RADIATION

LEARNING OUTCOMES
-At the end of this topic, student
should be able to:
• Define radiation and source of
radiation
• Explain ionizing radiation and non
ionizing radiation
• Explain radiation measurement and
monitoring
INTRODUCTION
• Radiation is general term to describe emission and
transmission of energy through space in the form of waves,
including charged and uncharged particles as well as
electromagnetic radiation.
• Classified into:
• ionizing radiation
• non-ionizing radiation
 SOURCE OF RADIATION
• Natural sources:
• cosmic rays(stars and sun)
• terrestrial radiation (soils , rocks)
• man-made sources:
• medicine
• radioactive fallout
• consumer goods
• occupational exposure - Served on nuclear submarines and other
nuclear ships or in shipyards Served as X-ray or dental technicians
General charateristic of radiations
• Particulate radiation : sub-atomic particles with mass and
charge.
-e.g: alpha , beta , protons , electrons , neutrons
• EM radiation : electromagnetic waves with no mass and
charge .
- e.g: x-rays,gamma rays
IONIZING RADIATION
 IONIZING RADIATION

Definition:
• Electromagnetic or particulate radiation capable of
producing ions, directly or indirectly by interaction with
matter
• EM energy with sufficient energy to create ions
• –Can cause direct genetic damage
 Type of Ionizing Radiation
• Alpha particles (α radiation)
• Beta particles (β radiation)
• Neutrons
• X-rays
• Gamma rays
Source of Exposure
• Industrially, the sources of exposure are related to the use
of radiation
• Radiographer are potentially exposed to x-rays
• Gamma radiation used in medicine
• Employees working around with nuclear reactor
 Penetrating abilities of various radiation

concrete
paper plastic lead
Alpha radiation

Beta radiation

X and γ radiation

neutron

Alpha particles are the slowest and least penetrating forms of nuclear radiation.
They can be stopped by a piece of paper.
 International Commission on Radiological
Protection (ICRP) Recommendations for
Dose Limits

The Effective Dose limits are as follows:

▪ Occupational exposures: 50 mSv/year

▪ General public: 1 mSv/year)

* Same with Basic Safety Standards (BSS) Regulations

under Atomic Energy Licensing Act 1984.

Note: These limits do not include, Natural background and

Medical diagnosis and therapy dose
Radiation measurement and monitoring
 Radiation Monitoring
• Radiological monitoring is required with the following aims:
• To assess the radiation exposure situation in compliance with
regulatory requirement
• To verify the effectiveness of radiation protective measures provided
at workplace
• To identify occurrence of any abnormal radiation exposure situation in
workplace
• To keep a constant surveillance over the working environment and to
detect the quantity and extent of contamination
 Radiation Monitoring
• Consist of the following components
-Personnel monitoring
-Work place monitoring
-Environmental monitoring

• Personnel and Work place monitoring carried out to

control occupational exposure

• Environmental monitoring more toward controlling public

exposure
 Personnel monitoring
Appropriate personal monitoring should be used by:

• Any employee who enters restricted area where they are

likely to receive a dose greater than 25% of the total limit of
exposure specified for a calendar quarter
• Any employee 18 years olds or less who enters restricted
area where they are likely to receive a dose greater than 5%
of the total limit of exposure specified for a calendar quarter
• Any employee who enters a high radiation area
 Instruments for detecting and measuring radiation
• Survey meters
-Geiger-Mueller (GM)instruments
-Ionization chamber instruments
-Scintillation instruments
• Laboratory counters
• Personnel dosimeter
-Photographic film dosimeter (film badges)
-Thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD)
-Pocket dosimeter (pen dosimeter)
✕ Level of radioactive
contamination Survey meters
✕ Radiation dose rate in area

✕ Identity and quantity of

radioactive material Laboratory
counters

✕ Accumulated dose to
individuals in area
Personnel
dosimeters
Geiger-Mueller instruments
Geiger-Mueller instruments
 Limitations of GM counters
• Some GM instruments can not detect alpha radiation
because alpha radiation is non penetrating. It cannot be
detected through even a thin film of water, blood, clothing.
• GM will not detect very low energy beta such as those from
tritium.
Alpha monitoring
Personnel dosimeter

• Used to measure radiation from sources outside the body

• Must be worn at the place that can represent the whole
body exposure
• Instrument selected and used should be suitable to the type
of radiation involved and range of exposure
Film badge
Thermoluminescent dosimeter
(TLD)
 Advantages of TLD over Film
badges
Advantages Disadvantages
-can be reused -Expensive

-have increased sensitivity -Non permanent record

Safe work practices and control
• For external radiation exposure hazard, the basic protection
measures are associated with:
• Shielding: keep suitable shielding between user and source.
Eg: use Pb, concrete Al
• Time: minimize handling time
• Distance: maximize the distance between user and source
• Activity: minimize activity of the source
Radiation

Non-ionizing Radiation
Non-ionizing radiation
• There are many forms of non-ionizing radiation includes
ultra violet (UV), infrared (IR),visible light, microwave, radar
and laser
 Sources of non ionizing radiation
• Source of UV exposure
• Sunlight
• Arc welding
• Sterilizing units
• Controls
-clothing
-scheduling work to avoid peak UV exposures in the middle
of the day.
 References
REFERENCES:

Reese, C.D. (2003). Occupational Health and Safety Management: A

Practical Approach, New York, Lewis
Goetsh, D.L. (2004). Occupational Safety and Health for Technologists,
Engineers and Managers. (5th edition), Upper Saddle Rover NJ,
Prentice Hall
O’Donnell, P&M.P.H (2001). Health Promotion in the Workplace (3rd
edition), New York, Delmar Learning.