10 Tips for Radiation Safety
An estimated total of 23 million workers are exposed to artificial and natural radiation globally. This exposure can result in acute injuries like burns and long term health problems such as cancer and hereditary diseases. Safety inspections help ensure that critical preventive measures are in place to reduce the risk of overexposure. There should be visible warning signs, contamination surveys conducted, and device tests for all radiation-producing equipment. All workers must be trained to limit time of exposure, use radiation shields, and increase the distance of contact with radioactive devices and materials.
Rules to Remember When Working With Radiation
Everyone must take radiation overexposure seriously. Hence, preventive measures and rules must be strictly followed to avoid critical health conditions.
- Acquire adequate training to better understand the nature of radiation hazards.
- Reduce handling time of radioactive materials and equipment.
- Be mindful of your distance from sources of radiation. Increase distance as much as possible.
- Use proper shielding for the type of radiation.
- Isolate or contain harmful radioactive materials properly.
- Armor yourself with appropriate protective clothing and dosimeters.
- Conduct contamination surveys in the work area.
- Do not eat, drink, smoke, or apply cosmetics in an area where unsealed radioactive substances are handled.
- Observe proper radioactive waste disposal
- Conduct regular radiation safety self-inspections
Radiation Safety Checklists
Radiation protection checklists are tools used to confirm regulatory compliance, inspect equipment and identify hazards from radiation overexposure. Regular radiation self-inspections should be conducted when working with radiation equipment or handling radioactive material. We’ve compiled this collection of free radiation safety protection checklists you can download and modify for your lab, hospital or workplace.
