A REVIEW OF WORLDWIDE OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURES

A comprehensive review of the levels and trends in occupational exposu res worldwide for the period 1975-1989 has recently been completed by the United Nations Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCE AR). The results of this review are summarised here. The main focus of this summary is occupational exposure arising within the nuclear fuel cycle; for perspective, however, consideration is also given to expos ures arising in defence activities, in medical and other industrial us es of radiation and to those arising from natural sources of radiation . The contribution made by internal radiation to the overall occupatio nal exposure is indicated in each case; with a few exceptions this con tribution is small.