Introduction

Chapter 17 of this book, and are summarized in the following section. As there are known risks of radiation exposure, levels of acceptable risk have been specified by international expert groups, principally the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP). Based upon these acceptable risks, dose levels have been recommended and in most cases adopted into national legislative requirements.

In order to understand these dose limits and the associated risks, it is necessary to have an understanding of the dose units that they are measured in and this chapter will explain these dose values. In addition, as there are known risks of radiation, most countries have regulatory requirements that have to be met in order to limit the risk to radiation workers, patients and members of the public arising from the use of radiation. The legislative requirements within the UK will be described and some of the methodology used to comply with these, including personal radiation monitoring, equipment testing, appropriate construction of radiation areas and the administrative arrangements surrounding the application of radiation.

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