Detecting Ionizing Radiation for Workplace Monitoring or Personal Exposure
In the workplace, ionizing radiation can come in the forms of naturally occurring radioactive materials, like radon in mining, in industrial or medical radioisotopes, tracer elements, or from x-ray machines, radar generators, nuclear reactors, or hazardous waste sites.
While most agencies advocate an “As Low as Reasonably Achievable” (ALARA) approach to radiation exposure, OSHA, the US Department of Transportation, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission all publish set exposure limits for workers.
A nuclear radiation detector, also known as a Geiger counter, is used to detect radioactive emissions absorbed by a person or an object. Area Geiger counters measure alpha, beta, gamma, and x-ray radiation types for detecting radiation sources within your workplace. Personal Geiger counters measure gamma and x-ray radiation for worker exposure.
The Geiger counter consists of two main elements: the processing electrons and the Geiger tube. The Geiger tube fills up with a low-pressure inert gas that becomes conductive of electricity when it is impacted by a high-energy particle and then displayed on the LCD screen.
There are four different but interrelated units for measuring radiation: radioactivity, exposure, absorbed dose and dose equivalent. These four terms can be remembered by the mnemonic R-E-A-D.
- Radioactivity is the amount of ionizing radiation released by a material.
- Exposure describes the amount of radiation traveling through the air.
- Absorbed Dose is the amount of radiation absorbed by a person or object.
- Dose Equivalent is the combined amount of radiation absorbed and the medical effects of that type of radiation.
By using one RAECO Rent’s Geiger counters you will get accurate, traceable readings for both worker safety and health.
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