RADIATION IN THE WORKPLACE ARANCIBIA, MATIAS LEONEL. SAFETY AND HEALTHY IN THE WORK

 Radiation may be defined as energy traveling through space. Non-ionizing radiation is essential to life, but excessive exposures will cause tissue damage. All forms of ionizing radiation have sufficient energy to ionize atoms that may destabilize molecules within cells and lead to tissue damage.

Non-ionizing radiation  Includes the spectrum of ultraviolet (UV), visible light, infrared (IR), microwave (MW), radio frequency (RF), and extremely low frequency (ELF). Lasers commonly operate in the UV, visible, and IR frequencies. Non-ionizing radiation is found in a wide range of occupational settings and can pose a considerable health risk to potentially exposed workers if not properly controlled.

Ionizing radiation  Sources may be found in a wide range of occupational settings, including health care facilities, research institutions, nuclear reactors and their support facilities, nuclear weapon production facilities, and other various manufacturing settings, just to name a few.

Radiation Protection  Minimize Your Exposure:  Time, distance, and shielding measures minimize your exposure to radiation in much the same way as they would to protect you against overexposure to the sun (as illustrated in the figure below):  Time: For people who are exposed to radiation in addition to natural background radiation, limiting or minimizing the exposure time reduces the dose from the radiation source.  Distance: Just as the heat from a fire is less intense the further away you are, so the intensity and dose of radiation decreases dramatically as you increase your distance from the source.  Shielding: Barriers of lead, concrete, or water provide protection from penetrating radiation such as gamma rays and neutrons.

 Workers have a right to a safe workplace. The law requires employers to provide their employees with safe and healthful workplaces.