What is the annual occupational dose equivalent limit for the skin and extremities?

• A. 1.5 rem or .015Sv
• B. 5 rem or .05 Sv
• C. 15 rem or 0.15 Sv
• D. 50 rem or 0.5 Sv

Answer: (D)

Tissue-specific dose limits are set because different parts of the body have different sensitivities and risks. The skin and extremities can accumulate more localized exposure without affecting overall health as much as the whole body, so their annual limit is higher. For occupational exposure, the skin and extremities are limited to 50 rem (0.5 Sv) per year, which reflects that localized doses to hands, fingers, feet, and skin can be higher than the whole-body limit. The other numbers correspond to limits for other tissues or the whole body (for example, the whole-body limit is 5 rem or 0.05 Sv, and the lens of the eye limit is about 15 rem or 0.15 Sv), which is why 50 rem (0.5 Sv) is the correct choice for skin and extremities.