After decades of assertions, on a highly theoretical basis, that doses of ionizing radiation substantially less than that required to cause detectable changes in tissue would have serious long-term health effects, the tide of scientific opinion has begun to turn. Thanks in part to remarkable evidence, such as the study of 110 000 Chernobyl “liquidators” (who have not shown the expected higher rates of cancer), or tens of thousands of nuclear shipyard workers in the USA (who have experienced better health than their unexposed co-workers), it is becoming apparent that the “stochastic effects” simply do not exist — or, at least, result in no observable harm on a population basis, which is pretty much as good.
In other words, the basis of the whole “there is no safe dose” idea, which drives the “As Low As Reasonably Achievable” exposure standards, is objectively meaningless.
But don’t take my word for it. Listen to the head of the National Council on Radiation Protection.