Office of Sponsored Research and Programs
Radiation Safety
What is Radiation Safety at Missouri State University?
As stated on the website of the Environmental Management Office, Missouri State University is a comprehensive educational institution involved with a multitude of research, teaching and operational projects. Many of these projects utilize hazardous materials and therefore have the potential to generate hazardous waste. Missouri State is dedicated to achieving excellence in managing environmental hazards.
The management of hazardous materials at Missouri State includes, but is not limited to, controlling hazardous materials from the time the materials are acquired through proper disposal. This method of control is designed to provide a safe, efficient and responsible way to manage hazardous materials and hazardous wastes as required by Federal and State regulations.
EXPOSURE TO RADIATION AND WHAT IT MEANS:
When we are exposed to radiation we measure our radiation dose or the amount of radiation energy absorbed in our bodies in units of millirem (mrem). This unit allows us to add together the dose from different types of radiation in terms of equivalent health effects. Thus, a mrem of dose has the same meaning in terms of possible health effects, regardless of whether the dose was received from alpha, beta, gamma radiation, or x-rays.
The following chart shows the significance of increasing radiation doses in mrem.
|
Millirem |
Significance |
|
1 |
The average amount of radiation dose received in one day by each person in the United States from naturally occurring and man-made radiation |
|
60 |
The average radiation dose received in a year by each person in the U.S. from man-made radiation, primarily from use of x-rays in medicine |
|
100 |
The average radiation dose received in a year by each person in the U.S. from naturally occurring radiation. This dose is due to radiation from outer space, from the ground, and from radioactive materials in our bodies (from our food). |
|
200 |
The average radiation dose received each year in the U.S. from naturally occurring radon in our homes. People in many homes in the U.S. are getting 2,000 to 20,000mrem a year from radon. |
|
500 |
The allowable nine month limit on radiation dose for the embryo/fetus of a declared pregnant radiation worker. |
|
5,000 |
The allowable annual limit on radiation dose for trained radiation workers. |
|
25,000 |
The recommended limit for a person who is trying to save another person’s life in a radiation emergency. No observable effects are expected from a single dose at this level. |
|
100,000 |
When this dose is received all at one time, some people may begin to feel mild nausea and effects may be seen on blood cells under a microscope. |
|
200,000 |
When this dose is received at one time, people will show the effects called acute radiation syndrome. They will have nausea, upset stomach, diarrhea, and fever within a few hours. Over days and weeks they will have hair loss and loss of weight. These are the same effects seen in cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy. Complete recovery is expected. |
|
500,000 |
When this dose is received at one time, a person will experience serious effects from radiation syndrome. This includes damage to the blood forming organs and the digestive system. With good medical care full recovery is expected. |
|
1,000,000 |
At a single dose of this level, very severe damage will occur and even with the best medical care a person may not survive. |
When radiation doses are spread out over many years, such as radiation doses received by radiation workers who are allowed 5,000 mrem a year, no effects will be observable, even at a total dose of 200,000 mrem or more. When radiation dose is spread out over time, the body has time to repair the damage. However, a person receiving that dose over many years could have a greater risk of getting cancer later in life.