Newswise — When should I be concerned about radiation? What levels of radiation exposure cause cancer? Should I let my child have a CT scan?
These and other questions are answered in "A Radiation Primer: A Citizen's Guide to Radiation" on the newest Health Physics Society (HPS) Web portal at http://www.radiationanswers.org.
The HPS undertook a year-long effort to create a site specifically aimed at providing radiation information to the public because of comments from U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman Dale Klein that the radiation industry "has not been sufficiently proactive in educating the public about what is a real danger and what is not."
The Citizen's Guide to Radiation is authoritative, scientifically accurate, and understandable in addressing questions being asked by the public about radiation. It was created with guidance from advisory groups such as the American Medical Association, the Electric Power Research Institute, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the American Association of Physics Teachers, the Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors, Inc., the Interagency Steering Committee on Radiation Standards, and the Center for Construction Research and Training (formerly the Center for Protection of Workers' Rights).
The Society builds on its successful endeavor, the "Ask the Experts" (ATE) site, which has already answered over 7,000 radiation-related questions. Like the ATE site, the Citizen's Guide attempts to remove the technical jargon and answer common questions about radiation in an easy-to-read, conversational manner.
HIGHLIGHTS* Separate sections on medical and industrial uses of radiation;* Descriptions of where radiation is found in our natural environment;* Explanations of our chances of getting cancer from radiation exposure;* A detailed section on radiation exposure during pregnancy;* Information that demystifies some common myths about radiation; and* A discussion on why scientists disagree about the effects of low-level radiation
ABOUT THE HEALTH PHYSICS SOCIETY Health physicists promote the practice of radiation safety. They work in occupational environments such as universities, research and development facilities, local hospitals, manufacturing, and nuclear power plants as well as environmental areas including radioactive waste sites. They are involved in understanding, evaluating, and controlling radiation's potential risks relative to its benefits in applications such as fighting disease, supplying energy, and increasing security.
The Health Physics Society consists of approximately 5,500 radiation safety professionals whose activities include ensuring safe and beneficial uses of radiation and radioactive materials, assisting in the development of standards and regulations, and communicating radiation safety information.
The Society is a nonprofit organization formed in 1956. Its primary mission is excellence in the science and practice of radiation safety. The Society has members in approximately 70 countries and has established nearly 50 chapters and 10 student branches. Visit http://www.hps.org for more information.
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