As the U.S. moves to expand advanced nuclear energy, federal agencies are rewriting the rules on how much radiation workers can be exposed to. The changes are raising serious concerns about worker safety.
Federal agencies are rewriting radiation exposure rules as the U.S. expands nuclear energy, raising serious worker safety concerns.
The Department of Energy published a proposed rule on January 21, 2026. It would change worker safety regulations for advanced nuclear reactors. The DOE says the rule’s meant to speed up the review and deployment of newer reactor designs. It also says the rule won’t reduce worker protections.
But critics point to a bigger shift happening at the same time. In January 2026, Energy Secretary Chris Wright signed a memo removing the “As Low as Reasonably Achievable” principle — known as ALARA — from all DOE rules and directives. ALARA had required agencies to push radiation exposure as low as possible. Workers used methods like limiting time near radioactive materials, wearing extra protective gear, and keeping greater distances from radioactive sources.
Without ALARA, workers could face up to five times more radiation, according to a 2025 report from Idaho National Laboratory. That’s because ALARA had added protective layers well below the legal limit. Now, the only guardrail is the occupational dose limit of 5,000 millirem per year. The INL report recommends eliminating all ALARA limits below that threshold. It also suggests possibly raising the limit to 10,000 millirem per year in the future.
The Trump administration also rejected the Linear No-Threshold model, which held that no amount of radiation is completely safe. Officials say it lacks a sound scientific basis. A 2023 epidemiological study of more than 300,000 nuclear workers across the U.S., U.K., and France found that cumulative low-dose radiation exposure increased death rates from certain cancers by 50 percent.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is also considering changes. An executive order called for a “wholesale revision” of radiation safety rules. The NRC’s expected to publish a proposed rule by April 30, 2026. It could replace current standards with fixed radiation limits. The NRC discussed 28 total rules being considered or implemented in response to the executive order directing reform of the agency.
Supporters say the old rules slowed down nuclear energy’s growth with unnecessary red tape. Critics warn that removing ALARA could put workers and the public at greater risk. The debate over how much radiation is truly “safe” is far from settled.
References
- https://www.hcn.org/articles/new-nuclear-safety-rules-reduce-protections-for-workers-the-public/
- https://www.aip.org/fyi/nrc-mulls-changes-to-radiation-safety-requirements
- https://advocacy.sba.gov/2026/02/05/doe-proposes-changes-to-its-worker-safety-and-health-regulations/
- https://nuclearinnovationalliance.org/reconsidering-us-radiation-protection-framework-under-executive-order-14300
- https://inl.gov/content/uploads/2023/07/INLRPT-25-85463_Reevaluation-of-Radiation-Protection-Standards-R0-Final.pdf
- https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2026-02/2024 ORER – EHSS-2025-001023_final.pdf
- https://www.aiha.org/news/260129-doe-proposes-changes-to-worker-health-safety-regulations-to-support-nuclear-reactor-testing-reform
