Michigan Radiation Occupational Safety Rules

Different types of energy that travel through space are known as radiation. There are two forms of radiation, non-ionizing and ionizing. Non-ionizing radiation comes from common emission sources such as electrical wires and microwave technology, and can be hazardous in sufficient quantities. Ionizing radiation is always from emission sources that present a danger to life. In either case, safety regulations are designed to protect workers and customers from the dangerous effects of radiation.

Safety Training

• Everyone who is assigned to work in an environment that poses a risk for dangerous non-ionizing radiation and ionizing radiation that poses a risk to human health and safety must be informed of the hazards. Employers are required to provide training that fully details the risks that are involved if an employee does not adhere to safety precautions, and must provide training that fully educates employees on how to protect themselves, including all emergency medical treatment that must be accomplished if they are accidentally exposed to dangerous radiation.

Ionizing Radiation

• Ionizing radiation exposure comes from working around x-ray machines in hospitals and machines used to check for cracks in critical welding in several different industries. Employers are responsible to establish work site rules that limit the exposure of employees to dangerous levels of ionizing radiation according to restrictions that are established by the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health (MIOSH) standards. A record must be maintained by employers of all of the day-to-day exposure of employees that is within the established limits, and a record of exposure that exceeds the allowable standards. If an employee is reaching the limit of allowable exposure over a period of time the employee must be provided work that will limit her exposure until a period of time has passed as required by the standards.

Non-Ionizing Radiation

• There are no specific standards for exposure to non-ionizing radiation. Concentrated non-ionizing radiation can cause a severe burn such as might be received if you are exposed to a high-intensity laser beam or exposed to micro-wave radiation from a microwave oven. Michigan safety regulations do provide specific instructions on safety precautions you should be taking when working around non-ionizing laser equipment such as eye protection and other safety equipment that will provide you with protection. The best protection from exposure to radiation being transmitted from a radio tower or a beam from a radar unit is distance. Do not stand directly in front of any high intensity transmitter.