Untitled Quiz

Radiation Protection - Theoretical Lecture 1

• Radiation protection, also known as radiological protection, is the science of safeguarding people and the environment from harmful ionizing radiation.
• Ionizing radiation encompasses both particle radiation and high-energy electromagnetic radiation.
• It's widely used in industry and medicine but poses a significant health hazard.
• At low exposures, ionizing radiation causes microscopic tissue damage leading to skin burns and radiation sickness.
• High exposures statistically increase the risk of cancer, tumors, and genetic damage.
• Ionizing radiation is invisible and undetectable by human senses, requiring instruments like Geiger counters to detect it.

Aim of Radiation Protection

• The aim is to establish appropriate protection standards for humans without unnecessarily restricting beneficial practices that involve radiation exposure.

Groups of Radiation Protection

• Radiation protection involves different approaches for various groups:
  • Occupational protection safeguards workers.
  • Medical protection protects patients.
  • Public protection safeguards individuals and the general population.
  • Different regulations and exposure limits apply to each group, necessitating separate considerations.

Principles of Radiation Protection ("ALARA")

• ALARA stands for "as low as reasonably achievable."
• Three key factors control radiation dose:
  • Time: Reducing exposure time directly reduces the dose received, with the reduction percentage proportionate to the time.
  • Distance: Increasing the distance from the radiation source inversely squares the received dose.
  • Shielding: Materials like lead or concrete absorb or scatter radiation, reducing the amount passing through, which is crucial in ensuring levels are not hazardous to people or equipment

Principles of Radiation Protection (ICRP)

• National regulatory authorities in many countries use the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) recommendations in their regulations.
• Justification: Radiation use should be warranted (advantages must outweigh disadvantages).
• Limitation: Individual protection against excessive risks is required via dose limits.
• Optimization: Minimize radiation doses to the lowest achievable levels. These levels are not just about remaining below acceptable limits. Reducing the dose is the overall goal, not just compliance.