Fluoroscopic Worker Safety Is More Than Radiation Safety.

Government Regulation Number 45 of 2023 concerning Ionizing Radiation Safety and Radioactive Substance Safety states that every activity related to the use of nuclear energy must pay attention to radiation safety by building and developing a safety culture in all organizational activities. In addition, radiation workers and other personnel related to the use of nuclear energy are required to support the implementation of a safety culture. Based on this, it is essential to conduct periodic evaluations to determine the risk analysis of the implementation of radiation safety in every facility that utilizes radiation, including the Yogyakarta Islamic Hospital (RSIY) PDHI, which utilizes ionizing radiation for patient diagnosis and therapy. The type of research conducted at RSIY PDHI is qualitative research using case study analysis. The research was conducted from March to August 2024. Data was collected in three ways: observation, interviews, and document analysis. The study showed that radiation protection equipment showed consistent results with the "less" category during the six months of observation. Optimization and radiation safety implementation generally received a "good" score, except in June, which showed a decrease to the "less" category. Radiation protection and safety training was consistently in the "less" category. The interview results show several concrete steps have been taken to implement a radiation safety culture. It can be concluded that, although several aspects still need to be monitored and improved, RSIY PDHI has shown a solid commitment to implementing a radiation safety culture. Continuous evaluation and improvement are essential to ensure optimal safety for all parties involved. Keywords: radiation protection, radiation safety, radiation safety culture, assessment and continuous improvement.

The great benefit of 131I radionuclide treatment for differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) was acknowledged by the long survival rate. The main requirements for 131I therapy in hospital were treatment facilities and a radiation safety plan that assured radiation protection and safety to patient, hospital worker, public, and environment. Objective: To introduce the concepts and methods of radiation safety design for a patient’s room in a 131I treatment ward and a system of radioactive waste water management in hospital. Methods: The design was based on principles of external and internal radiation protection for unsealed source and radioactive waste management. Planning for treatment facilities was concluded from clinical evidence, physical and physiological information for 131I, radiation safety criteria, hospital resources and budget. The three phases of the working process were: construction, software development, and radiation safety assessment. Results: The 131I treatment facility and automatic radioactive waste water management system was completely implemented in 2009. The radiation waste water management system known as the ‘Suandok Model’ was highly recommended by the national regulator to hospitals who desire to provide 131I treatment for thyroid cancer. In 2011, the Nuclear Medicine Division, Chiang Mai University was rewarded by the national authority for a very good radiation practice in development of safe working conditions and environment. Conclusion: The Suandok Model was a facility design that fulfilled requirements for the safe use of high radiation 131I doses for thyroid cancer treatment in hospital. The facility presented in this study may not be suitable for all hospitals but the design concepts could be applied according to an individual hospital context and resources. People who use or gain benefit from radiation applications have to emphasise the responsibility to control and monitor radiation effects on individuals, communities and the environment.

Rutgers University has developed an integrated occupational health and safety program incorporating the disciplines of radiation protection, chemical hygiene, industrial hygiene, occupational safety, hazardous substance disposal, and environmental control. The program was implemented by the Department of Radiation and Environmental Health and Safety which was organized in a nontraditional way to provide an interdisciplinary resource and service to a large state university community. In the relatively short period of time that the new organization functioned at full capacity, the strengths of the new organization as well as a few weaknesses have become apparent. We present here a short discussion of the reorganization activities and the lessons learned.

Those responsible for radiological protection in the workplace come to the role through many different pathways. In the process of training radiation safety officers and x-ray safety officers, instructors at the Radiation Safety Institute of Canada have observed that, while many course participants will have previous radiological protection training, it is common for a significant number to have experience managing traditional occupational health and safety or industrial hygiene programs and no radiological protection background. Humans use mental models or schemas to understand the world. They assimilate new information based on their existing schemas. Those formally trained in radiological protection are well versed in the International System of Radiological Protection, based on the fundamental principles of justification, optimization, and limitation as described in International Commission on Radiological Protection Publication 103. Those with training in occupational health and safety or industrial hygiene in Canada or the United States work within a framework called the hierarchy of controls. Given here is a comparison of these safety frameworks with consideration of how the health and safety schema of these two groups of radiological protection personnel may differ and areas on which to build a common understanding of radiological protection in the workplace. Hopefully, consideration of this topic will lead to improved communication and help safety professionals avoid misconceptions that might arise owing to differences in foundational knowledge.

Radiation Safety Knowledge and Perceptions among Residents: A Potential Improvement Opportunity for Graduate Medical Education in the United States

Radiation is the emission of energy in the form of particles and electromagnetic waves. So all forms of ionizing radiation are dangerous factors that produce some kind of irreversible physical and genetic effects. Therefore, awareness and application of special guidance to protect against ionizing radiation exposure plays an important role in the health of workers in diagnostic radiology departments by applying the basic rules of radiation protection. The aim of this study is to evaluate the status of the workers in the diagnostic radiology departments in relation to the occupational radiation protection of the ionizing radiation hazards in the Benghazi hospitals – Libya. Consequently, the questionnaire was distributed to the staff of radiology departments (Radiographer only) in four hospitals in Benghazi city. The study sample included 61 workers selected randomly from 109 workers in radiology departments. The data was collected and analyzed by SPSS program. The results of the demographic variables of the research sample indicated that the average age of the sample was 35.2 years and the majority holding diploma certificate (77.4%). However, primitive and periodic medical examinations were not conducted regularly despite their importance. The vast majority was not equipped with radiation exposure devices, working hours exceeded 40 hours a week. Non-calibration of equipment and conducting radiation survey of the workplace for absence of radiation protection employee in the four hospitals selected in this research The results of the study show that most workers (radiographers) in the diagnostic radiology departments in the four visited hospitals did not have sufficient awareness and knowledge about the international recommendations for radiation protection. Furthermore, the lack of primitive and periodic examinations and the reason for the failure to these tests are due to the lack of equipment for measuring the amount of radiation exposure doses, non-limitation of working hours and the absence of compulsory breaks, besides the absence of a responsible employee for radiation protection, which can regulate all the above works.

Ionizing radiation has been increasingly applied in medicine and firmly established as an essential tool for diagnosis. There is high possibility for medical radiation workers to receive doses that are considerably higher than recorded by their dosimeters due to lack of knowledge about ionizing radiation, lack of training in radiation protection, and attitude of the workers themselves toward radiation protection. The purpose of this study is to estimate the radiation risk due to occupational exposure to ionizing radiation among medical diagnostic workers at hospitals in Malaysia. Also the objective is to determine the knowledge of occupational radiation exposure and radiation safety among the workers. The assessment was made based on the collective doses collected from film badge of the workers. The results of risk assessment show the mean annual collective effective dose based on type of X-ray procedure in this study was 5.445mSv, which is much lower compared to the whole body exposure dose limit, set by the ICRP Publication 60. A survey on knowledge of occupational radiation exposure and radiation safety was conducted using questionnaire and it was found that vast majority of respondents were aware of radiation safety with 91.3% answered the specific questions regarding radiation protection at workplace correctly. Unfortunately only 30.4% of the respondents fully understand the hazard they are exposed to. The study reveals that there is a critical need to educate not only medical radiation workers but also medical doctors and nurses to decrease unnecessary occupational exposure to radiation hazard.

Research on radiation sensitive biomarkers and status of radiation safety literacy under low dose irradiation: Radiation biomarkers and radiation safety culture

Background: Ionizing and non-ionizing radiation are widely used in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Considering the potential risks of radiation, radiation safety training courses are important for medical staff. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of one-day radiation safety training program in increasing the radiation safety knowledge of physicians. Methods: In this descriptive-analytical study, subjects were 12 physicians (6 general practitioners and 6 non-radiologist specialists) participated in the training program organized by Qazvin University of Medical Sciences in 2018. A researcher-made questionnaire was used for surveying physicians before and after the training. The mean and standard deviation of the scores were first calculated. Then, the pre- and post-test scores were compared using Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and the correlation of these scores with their age, gender, expertise area, and work experience was examined by Spearmanchr('39')s correlation test. Findings: The mean total scores of the physicians before and after training were 7.00±2.56 (ranged 3-11) and 11.92± 2.31 (ranged 8-15) out of 18, respectively. The radiation safety knowledge of physicians significantly increased after training (P<0.001). No significant relationship was found between their scores and their age, gender, expertise area and work experience. Conclusion: The radiation safety training program was effective in increasing the radiation safety knowledge of physicians and it can be used for a larger community of physicians.

Objectives: Orthopedic surgeons are heavy fluoroscopy users, which is one of the primary sources of ionizing radiation. Therefore, risks from exposure to these radiations need to be appraised. This study aimed to estimate orthopedic surgeons' knowledge and awareness in Saudi Arabia regarding radiation safety and fluoroscopy use. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from May to August 2020. A total of 150 replies were received from various cities in Saudi Arabia to an 18-item questionnaire. It covered frequency of radiation exposure, safety measures used, and training for radiation safety and fluoroscopy use. Results: The study showed a broad unfortunate negative-associated trend in surgeons' knowledge, with the training of radiation safety and fluoroscopy use, especially for eye and hand-related safety precautions. However, 61% of male surgeons and 48.6% of female surgeons were significantly worried about diseases caused by radiation exposure. Conclusion: This study revealed that most orthopedic surgeons in Saudi Arabia have a limited background on ionizing radiation risks and safe fluoroscopy use. Awareness of radiation safety is required for the well-being of orthopedic surgeons.

The population's level of radiation literacy needs to be increased due to the significant rise in the use of radiation technologies in medicine, industry, science, and other fields. Simultaneously, the rapid development of digital technologies and increased access to the internet for a significant portion of the world's population have created new opportunities for radiation safety training and awareness-raising. The purpose of the study was to examine current areas and methods of teaching radiation safety in the era of digital education, to identify important challenges faced by educational institutions and students, and to identify opportunities for using modern technologies. The research employed theoretical analysis of information sources, systematization, deduction, modeling, and generalization. The article analyses the potential of modern digital learning tools in studying radiation safety. It substantiates the structural and logical scheme of using educational web resources for this purpose. The article also proposes tools for diagnosing the level of subject competence and approaches to ensuring reflection and self-reflection of the subjects of the educational process. The identified components of radiation safety training include accessibility of educational information, quality interaction of participants, objective evaluation of results, and reflection and process analysis, specialized web services have also been identified to aid in their implementation in a digital educational environment. The study's results will be valuable for training non-specialists who may encounter radiation risks from domestic, man-made, natural, or military sources, they will also be useful for specialists studying ways to improve radiation literacy among different segments of the population

Ionizing radiation is a beneficial agent that contributes to improved health care. However, unnecessary exposure to ionizing radiation can be harmful [1, 2] and should be avoided. Because penetrating radiations cannot be contained entirely, some irradiation of staff members, visitors, and the public is bound to occur incidental to any use of radiation. All radiation work should be carried out in a preplanned and controlled manner so that the exposure to the workers and persons in and near sites of radiation use is kept as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) and does not exceed the recommended limits. In the U.S., guidelines to ensure the radiation safety of radiation and non-radiation workers and members of the public are provided by the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) [3]. Recommendations are also provided by the International Commission on Radiation Protection (ICRP) [4, 5], the International Atomic Energy Agency [6], and the European Atomic Energy Community [7]. In some geographic regions, governmental regulatory agencies formulate the safety limits for radiation exposure and mandate that radiation users adhere to them. A radiotherapy department should plan and conduct its activities in such a manner that the safety recommendations (or regulations) are followed.

Purpose: To share the experience in regulation of radiation safety and protection of workers involved in management of the spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and radioactive waste (RW), as well as radiation protection of the population and environment in the vicinity of sites for temporary storage at Andreeva Bay on the Kola Peninsula. Material and methods: Spent fuel from Russian nuclear powered submarines has been stored at shore based facilities for more than 20 years, notably at Andreeva Bay. The storage facilities were for some years poorly maintained and a significant fraction of the fuel that is still in store at the site wais damaged. Over the last years, hugemuch work has been done to improve the technical infrastructure and prepare for removal of the SNF from the temporary stores, management of existing RW. Results: This paper presents progress with projects of the FMBA of Russia and NRPA cooperation for regulation of radiation safety and protection. During the researches, the following issues were addressed: radiological threat assessment to identify the priority directions of regulation; detailed analysis of the radiation situation on sites, at the territories and nearby the sites; radiation control and monitoring of the environmental conditions; development of the computer maps and geo-information system; emergency preparedness and response; improvement of radiation safety culture; etc. Based on the received results of monitoring and assessment of the current risks, site-specific regulatory documents have been developed for the bodies and institutions under the FMBA of Russia involved in the activities to control the facility. Those documents include the requirements for: radiation protection of workers and population; personal dose monitoring; the RW management including the very low level RW; implementation of the environmental monitoring; radiation monitoring nearby the Andreeva Bay SevRAO facility; and remediation of the sites as remediation criteria and regulations. The next stage of work is to carry out the regulation of large-scale removal of SNF during 2017–2021 and its subsequent transfer to Mayak PA, and operations to bring the infrastructure of the site into the hsafe conditions, i.e., ecological remediation of the site – by 2025. Lessons learnt from this work are being used in support of improved international recommendations and guidance on how to address legacy issues. Conclusion: The experience accumulated during regulation of the remediation process of the former Naval Coastal Technical Bases, has helped to identify new relevant areas of improvement of the regulatory supervision at nuclear legacy sites. The study of potential hazard of radiation exposure to the personnel during technological operations of SNF and RW management is very important issue. In this light, the regulator in cooperation of the operator should develop some effective and efficient activities for dose monitoring. When dealing with the protection of the population and environment, a methodology of comprehensive radiation and chemical monitoring should be developed and models of radiation and chemical risks should be improved taking into account features of contamination of the site under remediation. An important link of the social focus of the regulator and the operator is to improve strategies of public communications near legacy sites under remediation.

Radiation application in medicine offers extraordinary benefits. But radiation is like a double-edged sword, it has both benefits and associated risks on the community in contact. To justify the safety of workers and members of the public, regulated use of radiation is assessed by the radiation protection protocols. The aim of this study is to design a Computed Tomography (CT) facility with a simplified model of CT scanner, whose shielding follows the guidelines of National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) Report No. 147. To design the study model, Monte Carlo (MC) radiation transport code in MCNPX 2.6.0 was used for the simulation. Furthermore, MCNPX was used to measure the photon flux in a vicinity or the detector cell. To validate the functioning of the X-ray tube, the experimental results were compared with the X-ray Transition Energies Database of National Institute of Standards and Technology, U.S. Department of Commerce. The results obtained were within 0.60% of relative error. To confirm the functioning of shielding design, radiation protection quantity, air kerma was measured at several points outside, and inside of the CT room and they were under the radiation dose recommended by NCRP, which demonstrates that the shielding design wassuccessful in blocking the radiation. The study can be used for an easy evaluation of any CT room within the framework of the model of the study.

This study investigates and analyzes the abnormal results of personal dose monitoring among radiation workers in Chongqing from 2021 to 2024, aiming to provide a scientific basis for occupational health management and radiation protection practices. The Registration Form for Investigation of Occupational External Exposure Individual Monitoring Doses was issued to individuals whose single monitoring results exceeded the investigation level. Detailed investigations were conducted to identify the causes of abnormal doses, including on-site radiation protection testing when necessary. From 2021 to 2024, a total of 1043 abnormal personal doses were recorded among 182014 monitoring instances, yielding an abnormal rate of 0.57%. Diagnostic radiology and interventional radiology workers accounted for the majority of cases, at 64.43% and 22.53%, respectively. Most abnormal doses were below 5mSv (72.48%). The primary causes included improper dosemeter usage (75.74%), increased workload (14.29%), and unidentified reasons (9.97%). The actual exposure rate was significantly higher among interventional radiology workers (47.66%) and those in tertiary hospitals (28.67%). Strengthening radiation protection training, improving dosemeter usage compliance, and optimizing workload management are essential to reduce abnormal doses. Special attention should be given to interventional radiology workers and tertiary hospital staff to mitigate occupational radiation risks.