Radiation
There's conflicting evidence about the risks faced by people who regularly work with radiation.This includes nuclear power workers and medical professionals who use radioactive technology, such as X-rays and CT scanners.
Some studies have shown people working with radiation have a higher risk of problems such as cancer, heart disease and stroke, whileother studies have indicated there's a lower risk of these problems.
Improvements in safety standards mean it's now estimated only6% ofradiation workers are likely to be exposed tohigh levels of ionising radiation (100mSv or more)during their career, which should reduce the chances of problems developing.
There's also currently no evidence thatthe children of people who work with radiation have an increased risk of developing serious health conditions, such as birth defects or leukaemia.
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Radiation is a general term that refers to any sort of energy that can travel through space either as a wave or a particle.
There are two types of radiationthat may be associated with health risks. These are: non-ionising radiation (low energy) ionising radiation (high energy) You'll usually only be exposed to man-mad
Examples of non-ionising radiation include: ultraviolet radiation visible light infrared radiation microwaves radio and radar waves wireless internet connections (wifi) mobile phone signals
The low levels of radiation you are exposed to during medical tests can be measured in units called millisieverts (mSv). Some examples of different levels of radiation exposure are listed below. a
There's conflicting evidence about the risks faced by people who regularly work with radiation.This includes nuclear power workers and medical professionals who use radioactive technology, such as X-r