European Directive 2004/40/EC on occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF), based on the guidelines of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection, was to be implemented in the Member States of the European Union by 2008. Because of some unexpected problems the deadline was postponed until 2012. This paper reviews some of the problems identified and presents so...

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to measure ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposures of lifeguards in pool settings and evaluate their personal UVR protective practices. METHODS Lifeguards (n = 168) wore UVR sensitive polysulfone (PS) film badges in wrist bracelets on 2 days and completed a survey and diary covering sun protection use. Analyses were used to describe sun exposure and sun prot...

Background: Several potential challenges with radiation protection (RP) and safety culture in radiology departments need to be addressed. This study assesses radiographers’ adherence to radiation protection practices in radiology departments. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among radiographers; 210 self-administrated questionnaires were sent to the participants. An ...

Introduction: Occupational exposure to ionizing radiation due to medical activities (both diagnostic and therapeutic procedures) has increased sharply in recent years. Among the occupationally exposed workers in these fields, those most affected by this increased exposure to ionizing radiation are nuclear medicine workers. In this study, annual average effective dose, annual collective effectiv...

Many modern diagnostic and surgical procedures rely heavily on the use of ionizing radiation. These procedures include computed tomography, nuclear medicine procedures, interventional radiology, and cardiac catheterization and electrophysiology procedures. Recent trends toward increased patient visits and patients with multiple challenging comorbidities have meant that anesthesia providers are ...

The study aim was to determine the risk of cataract among radiologic technologists with respect to occupational and nonoccupational exposures to ionizing radiation and to personal characteristics. A prospective cohort of 35,705 cataract-free US radiologic technologists aged 24-44 years was followed for nearly 20 years (1983-2004) by using two follow-up questionnaires. During the study period, 2...

Introduction During the past 30 years, interventional cardiology has advanced dramatically resulting in outstanding increases in occupational radiation exposure of interventional cardiologists. Despite the remarkable changes in fluoroscopic procedures, radiation protection technology is not much different from how it was decades ago. Moreover, new evidence on occupational radiation suggests tha...

AIMS Interventional cardiologists who work in cardiac catheterisation laboratories are exposed to low doses of ionising radiation that could pose a health hazard. DNA damage is considered to be the main initiating event by which radiation damage to cells results in development of cancer. METHODS AND RESULTS We report on four interventional cardiologists, all with brain malignancies in the lef...

In debates about nuclear controversy, the issue of occupational safety in radioactive facilities is rarely foregrounded; it has historically been relegated to second place compared to the attention given to potential harm to the general population. Aiming for, at least, partially filling this historiographical gap, this article deals with the development of occupational radiological protection ...