Concepts of Risk

Loss of Life Expectancy

The following table indicates the number of days of life expectancy which may be lost from the described sources / activities.  It indicates the relative hazard of working with radiation, and of receiving a single exposure from (say) a medical x-ray examination:

Table: Expected Loss of Life from Various Sources
Exposure to 1mSv per year for life
 10 days
Exposure to 10mSv per year from 18-65 years old
 50 days
Cigarette smoking (male)
 2250 days
Being 30 % overweight
 1300 days
Motor vehicle accident
 207 days
Accidents at work (average)
 74 days
Natural radiation
 8 days
Saccharin in diet drinks
 2 days
Single Exposure to 10mSv (e.g. medical exp.)
 1.5 days

 

Click the Next button below to continue .