Evolution has equipped human bodies with multiple sense organs but none of them can detect the presence of radiation or the levels of radiation in natural or a closed environment. People who work in radiology labs and X-ray labs are especially at risk of high radiation exposure. However in most cases even experts cannot comprehend the effects of radiation on their health till it becomes symptomatic. Hence for people who work in such environments it is imperative to own personal radiation monitoring equipment which can detect carious levels of radiations and their types too.
Why do we need radiation detection equipment today?
The most common types of radiation usually found in laboratory and clinical environments include alpha, beta, gamma, X and neutron radiation; although the last is more commonly encountered in nuclear power plants. Usually gamma, X and neutron radiations have the highest amounts of energy and have the utmost potential to cause mutations and cell deaths. They can cause radiation-related tumors, cancers and other immuno-compromising diseases which can be only prevented by steering clear of all sources of harmful radiation.
What are the various ways of keeping your exposure levels the minimum?
1. Using the simplest and most popular radiation monitoring devices
Possibly the most widely used radiation detection equipment is the Geiger counter although it cannot tell the difference between the varieties of radiations encountered in a compromised environment. A Geiger counter can only be used to tell if an object or a space is radiating any particle, however one can never be certain about the toxic effects of the radiations, their penetration levels or their energy properties while using a Geiger counter.
If you are looking for a portable radiation detection equipment to monitor the levels of total radiation in an already radiation exposed zone, you can go for the Geiger counters which can give you several readings in the forms of mR/hr or microSv/hr (the readings are directly displayed on the LCD screen). These are also widely chosen by oncologists and cancer patients to check their radiation levels after being on nuclear-medication or therapy for a long time.
2. Detection with a higher precision, modernized ionization chambers
If you want a complete list of the types of radiations which may be plaguing your work environment you would at least require an ionization chamber built with utmost precision by the experts at Ecotest Company. The working principle is somewhat similar to GM tubes, but this one can also directly tell you the total levels of toxicity as contributed by all sorts of radiations present in the environment. Their use is especially limited because of their low sensitivity. They cannot detect the presence of radiation even 50 km from the Fukushima nuclear power leakage.
3. Scintillating survey meters for a finer touch
A new type of radiation monitoring equipment is widely being used by municipalities and militaries alike for their moderately high sensitivity and affordable price. The scintillating survey meter from Ecotest can accurately locate radiation hot spots. The crystals inside the detection chamber emit light of different wavelengths once they encounter different radiation types. Hence they can successfully distinguish between the different types of radiations at a site.
So if you work as a first responder (fire or police departments) or as any other emergency respondent for radiation alerts you would probably like to have one of these scintillating survey meters handy. These radiation meters are not just portable, but they are exquisitely simple which makes them extremely durable and also pretty accurate as far as intensity and radiation types are concerned.
4. When armors fail to protect you heed the ERDs warning
When entering high radiation zones you should not forget to strap on your electronic radiation dosimeter. It can measure the amounts of ionizing radiation in the environment including X-rays and neutron radiations. These dosimeters are so accurate that they are used for the measurement of medical doses as well as industrial purposes. They are not as pocket friendly as their personnel radiation monitoring systems, but they provide a level of accuracy which the earlier mentioned devices can only dream of achieving.
5. Using handheld probes for hard to reach areas
There are some areas of the lab which might be a little difficult to reach or examine for nuclear radiation. However, the lack of human activities in those nooks does not ensure the lack of radiation contamination as well.
Work stations and work suits can be easily scanned under contamination monitors and radiation detectors; however these corners need special equipment which is slim, sensitive and accurate. Such necessities are recently being fulfilled by telescopic, portable radiation survey meters produced by our company.
Their accuracy makes them hugely popular among the military, homeland security and EMTs as well. The integrated LED detector and LCD display makes them the instrument of choice for the lab personnel as well.