Radiation protection
Radiation Protection
Radiation protection, also known as radiological protection, is the science and practice of protecting people and the environment from the harmful effects of ionizing radiation. Ionizing radiation is widely used in industry and medicine, and can present a significant health hazard. It causes microscopic damage to living tissue, which can result in skin burns and radiation sickness at high exposures (known as "tissue effects," or "deterministic effects"), and statistically elevated risks of cancer at low exposures ("stochastic effects").
Pronunciation
- UK: /ˌreɪdiːˈeɪʃən prəˈtɛkʃən/
- US: /ˌreɪdiːˈeɪʃən prəˈtɛkʃən/
Etymology
The term "radiation protection" is derived from the words "radiation," which comes from the Latin radiatio meaning "a shining, radiation," and "protection," which comes from the Latin protectio meaning "a covering, protection."
Related Terms
- Ionizing radiation
- Radiation sickness
- Radiological protection
- Deterministic effects
- Stochastic effects
Radiation Protection in Practice
Radiation protection can be divided into occupational radiation protection, which is the protection of workers; medical radiation protection, which is the protection of patients; and public radiation protection, which is protection of individual members of the public, and of the population as a whole.
Occupational Radiation Protection
Occupational radiation protection is the field of protecting workers - as in the nuclear industry and in medicine - who are potentially exposed to ionizing radiation. The international recommendations on occupational radiation protection aim to protect workers against exposures that are too high, and to restrict deterministic effects and limit stochastic effects.
Medical Radiation Protection
Medical radiation protection refers to the measures used to protect patients from unnecessary exposure to ionizing radiation in a medical setting. This includes the use of shielding, proper equipment operation, and the use of lower radiation doses whenever possible.
Public Radiation Protection
Public radiation protection involves measures taken to protect the general public from exposure to ionizing radiation. This can include regulations on the use and disposal of radioactive materials, as well as education about the risks of radiation exposure.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Radiation protection
- Wikipedia's article - Radiation protection
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