Final answer:
Occupational exposure limits to radiation typically range from 20 to 50 mSv/y for whole-body doses, with variations based on the country and specific regulations. Limits are higher for extremities and lower for reproductive organs and fetuses, with public exposure standards being significantly stricter than occupational limits.
Step-by-step explanation:
The occupational exposure limit to radiation varies by country, but it is generally in the range of 20 to 50 milliSieverts per year (mSv/y) for whole-body doses. This limit is seldom reached by medical and nuclear power workers. Higher limits are permitted for exposure to the hands, while much lower limits are set for the reproductive organs and foetuses of pregnant women. Inadvertent exposure to the public should not exceed one-tenth of the occupational limits, except for nuclear power-related exposure, which is legally restricted to no more than one-thousandth of the occupational limit, or 0.05 mSv/y. For example, a dose of 1 rem (which is equivalent to 0.01 Sieverts or 10 mSv) increases the annual risk of dying from radiation-induced cancer to 10 in a million.