Radiation exposure to the lens of the eye for Japanese nuclear power plant workers

Sumi Yokoyama; Hideo Tatsuzaki; Yoshihiko Tanimura; Hiroshi Yoshitomi; Shigekazu Hirao; Katsunori Aoki; Shuichi Tachiki; Iwao Ezaki; Katsuya Hoshi; Norio Tsujimura

doi:10.1088/1361-6498/ac7913

Radiation exposure to the lens of the eye for Japanese nuclear power plant workers

J Radiol Prot. 2022 Jul 19;42(3). doi: 10.1088/1361-6498/ac7913.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Research Promotion Headquarters, Fujita Health University, 1-98 Dengakugakubo Kutsukakecho, Toyoake, Aichi 470-1192, Japan.
² Department of Radiation Emergency Medicine, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST), 4-9-1 Anakawa Inage, Chiba 263-8555, Japan.
³ Department of Radiation Protection, Nuclear Science Research Institute, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Muramatsu, Tokai-mura, Ibaraki 319-1195, Japan.
⁴ Institute of Environmental Radioactivity, Fukushima University, 1 Kanayagawa, Fukushima-shi, Fukushima 960-1296, Japan.
⁵ Safety and Facility Management Section, Tono Geoscience Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 959-31, Jorinji, Izumicho, Toki, Gifu 509-5102, Japan.
⁶ School of Medical Sciences, Fujita Health University, 1-98 Dengakugakubo Kutsukakecho, Toyoake, Aichi 470-1192, Japan.
⁷ Chiyoda Technol Corporation, 1-7-2 Yushima, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8681, Japan.
⁸ Radiation Protection Department, Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Laboratories, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 4-33, Muramatsu, Tokai-mura, Ibaraki 319-1194, Japan.

PMID: 35705021
DOI: 10.1088/1361-6498/ac7913

Abstract

In Japan, the radiation-dose limit for the lens of the eye was revised in April 2021. Consequently, for workers, the numerical values of the equivalent dose to the lens of the eye are equal to those of the effective dose. Radiation workers, radiation safety officers and licensees must comply with regulations related to radiation protection and optimize protection. The new guidelines on dose monitoring of the lens of the eye developed by the Japan Health Physics Society recommend for the dose to be estimated near the eye for accurate estimation, when the dose to the lens approaches or exceeds the management criteria. However, there is limited information regarding the non-uniform exposure of nuclear power plant workers. In this study, the dose equivalents of high-dose-rate workplaces and the personal doses of 88 workers were estimated at four Japanese commercial nuclear power plant sites (RWR: 3 units and BWR: 3 units) and the dose to the lens of the eye and the exposure situations of the workers were analyzed.

Keywords: Hp (10); Hp (3); equivalent dose of the lens of the eye; nuclear power plant workers; ratio of eye lens dose to effective dose.

MeSH terms

Humans
Japan
Lens, Crystalline*
Nuclear Power Plants
Occupational Exposure* / analysis
Radiation Dosage
Radiation Exposure* / analysis