Mitigating the Dangers Posed by Exposure to Radiation
Just about everyone knows how dangerous excessive exposure to radiation can be. High-energy radiation penetrates the human body with ease, disrupting basic cell function and even causing immediate mutations in the DNA molecules held within. Exposure to radiation can thereby result in anything from terrible burns and cell destruction to the development of aggressive cancers or radiation sickness that can cause death within days or weeks.
It is never possible to avoid all exposure to radiation, though. In fact, human beings are bombarded with radiation at all times, whether in the form of the invisible energy that arrives through space along with the sun's visible light or that produced by the slow decay of radioactive materials held within the Earth. In most cases, these everyday exposures are nothing to worry about, although some cancers and other health problems can be traced back to them.
For those who regularly work around radioactive material and equipment that produces radiation, though, the subject of exposure mitigation is of much greater concern. People in fields ranging from mining to medical technology regularly work around sources of radiation that, if not accounted for, could easily shorten their lives to a great extent.
In many cases, lessening the risk posed by radiation-heavy environments will involve making use of clothing and accessories designed to stop radiation in its tracks. Although radiation of many types can penetrate the skin, flesh, and bones of human beings with ease, it is rarely able to do the same when it comes to especially dense materials like lead.
It is therefore common for people who regularly work around radiation to wear special garments that incorporate these substances. That might include protective suits that are lined with thin but substantial layers of lead or another dense metal, as these can help to greatly reduce the amount of radiation that will penetrate.
It can even include the wearing of special Radiation Protection Glasses produced by companies like kemper medical. Looking like safety glasses of other sorts, these accessories include lenses and frames treated with special lead deposits that stop radiation from getting through, protecting the eyes and the surrounding skin and bone.
