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Ionising radiation a danger to many workers

Radiation exposure a workplace reality for construction industry: Expert,  Daily Commercial NewsVINCE VERSACE , November 15, 2010 Exposure to radiation and radioactive materials is a reality for construction workers and not just specific to the nuclear industry, says a radiation expert.“There is a new workplace reality,” said Fergal Nolan, president of the Radiation Safety Institute of Canada (RSIC). “When most people think of radiation in the workplace, they think nuclear power plants, uranium mines, hospital workers or dental x-rays, but the reality is a lot different than that.”

There are approximately 150,000 Canadian workers monitored each year for radiation exposure in the workplace. Only about 10 per cent of these workers actually work in the nuclear industry. Roughly 40 per cent of non-nuclear workers are in the health care sector in workplaces such as hospitals, clinics and diagnostic imaging centres.

The remaining 50 per cent work in industries and services where radiation machines such as industrial x-ray machines and sealed radioactive materials are used as standard tools in the workplace…….

Some 550 Ontario Building Trades workers were exposed to radiation from radioactive materials in November 2009 during the refurbishment of a shut-down nuclear reactor at the Bruce Power plant in Kincardine, Ontario…..

Radiation exposure a workplace reality for construction industry: Expert – Daily Commercial News

November 17, 2010 - Posted by Christina MacPherson | 2 WORLD, health | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, radiation, radioactive, uranium