By Anton Freyer Assigned 12/06/16-due 12/16/16 Nuclear Safety By Anton Freyer Assigned 12/06/16-due 12/16/16

Topics Basic principles of nuclear safety Nuclear safety in hospitals Distance Time Shielding Nuclear safety in hospitals Safety in nuclear power plants Radiation around us and how to minimize it

Basic principles of nuclear safety There are three ways to minimize radiation for the human body

Distance It is effective to build the buildings with the radiation emmitting machines as far away from the rest of the hospital as possible.

Time Staff should spend as little time as possible near the machines The less time the machines run, the less radiation they emit The less therapies a patient has to do, the less time he spents in those machines--> less exposure of radiation

Shielding Different kinds of radiation need different kinds of shielding Plexiglas can provide enough safety for a lot of the uses of radiation, especially in hospitals Shielding can also be special kinds of clothes for staff

Safety in nuclear power plants

Radiation safety in hospitals All employees of hospitals that are in contact with radiation-emitting machines are required to do a safety course Shielding is another good way to minimize exposure -> not just the rooms with the machines but also the clothes for the staff( goggles) The most important thing to limit radiation exposure is, to keep the doses for the patient as small as possible,because: The radiation can scatter from the patianet Of course it is safer for the patient, too

Radon is the biggest source of radiation around us Manmade sources like medical x-rays are 18% The other 82% come from natural sources Go to https://www.nrc.gov/about- nrc/radiation/around-us/calculator.cfm to calculate your annual dose of radiation

Minimizing radiation dose As little traveling by plane as possible Living close to sea level Making radon tests in your house Keeping exposure through medicalprocedures as low as possible No smoking of tobacco

Sources Website: NRC; Article: minimize your exposure; Date accessed: December 18, 2016 Website: NRC; Article: personal annual radiation dose calculation; Date accessed: December 18, 2016 Website: Youtube; Article: Nucler Reactor Safety; Publisher: Youtube; electronically published: February 23, 2015; Date accessed: December 18, 2016; Author:cstmweb Website: Kimberly Snyder; Article: How to reduce radiation exposure (and why you should); Electronically published: june 19, 2015; Date accessed: December 18, 2016 Website:The Importance of Radiation Safety for Healthcare Workers as Well as Patients | Cath Lab Digest;Article:The Importance of Radiation Safety for Healthcare Workers as Well as Patients;Date accessed: December 18, 2016