Radiation and litigation : analyses of the ALARA principle and low dose radiation in the courts, and the future of radiation in court cases
Author(s)
Esparza, Enrique
DownloadFull printable version (1.800Mb)
Alternative title
Analyses of the ALARA principle and low dose radiation in the courts, and the future of radiation in court cases
Other Contributors
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Nuclear Science and Engineering.
Advisor
Jacquelyn C. Yanch.
Terms of use
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Currently there are a growing number of radiation workers. In order to ensure the safety of the employees, regulations have been established by the federal government and state governments to limit the dose equivalent to radiation workers. The most well known strategy for reducing radiation doses in the work place is the ALARA principle which stands for "as low as reasonably achievable". Within the phrase, "reasonably achievable" there is an implied element of subjectivity. Because "reasonably achievable" can vary in meaning for different people, this paper will analyze the ALARA principle in detail. Also, the manner in which inconclusive data on low dose radiation are treated in the court rooms will be evaluated. A secondary part of the paper will deal with what happens when accidents occur to radiation workers. Specifically, this paper will deal with the accidents at Kerr-McGee, Three Mile Island and SONGS. The thesis will delve into the litigation that followed the radiation accidents and analyses of the rulings, and will look at where current radiation litigation is heading.
Description
Thesis (S.B.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Nuclear Science and Engineering, 2006. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 36-39).
Date issued
2006Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Nuclear Science and EngineeringPublisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Keywords
Nuclear Science and Engineering.