What is the recommended annual occupational effective dose limit for adults in the United States?

• A. 50 mSv per year
• B. 5 mSv per year
• C. 500 mSv per year
• D. 0.5 mSv per year

Answer: (A)

Exposure limits are set to protect workers from the risk of radiation over time, using the effective dose to account for different tissue sensitivities. For adults in the United States, regulators establish a single annual cap on occupational exposure. This cap reflects a balance between enabling normal radiological work and keeping cancer risk from radiation as low as reasonably achievable over a lifetime. In practice, facilities design programs to keep exposures well under this limit through shielding, limiting time near sources, and maximizing distance from sources. While there are stricter or different limits for special situations, this standard cap is the reference point used for adult workers.