Access your annual dose report
- Log into Cornell's online portal with your Cornell NetID and password
- Click on the NRC Form 5 button in the Dosimetry Exposure tab:
- Enter the year you want to review and click the View Report button:
- Your report will appear in a pop-up window. If the report does not load, you may need to instruct your web browser to allow popups from ehsa.ehs.cornell.edu, for example:
More Information
What is this report?
This report summarizes the total occupational radiation dose you received from your work with X-rays and radioactive materials at Cornell in the most recent calendar year.
Why am I receiving it?
State regulations require us to provide individuals monitored for occupational radiation dose an annual summary report of their dose. You can also check your radiation dose online at any time using the online portal.
What should I do with it?
Read the report and contact the Radiation Safety Group if you have questions or concerns:
- askEHS@cornell.edu
- 607-255-8200
What information is important for me to look at?
Your occupational radiation dose from external sources of radiation is summarized on the right side of the form under “Doses (in rem).” The most important values for you to look at are:
- Deep Dose Equivalent (DDE): external radiation dose at a tissue depth of 1 cm to the whole body
- Lens (Eye) Dose Equivalent (LDE): external radiation dose to the lens of the eye at a tissue depth of 0.3 cm
- Shallow Dose Equivalent (SDE,WB): radiation dose to the skin of the whole body at a tissue depth of 0.007 cm
- Shallow Dose Equivalent (SDE,ME): radiation dose to the skin of an extremity at a tissue depth of 0.007 cm (arm below the elbow, leg below the knee)
- Committed Dose Equivalent (CDE): dose to a specific organ or tissue that will be received from an intake of radioactive material by an individual during the 50-year period following the intake
- Committed Effective Dose Equivalent (CEDE): sum of the products of committed dose equivalents for the body organs or tissues multiplied their specific weighting factors
What do my numbers mean?
Regulatory annual occupational radiation dose limits are set at levels below which there are believed to be negligible health risks to workers. Limits for different body parts are set to different levels because organs in the body differ in their sensitivity to radiation.
| Type | Annual regulatory limit |
|---|---|
| Whole body (DDE) | 5 rem |
| Lens of the eye (LDE) | 15 rem |
| Skin (SDE,WB) | 50 rem |
| Extremities (SDE,ME) | 50 rem |
| Committed effective dose equivalent (CEDE) | 5 rem |
| Committed dose equivalent (CDE) for maximally exposed organ | 50 rem |
| Fetal dose | 0.5 rem (during entire pregnancy) |
| Lifetime cumulative dose | Not regulated |
You can also compare your dose to that from other radiation sources in everyday life.
| Source of exposure | Estimated annual dose (NCRP Report 160) |
|---|---|
| All sources of natural background radiation, combined | 0.311 rem |
| Inhalation of naturally occurring radon | 0.228 rem |
| Exposure to cosmic radiation | 0.033 rem |
| Living in a brick, concrete, or stone home | 0.021 rem |
| Consumer products | 0.013 rem |
Risk of health effects due to radiation exposure
It is difficult to establish a correlation between low doses of radiation, such as those from occupational radiation dose, and an increased likelihood of developing cancer. Scientific studies have found a 0.6% increase in cancer risk associated with a 10 rem dose, and conservative policies have been adopted assuming the risk scales linearly with dose. Therefore we are required to implement techniques to keep occupational exposures As Low as Reasonably Achievable (ALARA):
- Minimize the time you are near a radiation source (X-ray or radioactive materials)
- Maximize your distance from the source of radiation (step back, use tongs)
- Use shielding (lead apron, leaded acrylic shield, syringe shield)
If you have questions about your report or how to reduce future dose, contact Radiation Safety:
- askEHS@cornell.edu
- 607-255-8200