Radiologic technologists and other healthcare workers are exposed to X-rays in the course of their work duties. There are certain occupational radiation exposure limits for X-ray techs. Remaining within these limits is essential for safety in the workplace. Read on to refresh your knowledge on the key safety limits with regards to occupational radiation exposure.
Several types of radiation protection clothes are available to X-ray techs. The use of these garments protects radiologic technologists from exposure to scatter radiation. However, some imaging modalities are associated with a very low exposure to occupational radiation exposure. Radiologic technologists performing these examinations may not require special radiation protection clothes.
It is estimated that approximately 1 million people employed in health facilities around the world are exposed to radiation in the course of their work duties. This makes the radiation safety of healthcare workers an important consideration. The International Labor Organization regards any exposure to ionizing radiation received at the workplace as occupational exposure. A healthcare worker’s total radiation exposure also includes natural background exposure received during working hours. However, since the latter is a consequence of living on Planet Earth and occurs regardless of occupation, it is not the responsibility of the employer and is not subject to regulatory controls.
We discovered this video series and thought it might be of interest to this community. There is no CE credit for this series, but it is useful for reference.
Since the beginning of time, all living creatures have been, and are still being, exposed to radiation. Nonetheless, most people are not aware of all the natural and man-made sources of radiation in our environment. Natural sources of radiation account for about 50 percent of human exposure, while man-made sources account for the remaining 50 percent. This article discusses various sources of radiation we find both man made and natural.
A worker holding a plutonium button. Plutonium, a man-made substance, was rare. Scraps resulting from production and plutonium recovered from retired nuclear weapons were reprocessed into valuable pure-plutonium metal.
On December 2, 2013, a commercial truck containing a dismantled radiation treatment device was stolen in Mexico. The device contained a significant amount of the radioactive material Cobalt 60. A few days later, the device was recovered. At least 6 people were evaluated for radiation exposure, but it was reported that all tests were negative, indicating that the radioactive material was not released. It appears that a very dangerous radiation disaster was avoided.
When radiological disasters happen, the victims end up where radiologic technologists work, in the hospital. They may be contaminated with radioactive dust or shrapnel in their bodies and on their clothing. As a radiologic technologist, even though you mainly work with X-rays on a day-to-day basis, the other hospital staff and public will have a reasonable expectation that you will have a better understanding than most about how to deal with a radiation disaster safely.