Risk assessment
includes knowing what types of hazards are present and then determining the level of protection necessary to minimize the danger they pose
threshold limit value (TLV )
- chemical substance is an estimate of the reasonable level to which a worker can be exposed without adverse effects.
- issued by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists
Safety data sheets provide
Physical property and toxicology information
Alpha particles
particles are emitted from radioisotopes such as americium-241 (commonly used in smoke detectors
-heavy; they travel just a few centimeters in the air and are easily absorbed by thin layers of light materials, such as a sheet of paper. They cannot penetrate the skin, so they generally pose the least threat to safety when external. 2 protons
Beta (β) particles
are subatomic particles that are either an electron, which is negatively charged, or a positron, which is positively charged
- thousands of times smaller than alpha particles. They move at high speed and have a higher energy than alpha particles. Tritium (3H), carbon-14 (14C)
Ionizing radiation
causes breaks in DNA molecules and generates destructive free radicals (cancer, mutations)
Gamma (γ) radiation and x-rays
electromagnetic radiation similar to visible light, radio waves, and ultraviolet light, but with higher energy. Gamma radiation is generated from radioactive decay. Gamma radiation and x-rays can penetrate through the body,
Bremsstrahlung
An X-ray produced by beta particles when they decelerate
Which type of radiation is electromagnetic radiation generated non-radioactively
Xrays
Exposure to which of the following is a potential hazard related to the use of lasers during surgery
Aerosols and gases