Exposing a person to radiation is a violation of the law.
The National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurement, or NCRP; the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, or NRC; and many government regulations demand the use of radiation grid shielding as an essential rule of safety, according to radiology website CEEssentials. Traditionally, lead, concrete and bricks are reliable elements of grid construction to eliminate or minimize exposure to radiation. Most importantly, any professional x-ray environment that causes unprotected radiation exposure is a breach of federal law.
Primary Grids
Exposure to radiation is necessary to produce an x-ray.
Radiology imaging rooms use primary grids designed as the first layer of protection to minimize a patient's exposure to radiation. Primary grid types take the brunt of radiation absorption, according to CEEssentials, and they protect any body part that may be directly exposed by the chief source of radiation. Direct radioactive energy generated from x-ray tubing or radioisotopes is an example of primary radiation. Examples of primary barriers within structures are floors and foundational walls.
Secondary Grids
Nuclear plants require primary and secondary protection.
Secondary grids capture scattered radiation. Scattered radiation are those emissions not caught by a primary barrier. The density of a secondary grid commonly functions at half the protective capacity as a primary barrier, and both primary and secondary girds are required protection by the NCRP and NRC. Ceilings and console walls are secondary barriers in buildings designed for radioactivity.
Lead Aprons
A person can also wear a radiation grid--an example is a lead apron. While lead aprons offer some protection, they do not offer the wearer complete protection from emissions. At best, most lead aprons function as equivalent secondary grids, states CEEssentials, having the benefit of only "a half value layer, allowing a small quantity of ionizing radiation to pass through."
Tags: exposure radiation, primary barrier, primary secondary
