Dosimetry Badges and Rings from Radiation Safety: Monitoring Radiation Exposure
Dosimetry Badges and Rings from Radiation Safety: Monitoring Radiation Exposure
Staying safe from radiation exposure can be done by monitoring radiation exposure and utilizing dosimetry badges and rings from Radiation Safety. Radiation is an invisible yet significant part of our daily lives, used in everything from medicine to industry. However, for those working directly with radioactive materials and radiation sources, exposure can pose serious risk and even deadly risks. Whether you work in nuclear medicine, handle X-ray radiation, or come into contact with other radioactive elements, understanding how to protect yourself is essential. That’s where safety practices and tools like radiation detection badges come to help the front-line worker. We will discuss how dosimeter badges and rings can help protect the safety of a pregnant staff worker, monitor occupational exposure from a NOMAD device, and or provide peace of mind for anyone in the field.
Why Are Radiation Badges Essential?
Radiation badges are essential because radiation exposure isn’t something you can feel, hear, or see, making it hard to monitor without dosimeters. At our office, Radiation Safety, we provide companies and practices with radiation dosimeters or OSL badges. These devices monitor the amount of radiation exposure a worker is subjected to over time and generate dose reports that can be reviewed online 24/7.
These badges can measure deep dose (indicating how much radiation has penetrated the body) and shallow dose (assessing surface-level exposure). Accurate readings help workers track their exposure to radiation, ensuring they stay below annual occupational dose limits. Safety measures can be taken to reduce future exposure if workers exceed these limits.
Types of Radiation Badges and Their Uses
Not all radiation badges are the same, and different jobs call for different types of monitoring. Here’s a breakdown of the most common types of badges:
1. OSL Dosimeters: These track overall exposure over time by measuring x-ray, gamma, and beta radiation. They’re typically worn on the torso or collar. Check with your RSO to determine where your dosimeter should be worn.
2. Ring Dosimeters: If you handle radioactive materials directly, especially in jobs like nuclear medicine, you’ll need to track exposure to your hands. These dosimeters are worn on the fingers, where exposure is highest.
3. Fetal Badges or monitors: Special attention is given to pregnant radiation workers, who need extra protection to shield their unborn child. Fetal badges are worn near the abdomen, and radiation exposure is explicitly monitored to protect the worker and the developing baby. It is our belief that the fetus is most sensitive to ionizing radiation in the first trimester.
4. Control Badges: These serve as a baseline to ensure the accuracy of other badges. Placed in radiation free areas, control badges help detect abnormal readings by providing comparison data while badges travel to and from the laboratory.
Special Considerations for Pregnant Workers
Pregnancy in the workplace adds a new layer of responsibility, especially in fields involving radiation. To protect unborn children from radiation risks, pregnant workers should wear both regular dosimeters and additional fetal badges. The goal is to monitor the exposure at all times. If necessary, take immediate corrective action when radiation levels approach unsafe thresholds.
In some cases, lead aprons are also worn as an extra precaution, adding another layer of protection. These aprons are particularly important when dealing with X-ray radiation or high-energy beta particles. Using fetal badges, combined with these physical barriers, significantly reduces the risk to both the mother and the child. Again, check with your RSO on the proper protocols for you!
Regular Monitoring and Dose Reports
It’s not enough to wear a badge and forget about it. To properly use passive dosimeters like OSL dosimeter badges, they must be monitored regularly, with reports generated at the end of the wear period. The badge coordinator or radiation safety officer collects old badges and replaces them with new badges at the start of each wear period to ensure up-to-date monitoring. The safety officers will determine the frequency of the badge wear period read and evaluate dose reports that provide detailed information on each worker’s reported dose.
These dose reports include crucial metrics such as the deep, shallow, and extremity doses (for workers wearing ring dosimeters). By closely monitoring these numbers, radiation safety officers can help workers avoid exceeding state dose limits and national annual occupational dose limits.
The Importance of New Technology
Technology in radiation safety has come a long way, and keeping up with advancements is critical. In the past, film badges were standard, but they have since been replaced. There are more advanced options like OSL badges. Newer devices, like XBG OSL Dosimeters from Radiation Safety, Inc. provide more accurate readings and have less fade than TLD badges.
It’s essential to regularly check the wear date on your badge to ensure it’s still within its active period. Old badges may give faulty readings or fail to register lower levels of radiation exposure. Regularly updating your badges ensures you have accurate data, which can help protect you against harmful exposure.
External Exposure and Protection
Aside from wearing badges, workers should be aware of other protective measures, especially when dealing with external exposure to radiation. Lead aprons are commonly used, especially when conducting tests using ionizing radiation. These aprons block a significant portion of the radiation from X-rays and CT scans.
If your job involves direct contact with radioactive sources, especially in nuclear medicine, using the correct shielding and protective gear can be a matter of life and death. Lead aprons, gloves, and other shielding equipment are crucial to minimizing risk and staying within annual occupational dose limits. Again, check with your RSO for protocols for your work environment.
Staying Safe at Work
Radiation exposure is a serious concern for many workers, especially those in medical fields, laboratories, warehouses, welders, mailrooms, and other industries dealing with radioactive materials. However, with the right tools, like radiation badges, ring dosimeters, and clear safety protocols, you can significantly reduce your risk.
Regularly monitor dose reports and ensure you and your radiation safety office are aware of your exposure levels. (Make it a conversation.) This should help keep you below the state, federal, and annual occupational dose limits, giving you and your family peace of mind. For pregnant workers, these precautions are even more critical, with additional protections like fetal badges in place.