We live in a radioactive world, and radiation has always been all around us as a part of our natural environment. Every day, we’re exposed to radiation. It comes from the sun, our cell phones, and even riding in an airplane–the longer the airplane ride, the more radiation you’re exposed to. ¹  Naturally-occurring background radiation is the main source of exposure for most people–contributing about 88% of the annual dose to the population–while medical procedures contribute most of the remaining 12%.

For healthcare professionals who work with medical imaging equipment and other industry professionals who are/may be occupationally exposed to ionising radiation (from x-rays and medical imaging equipment to radioactive therapy treatments) at work, your exposure risks are compounded. The natural, everyday sources we normally are exposed to (explained below) PLUS the occupational exposures you may be subjected to every day mean that measuring and monitoring your exposures at work–using a personal radiation dosimeter–are more important than ever!

No matter how small you think your occupational exposure risk may be, when you compound it with what you already receive by just breathing and eating every day, you can clearly see why knowing your dose is essential to safeguarding your health. 

Earthly Radiation

• The sun and stars send a constant stream of cosmic radiation to Earth, like a steady drizzle of rain. 
• The Earth itself is also a source of terrestrial radiation. Radioactive materials (including uranium, thorium, and radium) exist naturally in soil and rock.
• All air contains radon, which is responsible for most of the dose that we receive each year from natural background sources.
• All people have internal radiation, mainly from radioactive potassium-40 and carbon-14, inside their bodies from birth and, therefore, are sources of exposure to others.³

Food Radiation

• All organic matter (both plant and animal) contain small amounts of radiation from radioactive potassium-40 (⁴⁰K), radium-226 (²²⁶Ra), and other isotopes.
• All water on Earth contains small amounts of dissolved uranium and thorium. As a result, the average person receives an average internal dose of about 0.3mSv of these materials per year from the food and water we eat and drink.³ 

Indoor Sources

• If you have ceramic tile or granite in your home, you are receiving more annual radiation exponentially from being indoors than you will receive from getting your annual dental X-rays.
• The worldwide average indoor effective dose due to gamma rays from building materials is estimated to be about 0.4 m Sv per year, or 40 mrem… the equivalent of 80 dental X-rays.
• As most people spend more than 80% of their time indoors, the internal and external radiation exposure from building materials creates prolonged exposure situations.⁴  

Travel Risks

• If you fly, depending on your departure location, a single flight can add another year’s worth of radiation exposure equivalent to, or exceeding, the amount you would receive from dental X-rays before you even reach your destination.

Calculating all the natural and occupational radiation exposures you are subjected to can be daunting. However, if you work with or around medical imaging equipment today there is an easier way to monitor your occupational exposure. Using a wireless Instadose+ dosimeter that measures, monitors, and silently tracks your cumulative exposure AND wirelessly transmits your dose exposure data to your legal dose-of-record, where you can view it anytime day or night, makes it easier than ever to safeguard your health from unintended over-exposures. Plus, in a post-COVID world you’ll never have to worry about collecting and redistributing your Instadose badge every wear period because YOU wirelessly read it, whenever YOU want, from wherever YOU are.