Expectancy from Health Risks

DOE-HDBK-1130-98

b. The risk of cancer induction from radiation exposure can be put into perspective. This

can be done by comparing it to the normal rate of cancer death in today's society. The

current rate of cancer death among Americans is about 20 percent. Taken from a

personal perspective, each of us has about 20 chances in 100 of dying of cancer. A

radiological worker who receives 25,000 mrem over a working life increases his/her

risk of cancer by 1 percent, or has about 21 chances in 100 of dying of cancer. A

25,000 mrem dose is a fairly large dose over the course of a working lifetime. The

average annual dose to DOE workers is less than 100 mrem, which leads to a working

lifetime dose (40 years assumed) of no more than approximately 4,000 mrem.

2. Comparison of risks

a. Table 2-2 compares the estimated days of life expectancy lost as a result of

exposure to radiation and other health risks.

The following information is intended to put the potential risk of radiation into

perspective when compared to other occupations and daily activities.

Table 2-2

Estimated Loss of Life Expectancy from Health Risks

Health Risk

Estimated Loss of Life Expectancy

Smoking 20 cigarettes a day

6 years

Overweight (by 15%)

2 years

Alcohol consumption (U.S. average)

1 year

Agricultural accidents

320 days

Construction accidents

227 days

Auto accidents

207 days

Home accidents

74 days

Occupational radiation dose (1 rem/y), from

age 18-65 (47 rem total)

51 days

All natural hazards (earthquakes, lightning, flood)

7 days

Medical radiation

6 days

The estimates in Table 2-2 indicate that the health risks from occupational radiation

doses are smaller than the risks associated with normal day-to-day activities that

we have grown to accept.

b. Acceptance of a risk:

1) is a personal matter.

2) requires a good deal of informed judgment.