Negosentro| 5 Career Paths with Exposure to Heavy Radiation |When deciding on a career path to follow, your focus is primarily on two aspects: work satisfaction and the money on offer. In most industries, it is easy to overlook that certain occupations carry more risks than advertised.
This is particularly the case for ‘radioactive careers’, aka jobs that place people in positions where they are exposed to radiation. It’s well established that it is dangerous to be exposed to high levels of radiation. Yet even low radiation levels can cause harm and increase the development of medical conditions such as cancer.
However, just because you’re exposed to radiation, it doesn’t mean you have to experience the ramifications. From the radiation protection company website you can get protective clothing and shields can act as a barrier to minimize – or even stop – exposure. For instance, Lancs Industries is a specialist that offers a custom radiation shielding design service. With this type of shielding in place, employees are generally at much less risk.
With that out of the way, here are five career paths with exposure to heavy radiation:
Flight crews
Cosmic radiation is an issue for flight attendants and pilots. Even if windshields feature UV blocking technology, the effect of sitting in the cockpit can be worse than residing on a tanning bed. Because of this, flight crews are at a higher risk of developing cancer – although work is being done to provide planes with better radiation protection.
Astronauts
Okay, this is not precisely an occupation that is going to apply to many. However, you shouldn’t underestimate the type of radiation levels that astronauts have to experience. Simply put, space outputs much higher radiation volumes than on Earth.
REM (Roentgen Equivalent Man) is how the US measures radiation exposure. OSHA states the REM shouldn’t exceed 3 over any calendar quarter. However, it is said astronauts have a radiation exposure of 50 REM in space. It doesn’t take a NASA employee to work out that is a significant increase.
Baggage screeners
When your bags are being placed through the x-ray machines at airports, you’ll view this is as a necessary yet frustrating task. What you may not understand, however, is the amount of radiation a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) baggage screener faces daily. Research suggests specific baggage screening machines are going above the maximum radiation dose specified by law, so it is recommended for TSA employees to learn as much as they can about their equipment via their own initiative.
Nuclear power plant employees
If you’ve ever watched The Simpsons, you’ll know that this is another obvious occupation with radiation exposure. However, nuclear power plants are well prepared for the excessive amounts of radiation they have to deal with. In fact, their precautions and safety approaches are so strong that a nuclear worker is safer than a flight crew when it comes to radiation.
Mineworkers
There are various risks for those who work in mines. Due to the decay of uranium and radon in these mines, radiation exposure is one such risk. Thanks to greater ventilation, testing, and overall regulation, radiation exposure for miners is much less likely to occur these days.
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