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Radiation exposure can be detrimental to your health if you don’t wear the right protective equipment. Even in medical or research settings, wearing the right radiation personal protective equipment (PPE) is necessary to prevent immediate issues like radiation syndrome as well as long-term effects like organ damage.
In this article, we will define radiation exposure, explain how it affects the body, and tell you why you need to protect your team as well as patients from direct exposure to this type of energy.
How Does Radiation Affect the Body?
Before delving any further, let’s define radiation exposure. In this context, exposure is the amount of radiation your body absorbs from a radioactive source, like an X-ray device.
While radiation is all around us, excessive exposure can result in severe short and long-term health issues that require immediate medical attention.
Let’s take a closer look.
Ionizing vs Non-Ionizing Radiation
The first thing you need to understand is the difference between ionizing and non-ionizing radiation. From a health perspective, ionizing radiation has enough energy to damage cells and DNA. Non-ionizing radiation (like radio waves) typically poses fewer risks but still requires controlled use and protection in medical and other settings.
Cell and DNA Damage
Radiation doesn’t just affect the surface of your body, but it actually penetrates deep into your cells. Ionizing radiation can break DNA strands, disrupt cell reproduction, and trigger mutations in living tissue. Over time, these microscopic injuries can accumulate, causing organ failure, cancer, and chronic health complications down the road.
Signs You May Need Medical Attention
The symptoms of radiation exposure depend on dose and duration, but early signs often include nausea, fatigue, skin redness, and dizziness. With higher levels, you may experience burns, hair loss, and weakened immunity, which are warning signals you should not ignore.
Why You Need to Protect Your Body from Ionizing Radiation
Whether you’re getting treatment or imaging tests like a CT scan, radiation exposure can have a detrimental effect if you don’t take the right safety steps.
Even if you’re exposed to high levels of radiation once, this can result in acute radiation syndrome or ARS. Besides causing nausea and radiation burns, this can also damage your organs and cause more severe health issues right away.
Constant exposure to low levels of ionizing radiation can be just as harmful because the damage accumulates, potentially causing the development of cancers and tumors in the long run.
Tips to Combat Radiation Exposure
Now that we’ve answered the question “what is radiation exposure and how it affects the body?” let’s take a look at the steps you can follow to keep it to a minimum.
The ALARA Principle
ALARA stands for “As Low As Reasonably Achievable” and this principle is used to ensure safe radiation levels in all settings. As the acronym suggests, the idea is to reduce radiation exposure to the lowest possible levels in all settings, including diagnostic imaging facilities, laboratories, and medical clinics.
The idea with ALARA is to reduce exposure time while increasing distance and shielding as much as possible. Remember, the goal should not be to eliminate radiation altogether, but to lower it to acceptable safe levels.
Wearing Adequate Protective Equipment
Fortunately, it’s possible to reduce exposure to radiation through safety equipment. There is a single piece of equipment that can completely protect all parts of your body. Instead, you need to assess the type of radiation machinery in your facility and acquire safety equipment that will keep your staff safe while operating these devices.
The most common and effective pieces of protective personal equipment include:
- Lead aprons
- Thyroid shields
- Movable barriers
- Lead caps and head bands
It’s important to note that the best type of radiation PPE will depend on your facility’s requirements. For instance, if you manage a dental facility that utilizes radiation imaging, your PPE should focus on protecting the thyroid, head, and upper body.
In the case that you manage medical facilities, you may need more robust support as well as lightweight apparel that can be worn over long periods of time comfortably.
Following an Appropriate Radiation Protocol
Negative radiation exposure effects are well documented, so the best way to prevent this type of issue is through a detailed radiation protocol.
From the type of safety equipment to the sanitation process and interval rules, you need to create a radiation safety protocol. This is basically a detailed guide that documents the steps and best practices your team members should follow when working with radiation equipment. This protocol should be created and reviewed by your radiation safety officer (RSO), but it’s also a good idea to have additional safety experts review it, like your radiation safety equipment provider.
Tracking and Monitoring Radiation Levels
Out of the two major types of radiation exposure, ionizing energy is by far the most damaging. This type of radiation has the ability to remove electrons from organic tissue, causing ionization and the release of free radicals as a result. What’s more, this type of exposure is cumulative over time, which means that the health issues become more severe after prolonged ongoing exposure.
For this reason, you need to have a tracking and monitoring system within your facility. The first step to achieve this is implementing a tracking system into your radiation protocol with the help of your RSO. Make sure to use techniques like dosimeter devices and ongoing testing to ensure safe radiation levels and appropriately timed breaks.
Safeguard Your Team from Radiation Exposure Today
Professionals who work in proximity to radiation equipment need to control exposure and take steps to remain safe while operating this type of machinery. The good news is that there are many safety best practices that you can implement to help prevent cell damage and maintain high safety levels throughout your facility.
While it’s important to protect from all types of radiation, safeguarding against ionizing energy is particularly essential to achieve high safety levels. If not, you run the risk of experiencing acute radiation syndrome and health issues related to cumulative exposure, including the development of cancer and other serious conditions.
At Barrier Technologies, we’ve spent the last two decades creating radiation safety apparel and personal protective equipment. We utilize lead as well as alternative materials that have equivalent attenuation levels to help guarantee maximum protection and comfort in all settings. Contact us today to get assistance choosing the best radiation PPE for your facility.
