BLOCK 7: IONIZING RADIATION - Unit 7: Ionizing Radiation Hazard Controls (complete *)

Question 1

According to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), people who may receive a higher than average annual dose of radiation are those who:

Answer 1

• live at higher elevations
• travel more by airplane
• smoke
• live by coal power power plants
• undergo more medical treatments involving radiation
• live and work in buildings that
  were constructed with materials containing higher concentrations of isotopes

Question 2

Ionizing radiation regulatory requirements and protection standards are established to keep
exposures ______.

Answer 2

As low as reasonably achievable (ALARA)

Question 3

What are the 4 categories of annual peacetime dose limits?

Answer 3

1. Occupational
2. Declared pregnant individuals
3. Minors (16-17 years old)
4. General public

Question 4

“the dose received by an individual in the course of employment in which the individual’s assigned duties involve exposure to radiation or to [radioactive material] from regulated and unregulated sources of radiation, whether in the possession of the licensee or other person”

Answer 4

Occupational dose.

• does not include doses received from background radiation

Question 5

What is the annual dose limit for an occupational worker?

Answer 5

5 rem in a single year or 50 rem to any tissue except the lens of the eye

Question 6

A ______ is defined as a military or civilian worker who has “informed their workplace supervisor or primary care manager, in writing, of [the] pregnancy and the estimated date of conception”

Answer 6

Declared pregnant individual

Question 7

What is the dose limit for a declared pregnant individual?

Answer 7

500 mrem to the embryo/fetus for the remainder of the pregnancy and no more than 50 mrem in each month of the pregnancy.

• think about the fact that a fetus has young, rapidly growing, and undifferentiated cells that make it especially susceptible to the effects of radiation exposure.

Question 8

In regard to ______, AFMAN 48-148 states: “No person under the age of 16 years shall be subjected to occupational exposure, and no person under the age of 18 shall
be allowed to work in a restricted area unless supervised, and then only for the purposes of
training.”

Answer 8

Minors (16-17 years old)

Question 9

What is the dose limit for minors?

Answer 9

500 mrem/yr and 5 rem to any tissue except the lens of the
eye

Question 10

Any individual except when that individual is receiving an occupational dose is considered, by AFMAN 48-148, to be a member of the ______.

Answer 10

General Public

Question 11

What is the dose limit for the general public?

Answer 11

100 mrem/yr

Question 12

During ______, dose limits vary due to critical tasks and life-saving missions.

Answer 12

Wartime and Radiological Response

*the incident commander establishes these dose limits base on recommendations made by Bioenvironmental Engineering

Question 13

During wartime and radiological response, total accumulated dose should not exceed

Answer 13

125 rad, per AFMAN 48-148 and
NATO STANAG 2083

Question 14

What are 3 important considerations when trying to control ionizing radiation?

Answer 14

1. Type of radiation
2. Energy level
3. Route of exposure (internal vs. external)

Question 15

What are the 5 different types of ionizing radiation?

Answer 15

1. Alpha
2. Beta
3. Gamma
4. X-ray
5. Neutron

• each has the capacity to penetrate different levels of tissue

Question 16

What directly effects the penetrating ability of each particular type of ionizing radiation?

Answer 16

Its energy level

*the more energy the radiation has, the greater the biological effect

Question 17

What are the routes of ionizing radiation exposure?

Answer 17

Internal and external

Question 18

What are the 3 principle methods by which ionizing radiation is controlled?

Answer 18

1. Time
2. Distance
3. Shielding

Question 19

Radiation dose (total exposure) is directly proportional to the _____.

Answer 19

time spent in a radiation field.

Dose = exposure rate (mR/hr) x time (t)

Question 20

Exposure rate is is inversely proportional to the ______.

Answer 20

distance (D) from a point source of radiation.

*EASIEST control method

Question 21

______ is an engineering control that provides a physical barrier to absorb the energy from the
radiation. It is only effective when thick enough to adequately absorb the type of
radiation present

Answer 21

Shielding

Question 22

Minimum level of shielding needed to absorb alpha
radiation particles.

Answer 22

Paper

*human skin is also effective

Question 23

Minimum level of
shielding needed to shield beta radiation.

Answer 23

Sheet of plastic or wood

Question 24

Gamma and x-rays can be shielded by _____.

Answer 24

Thick layers of concrete or, at minimum, lead

Question 25

Neutron radiation is best
shielded by _____.

Answer 25

Large amounts of water

Question 26

Provide examples of engineering controls used to reduce radiation exposure.

Answer 26

• lead shields
• concrete barriers
• interlocks
• emergency shutoff buttons
• visible lights,
• audible warnings

Question 27

Provide examples of administrative controls used to reduce radiation exposure.

Answer 27

• cones
• ropes
• signs
• written procedures
• controlled areas
• training.

Question 28

Provide examples of PPE controls used to reduce radiation exposure.

Answer 28

• particulate cartridges for particulate radiation (alpha/beta)
• lead aprons/gloves (gamma/x-ray)
• Tyvek suits, shoe covers, and rubber gloves for anti-contamination purposes

Question 29

In accordance with AFMAN 48-148, Ionizing Radiation Protection, all personnel who have the potential to be occupationally exposed to 100 mrem per year are required to receive _____.

Answer 29

Initial and annual radiation safety training.

Question 30

Who is responsible for determining which populations are included within ionizing radiation training?

Answer 30

Installation Radiation Safety Officer (IRSO)

Question 31

Who is responsible for providing the actual ionizing radiation training?

Answer 31

URSO and/or PRSO

Question 32

Where is training documented?

Answer 32

AF Form 55, Employee Safety and Health Record

*training programs presented, course curricula, and attendance shall be maintained for a period
of three years