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Nuclear & Radiation Safety

The U.S. Department of Energy regulates the safety of nuclear facilities and activities. The Department of Labor and the Environmental Protection Agency issue rules and regulations that govern exposure to radiation in various environments.

  1. Radiation

    • According to the U.S. Department of Labor, non-ionizing radiation is present in the Earth's environment and, in low doses, is essential to human life. In work environments, the amount of radiation workers and the general public can be exposed to legally is controlled by Labor Department regulations designed to protect health and safety.

    Nuclear

    • Nuclear safety is controlled through rules and regulations of the U.S. Office of Health, Safety and Security, according to the Department of Energy. The standards used for nuclear safety are designed to protect workers in nuclear facilities and the general public in areas surrounding nuclear facilities.

    Environment

    • Radiation levels in the environment are regulated by the EPA, which provides risk assessment criteria to judge the impact of radiation on the general public. To ensure the safety of workers handling nuclear or radioactive materials, the EPA sets safe dose limits for the amount of radiation to which workers can be exposed.

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