Radiation: how real are the risks?

The risk from ionising radiations has recently been identified as being greater than it was previously thought to be. The data from which these new risk figures are drawn are outlined and their possible impact on the legislation controlling the use of ionising radiations is suggested. The likely new radiation dose limits are compared to the radiation doses which may be received in laboratories during normal operations using radionuclides, and the probable risk to arise from these doses is put into perspective.