Caution! NRC as protector of worker health and safety at nuclear power plants

Congress may soon face a decision about what agency will take responsibility for worker and facility safety at Department of Energy (DOE) sites as the DOE moves to external regulation. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) occupies a prominent place on the short list of candidates. Thus, an examination of the NRC's historical record on health and safety, in particular, its record in protecting workers, is warranted. This look at the record shows that the NRC does not adopt a strong regulatory stance; exposure standards for workers have not changed despite evidence of harmful effects at low doses of radiation exposure; record-keeping and worker monitoring are lax; the NRC is blind to internal cultural problems; it appears more concerned about its public image than about entrenched problems; it is too lenient to the industry it is supposed to regulate. The NRC's history of recent problems has caused some critics to call for Congressional hearings or additional oversight of the agency.