Working around radiation can be dangerous yet necessary in many vital industries. Everyone who works in potentially radioactive environments must prioritize safety above all else, which means they must reduce radiation exposure to the maximum extent possible. We've put this article together to help you discover how to minimize radiation exposure in the workplace.

Radiation as a Workplace Hazard

Millions of people working in fields such as construction, agriculture, medicine, mining, shipping, and nuclear power find themselves regularly exposed to radiation. When these individuals are subjected to radiation, it's critical that they are insulated and that the dosages they receive are kept as low as possible.

Ionizing and Non-Ionizing Radiation

According to the CDC, ionizing radiation is a type of energy that removes electrons from atoms and molecules in various materials, including air, water, and biological tissue. X-rays, which can enter our bodies and show pictures of our bones, are a typical example of ionizing radiation. Often, ionizing radiation will flow through substances undetected.

The energy of non-ionizing radiation is lower than that of ionizing radiation, and it does not remove electrons. An example of this type of radiation includes the microwaves you'll find in most kitchens.

Danger of Exposure

Ionizing activity can change particles inside our body's cells. That behavior could negatively affect you over time, eventually leading to severe issues such as cancer. When ionizing radiation exposure is too intense, it can cause immediate skin or tissue damage.

Practice ALARA

"ALARA" should be your radiation safety core philosophy. ALARA is an acronym that means "as low as reasonably achievable.” This approach implies that you should strive to avoid even minimal dosages when it offers no direct benefit.

Reduce Time

The most important thing you can do to avoid radiation dangers is to restrict the length of time you're subjected to sources of radiation. When you reduce the time of exposure, the effective dosage decreases proportionately. As a result, the less time you spend among radioactive equipment, the lower your risk will be.

Do as Much Prep as Possible

One of the secrets to decreasing your radiation dose is to organize as much as possible ahead of time so you can rapidly conduct an activity and move on. If you're a physician performing real-time x-ray imaging, for example, you'll want to make sure you're proficiently skilled in the process. This will allow you to discover what you need quickly. In addition, the radiographer must examine the X-ray in the proper location and at the appropriate time to avoid a fuzzy image.

Keep Your Distance

The radiation dose drops considerably as you travel farther away from the source, just as heat from a fire diminishes the further you are from the flames. The degree of radiation exposure is inversely related to the square of the distance from the radiation source. In laymen’s terms, this means that every time you double the distance from a radiation source, you reduce your exposure by 75 percent.

Shield Yourself From the Source

You should place a shield or barrier between yourself and any sources of radiation. Typically, this form of control will be integrated into the facility itself, often through concrete barriers near a known source.

The type of shielding will largely depend on the kind of radiation in the environment. You’ll also want to strongly consider applying shielding to areas above and below rooms that are filled with radioactive equipment.

Interlock Systems

A radiation safety interlock system is a mechanism that automatically shuts off or minimizes the pace of radiation from emission sources. The goal of a radiation safety interlock system is to protect you from excessive doses of radiation. These devices also serve as a valuable warning system for anyone attempting to cross into radioactive areas.

Protective Materials

You should use construction materials for flooring, walls, ceilings, and doors surrounding radioactive equipment to provide proper shielding capabilities. Lead shielding—which can include leaded glass, lead-lined drywall, prefabricated lead-lined doors, and lead bricks—is the most acceptable material. You may also be able to use standard concrete walls if they’re thick enough to offer protection.

Wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Any time you're working around open radioactive sources, you should wear the proper PPE. PPE is remarkably effective at preventing contamination from skin contact or inhaling radiation materials. However, unless your safety gear incorporates shielding material such as lead, it won't protect you against direct radiation exposure.

Lead Garments

Wearing a lead apron or vest can significantly lower the dosage of radiation you receive in the workplace. However, you and others must understand how to wear these items correctly; otherwise, they may not function properly. In such instances, you could put yourself in grave danger.

The thyroid gland (positioned in front of your neck) is highly vulnerable to radiation. Wearing a lead thyroid collar can be a literal lifesaver in the workplace. Additionally, safety goggles can shield your eyes from potential exposure.

Why Lead Is Effective

Lead is a very dense material, which means its atoms are packed tightly. Due to its density, penetrating radiation has a tough time passing through it. Instead, radiation reacts with the particles in the lead, causing them to bounce around inside the metal as it loses energy.

Alert People of Danger as Quickly as Possible

You'll need an effective warning system in place to notify workers of possible environmental contamination so that they can react as quickly as possible. As previously stated, the greater the distance between yourself and radiation sources, the better.

There should be radiation detectors near radioactive materials, equipment, and devices. You should also provide workers with portable radiation monitors that they can wear on their clothes or carry in their hands or pockets while they walk around radioactive areas. These devices will sound an audible alarm or display a visual signal to notify personnel of a radiation threat.

Examples of Radiation Monitors

Gas-filled detectors are some of the most common types of radiation monitors. When the gas in the detector gets exposed to radiation, it reacts, causing the gas to become ionized. You can then measure the associated charge with a meter.

Scintillation is the phenomenon of light emission, and the capability of some materials to scintillate when exposed to radiation makes them practical for monitors. Because of their high sensitivity, scintillation detectors are especially helpful for radiation security systems.

Solid-state detectors use a semiconductor material such as silicon to measure radiation doses. Semiconducting material features an elevated resistance to electrical current, though this resistance is not as high as an insulator.

We hope this article helps you understand how to minimize radiation exposure in the workplace. The more effective the procedures you put in place are, the better protected you and your workers will be.

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