Final answer:
The NCRP recommended cumulative occupational dose limit for radiation exposure to nuclear power plant workers typically ranges from 20 to 50 mSv/y, with stricter limits for reproductive organs and fetuses. Doses beyond this threshold can pose serious health risks, including cancer and genetic changes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The NCRP Recommended cumulative occupational dose limit for radiation exposure to nuclear power plant workers is generally about 20 to 50 millisieverts per year (mSv/y), depending on the country. However, the limit is rarely reached by most medical and nuclear power workers. It's important to note that higher doses are allowed for the hands, while much lower doses are permitted for the reproductive organs and the fetuses of pregnant women. In the event of an incident such as Three Mile Island or Chernobyl, the exposure to the public can surpass the standard limits. Understanding these doses is critical to assessing the risk of long-term health issues such as cancer or genetic changes, especially considering that radiation doses of 600 rem are invariably fatal, whereas a dose of 100 rem can cause a 3 percent risk of radiation-induced cancer.