Environmental Health & Safety

Radiation Safety

Radiation Exposure Limits

Regulations mandate that occupational radiation exposure not exceed:

5000 millirem (5 rem) per year to the whole body.
50,000 millirem (50 rem) per year to the skin of the whole body.
50,000 millirem (50 rem) per year to the extremities (hands, forearms, feet, and lower legs).
15,000 millirem (15 rem) per year to the lens of the eye.

Regulations restrict the maximum occupational radiation exposure for individuals less than 18 years of age to ten (10) percent of the values listed above.

Regulations also limit the exposure to a "declared pregnant woman" (an individual who has voluntarily informed the radiation safety officer, in writing, of her pregnancy). This exposure must be controlled in such a manner to assure that the radiation exposure to the embryo/fetus does not exceed 500 millirem.

The Scripps Research Institute adheres strictly to the ALARA philosophy. ALARA is an acronym which stands for AS LOW AS REASONABLY ACHIEVABLE. In practice, ALARA advocates that all radiation exposures be kept as low as possible while taking into account the direct and indirect benefits and costs.