Radiation protection in the workplace: essential safety measures and equipment

Radiation is one of those workplace hazards that can sound either frightening or reassuringly abstract. In reality, it may be part of an ordinary working day: a dental X-ray, an industrial radiography inspection, a laboratory experiment or a task involving radioactive materials. The risks depend on the type of radiation, how much exposure is involved and how long someone is exposed.

Good protection does not rely on a single piece of equipment or a warning sign on a door. It starts with understanding the work, reducing exposure at source and making sure people know what to do. Here’s how employers can put practical radiation protection in place without turning everyday work into a guessing game.

First, know what kind of radiation is involved

Radiation is a broad term, and the right safety measures depend on the hazard. Ionising radiation has enough energy to damage atoms and can harm living tissue. It includes X-rays, gamma rays and radiation from certain radioactive materials. It is used in settings such as healthcare, research, manufacturing and construction.

Non-ionising radiation includes ultraviolet light, radiofrequency energy and lasers. These hazards need their own risk controls; the rules and protective measures are not interchangeable. A UV source, for instance, may cause skin or eye damage, while an X-ray source presents a different set of risks.

Before choosing controls or personal protective equipment (PPE), identify the source, the people who could be exposed and the way exposure could happen. A clear assessment beats a cupboard full of equipment bought “just in case”.

Start with a suitable risk assessment

In the UK, work involving ionising radiation is mainly governed by the Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017 (IRR17). Employers must assess the risks and take steps to restrict exposure. For many organisations, that means obtaining advice from a Radiation Protection Adviser (RPA), a suitably qualified expert who can help interpret requirements and recommend controls.

A useful assessment considers routine tasks as well as what could go wrong. Ask practical questions: Is a worker close to an X-ray source? Could a shield be moved or left out of position? Might someone enter a room while equipment is operating? Could radioactive material be spilled, lost or handled by someone who has not been trained?

Consider workers who may need extra attention, including new starters, contractors and anyone unfamiliar with the area. Where relevant, assess how pregnancy could affect exposure arrangements and discuss appropriate safeguards confidentially with the worker. The goal is to prevent unnecessary exposure while treating people fairly and respectfully.

Review the assessment when equipment, processes, staffing or room layouts change, and after an incident or near miss. A risk assessment written for an old machine in a room that has since been rearranged is not a safety measure; it is a historical document.

Use the hierarchy of controls

The most reliable protection is to avoid or reduce exposure before relying on PPE. Under IRR17, employers must restrict exposure so far as reasonably practicable and ensure doses remain within the relevant legal limits. The ALARP principle—keeping exposure “as low as reasonably practicable”—is a useful reminder that being below a limit does not automatically mean every sensible improvement has been made.

• Avoid exposure where possible. Ask whether the task can be done without using a radiation source, or whether a lower-risk method is available.
• Reduce exposure at source. Use the lowest practical radiation output and the shortest exposure time that still achieves the task.
• Increase distance. Radiation levels often fall as distance from a source increases. Remote operation tools can help keep workers away from the source.
• Use suitable shielding. Barriers, screens or equipment enclosures can reduce exposure when correctly selected and positioned.
• Control access. Restrict entry to areas where exposure may occur, and use clear signs and warning systems.
• Use procedures and training. Make safe working steps clear, practical and easy to follow.

These controls are often described as time, distance and shielding. They are simple ideas, but they work best as part of a planned system, not as a substitute for one.

Make controlled areas easy to recognise

Where IRR17 requirements apply, employers may need to designate controlled or supervised areas, depending on the nature and level of risk. A controlled area requires special procedures to restrict exposure. A supervised area is monitored and managed because exposure conditions need to be kept under review.

Mark relevant areas clearly and make access rules understandable. Depending on the work, controls may include warning signs, interlocks, restricted entry, equipment status lights or personal dosimetry. Workers should know what the signs mean and what to do if a warning light, barrier or alarm behaves unexpectedly.

Do not assume that a locked door or a sign alone makes an area safe. Check that barriers are suitable, interlocks function correctly and access arrangements match how the space is actually used. If a room becomes a shortcut to the staff kitchen, the access plan needs attention.

Choose protective equipment for the task

Radiation protection equipment should be selected based on the source, the work and competent advice. It may include fixed shielding, mobile protective screens, lead aprons, thyroid collars, protective eyewear or remote handling tools. Not every job needs every item, and more PPE does not always mean better protection.

For example, lead aprons may be appropriate for certain medical imaging tasks, but they do not replace proper shielding, distance, exposure protocols or equipment maintenance. Their effectiveness depends on the design, condition and correct use. They can also be heavy, so employers should consider fit, comfort and manual handling when deciding how they will be used.

Keep protective equipment in good condition. Inspect it at intervals recommended by the manufacturer or competent adviser, store it properly and remove damaged items from use. Workers should know how to put it on, adjust it and report defects. A cracked protective screen is not “probably fine” simply because it has been there for years.

Dosimeters are another important tool where personal monitoring is required or appropriate. They help measure a worker’s exposure over time, but they only provide useful information when issued to the right person, worn correctly and returned for assessment as instructed. A dosimeter left in a locker is measuring the locker’s experience of the job.

Train people for real tasks, not just the paperwork

Radiation safety training should explain the hazards workers may encounter and the controls they must follow. Cover normal operating procedures, restricted areas, PPE, dosimetry where applicable, emergency actions and how to report concerns. Training should be relevant to each person’s role, including contractors and temporary staff who may enter radiation areas.

Short demonstrations can be more effective than a long slide deck. Show workers how to check a warning indicator, position a mobile screen or confirm that a source is secured. Then give them a chance to ask questions. “I thought someone else checked it” is not a control strategy.

Supervisors also need to understand their responsibilities. They should know when work must stop, who to contact for advice and how to make sure procedures are followed under time pressure. If a safe procedure is regularly bypassed to meet a deadline, the procedure—or the planning—needs a review.

Plan for incidents before they happen

Even well-controlled work needs an emergency plan. The right response depends on the radiation source and situation, so develop procedures with competent radiation protection advice. Make sure workers know how to stop work, secure the area if it is safe to do so, keep others away and contact the designated responsible person or emergency services as appropriate.

Possible scenarios include a damaged source, a suspected spill, equipment failure, an unexpected exposure or someone entering an area during an exposure. Plans should identify who takes charge, how the area is isolated and how information is recorded. Workers should not be expected to improvise around a suspected radiation incident.

Practise the plan where appropriate. A short tabletop exercise can reveal gaps: perhaps the emergency contact number is out of date, the key holder is on leave or the instructions assume a piece of equipment is available when it is not. These are much easier problems to solve during a drill than during an incident.

A practical example from the workplace

Imagine a maintenance team called in to inspect equipment near an industrial X-ray unit. The team has completed general safety training, but one contractor has not worked in that area before. The unit is switched off, but the room’s warning system is still showing an unexpected status.

A strong safety culture means the contractor does not guess, and the supervisor does not wave the team through because the job is behind schedule. Work pauses. Access is controlled, the equipment status is checked by an authorised person, and the Radiation Protection Adviser or other designated expert is contacted if needed. Once the issue is understood and the area is confirmed safe, work can continue under the correct procedure.

Nothing dramatic happens—and that is the point. Good controls often look uneventful because they prevent small uncertainties from becoming serious events.

Keep records useful and up to date

Documentation supports safe decisions, but it should reflect how work is actually done. Keep relevant risk assessments, procedures, training records, equipment checks and dosimetry information in line with legal and organisational requirements. Make sure workers and supervisors can find the information they need without having to navigate a paperwork maze.

Use monitoring results and incident reports to identify patterns. If one task repeatedly produces higher readings, or workers keep raising the same concern, investigate the cause. The answer might be a change in work positioning, better shielding, improved maintenance or clearer instructions.

Regular checks should also confirm that protective measures remain effective. Ask workers what makes procedures difficult to follow; they often spot practical problems before they appear in an audit. Their feedback is not a replacement for expert advice, but it is an important part of making controls work day to day.

Build protection into everyday work

Effective radiation protection is a combination of competent advice, thoughtful planning, suitable equipment and confident workers. Identify the hazard, reduce exposure at source, maintain barriers and monitoring arrangements, and make emergency actions clear. Review the system whenever the work changes.

Most importantly, make it easy for people to pause and ask questions when something does not look right. Radiation safety should not depend on being lucky—or on someone remembering a procedure they saw once during induction. When the controls are practical and consistently applied, workers can do their jobs with greater confidence and employers can manage risk responsibly.