Safety In Industrial Radiography

• Radiography- One of the most Versatile Non-

Destructive Testing methods used by modern
industries,employing highly penetrating X And γ rays
as a Source of radiation.
• Provides a Permanent visible record of internal
conditions.
• Soundness of material can be determined, assuring
product reliability, safety and profitability for the
user.
• Over exposure to these ionizing penetrating radiations
can cause not only deleterious biological changes in
human systems, but also pollute environment and
affect the public at large.
 Comparison of X & γ -rays
• Certain Isotopes of elements emit γ
radiations, housed in shielded
containers called Exposure devices
or Cameras.
• Isotopes are pushed out to expose
the films kept behind the specimen.
• Lead or Depleted Uranium is the
better shielding Material used
because of their high atomic
number, such that the leakage
radiation is within permissible
limits.
• Accessories like drive cables and
guide cables are connected to bring
out the source for radiography
process.
• Ir-192, Co 60 are the Isotopes used
for radiography.
• X-rays are emitted when
high speed electrons
impinge upon high at. no
material like tungsten.
• Unlike γ – rays, X-rays are safer
in the sense that when power is
switched off ray emission is
practically stopped
• γ -rays even when shielded in
exposure devices emit leakage
radiations because of the decay
properties.
• Require cooling medium as its
efficiency is roughly 1% and
remaining is evolved as heat.
• Water, Oil, or Air are used as
coolant.
Radiation monitoring
• Radiation cannot be seen, felt, Smelt and hence
has to be detected by some means.
• When passed through air or gas medium it ionizes
and the ionization current is correlated to amount
of radiation.
• Geiger-Mueller counter and ionization chamber
are used as detectors.
• Housed in measuring instruments called survey
meters.
• Either portable or fixed depending upon the
requirement.
• Rate meters measured in terms of mR/hr.
• mR = 1/1000 R , Roentgen measures the ionizing
capability in one gram of air.
Personnel monitoring Devices

• Personnel monitoring devices are also used

to measure the radiation received by a
radiation worker.
• Film badge, Pocket Dosimeter, Thermo
luminescent dosimeters are used as
personnel monitoring devices.
• Unlike Survey meters these measure the
accumulated dose for a specified period.
Radiation Effects
• Radiation can cause biological changes in human
system
• Destructive skin changes, damage to blood forming
organs, production of malignancies infertility,
shortening of life span and genetic changes.
• Mutated gene when passed on to future generation
can cause genetic changes.
• Radio sensitivity is high where higher cell division
occurs and hence children are easily affected by
radiation compared to adults.
• In addition whole body dose, organ dose are also
prescribed.
• AERB Mumbai is the governing authority for
controlling the use of radiation in our country.
• Radiation protection Rule-71 framed in 1971
guides for safe use of radiation.
• Personnel are monitored by personnel monitoring
section of BARC.
• Public who are not monitored and not a direct
beneficiary are permitted to take only 1/20th of that
of the radiation worker.
• Exposure devices are also prescribed to have
leakage permissible level, if exceed they are
considered as not having adequate shielding
integrity.
Aim of Radiation protection

• No practice shall be adopted unless its

introduction produces a positive benefit.
• All exposures shall be kept as low as reasonably
achievable
• Dose equivalent to individuals shall not exceed the
limits recommended .
• The radiation workers are classified as RSO,
Safety site In-charges and radiographers, and are
issued with certificates. Their certificates are
renewed once in 3 years.
• Radiation safety can be adopted by Time, distance
and shielding considered to be three corner stones
of radiation safety.
• Radiation intensity is proportional to time spent
and hence minimum time has to be spent near
radiation field.
• Radiation Intensity in inversely proportional to
distance from radiation source.
• For maximum safety one has to be away from
radiation.
• The Cameras are remotely operated with longer
drive cables and guide cables to keep operator at a
longer distance for ensuring maximum safety.
• Shielding with high atomic number material can
give operator the maximum operational safety.
• Exposure devices hence are shielded with material
to reduce the leakage radiation levels to minimum.
• Radiography is carried out in approved
radiography installations having concrete as the
shielding material.
• These are classified as open top and closed
installations. In open top, the specimen is loaded
with overhead cranes through the open top portion
and specimen is loaded in trolley through rails in
closed halls .
Radiation Accidents
• Radiation accidents or emergency situations
arise when isotopes are unable to be
shielded or unable to be retrieved back to
exposure devices.
• In such situations, the sources are to be
shielded and time, distance-shielding
formula is to be adopted to our advantage.
• The matter has to be brought to the notice of
AERB and seek their guidance.