General Employee Radiation Training

You don't need to be a nuclear scientist to understand radiation safety. Many important radiation-related facts are easy to learn. You'll need to know why radiation is hazardous, the different kinds of radiation, and how it can be managed safely.

Radiation Types

• Atomic fragments, such as alpha and beta particles, constitute one form of radiation. While hazardous, they can be easily shielded. X-rays and gamma rays can penetrate most materials and constitute a bigger hazard.

Distance

• All radiation diminishes the farther you go from the source. Radiation decreases as the inverse of the square of the distance, so moving three times further away from a source cuts intensity to one ninth.

Shielding

• Radiation can also be reduced by shielding. Dense materials such as lead, concrete, and steel make the best shields. You can use thin metal or thick plastic to shield against weak radiation such as alpha and beta particles.

Time

• Time spent exposed to radiation should be kept to a practical minimum. The human body can tolerate brief bursts of moderate radiation, provided it gets plenty of time to recover.

Dosimeter

• If you work with radiation, you need to wear a special badge called a dosimeter. It records your radiation exposure over time. If you receive excess radiation, you may be assigned to non-hazardous duties until your body has had time to recover.