Analysis of risk in taking measures for radiation and social protection of the public

The necessity of risk analysis for support of radiation and public protection measures and substantiated application of risk analysis for the development of a scientific-methodological and normative-legal base is examined. Recommendations are given for the development and use of risk analysis. For radiation accidents, a priori and postfactum risk assessment and harm must be distinguished (before and after an accident has occurred). In the latter case, detailed risk assessment is needed, especially to establish a link between sickness and the accident as well as for compensation of harm to the health of victims. A collection of risk indicators for different applications is given. A new additional risk indicator is proposed. This indicator is the relative loss of duration of life (lost years of life, referred to the year during which the source of risk acted). It is intended for establishing a universal limit on risk, suitable for any source of risk. The value of this basic limit is proposed and values of dose and risk limits derived from it for ionizing radiation and other sources of risk are presented. Requirements for methods of dose and risk assessment are formulated. 3 figures, 1 table, 16 references.