What is the typical occupational annual effective dose limit for adults?

• A. 10 mSv per year
• B. 50 mSv per year
• C. 100 mSv per year
• D. 1 Sv per year

Answer: (B)

For workers exposed to radiation, the dose limit is set to balance the ability to perform duties with the need to keep cancer risk very low. The typical whole-body occupational limit for an adult is 50 mSv in a calendar year (about 5 rem). Regulations also usually specify that the average over five years should not exceed about 20 mSv per year, and no single year may exceed 50 mSv. This combination keeps annual exposure manageable while allowing necessary occupational tasks to be done safely.

That’s why this option fits best: 50 mSv per year reflects the standard upper limit for whole-body occupational exposure. The other numbers either fall below or exceed what regulators generally permit for a single year of work-related exposure.