[ RadSafe ] Scrubs, contamination and medical infections

Mon Apr 29 11:54:46 CDT 2013

An interesting article, though unless they are working from a different
set of physical laws than I use, x-ray and gamma are attenuated by
putting more atoms in their way, either by greater thickness or greater
density (acknowledging some atoms are better at absorbing some energies,
but usually that doesn't help much with general purpose shielding).  I
would assume that the shielding provided by tungsten impregnated cloth
is dependent on the density of the cloth, an hence its weight.  At a
guess, the more shielding the clothing provides, the heavier, stiffer,
and probably hotter it is.  

Ironically, I don't think clothing with built-in shielding would
eliminate the need for anti-Cs, as it is likely to be VERY expensive,
and you wouldn't want to contaminate it.  

Personally, I think the big breakthrough for working in a contaminated
environment will be in robotics and tele-presence.  The people who get
that working well will make more money than they can carry.  

-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu
[mailto:radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu] On Behalf Of Jeff Terry
Sent: Monday, April 29, 2013 9:07 AM
To: The International Radiation Protection (Health Physics) Mailing List
Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Scrubs, contamination and medical infections

Hi Mike, 

In my experience, scrubs and anti-Cs are cheap swapable clothes. 

Anti-Cs that I have used do not provide any protection from gamma
radiation and only work to keep contamination off of you. That is a fine
purpose. 

That may change as a company has figured out how to add Tungsten. 

See
http://en.rocketnews24.com/2013/04/29/time-to-get-rid-of-those-ugly-radi
ation-suits-teijin-to-unveil-radiation-proof-fabric/

If you want to discuss to purpose of anti-Cs and scrubs in Radiation
Protection, have at it. 

However, the poster discussed germ control and scrubs. 

See: "The whole hospital scrubs wearing ritual is kind of charade to
make everyone feel safe from the germs."

That is a topic for some other mailing list. 

Jeff

On Apr 29, 2013, at 10:55 AM, "Brennan, Mike  (DOH)"
<Mike.Brennan at DOH.WA.GOV> wrote:

> Hi, Jeff.
> 
> With all due respect, I think there is an important rad-related point
> here:  I do not believe scrubs are for "germ control", so much as to 
> provide cheep clothes that can be changed quickly if any of the 
> assorted bodily fluids people in a hospital are exposed to get on 
> them.  Clearly a loose weave cloth isn't going to be a barrier to, for

> example, airborne microbes.
> 
> The analogy in rad is the anti-Cs that TV often describe as "radiation

> protection suits".  They usually are pretty good for preventing 
> contamination from getting on you, but don't provide any protection 
> from radiation.  Of course, subtleties like that are beyond most of
the
> "action-nerd" TV programs and movies.   
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu
> [mailto:radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu] On Behalf Of Jeff Terry
> Sent: Sunday, April 28, 2013 11:08 PM
> To: The International Radiation Protection (Health Physics) Mailing 
> List
> Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Scrubs, contamination and medical infections
> 
> Germ control in hospitals is well outside  the subject of this list.
> 
> Please end this thread. 
> 
> Jeff
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
> On Apr 28, 2013, at 1:50 PM, Emil <kerrembaev at yahoo.com> wrote:
> 
>> 
>> Dear Radsafers,
>> 
>> I was wondering for a while. 
>> Is it only me who feels strange when doctors and nurses are wearing
> their scrubs in and out of medical facilities?
>> I spent my share of time at Nuclear Power Plants wearing scrubs in 
>> and
> out going out through contamination monitors. Some nanoCi of Co-60 
> could be annoying if stuck on the scrub material.
>> 
>> I never seen any contamination controls (or controls are even 
>> possible
> with out changing clothing) in the hospitals when doctors and nurses 
> in scrubs come in from home or lunch. The whole hospital scrubs 
> wearing ritual is kind of charade to make everyone feel safe from the 
> germs. And germs brought INTO the hospital are not annoying as nanoCi 
> of Co-60, these germs are deadly in the radiation, chemo therapy 
> recovery rooms. I have friend of mine and her brother was treated for 
> cancer and just died from pneumonia...I am still wondering may be 
> germs which attacked his immune weak lungs came from the hospital
lunch room on the scrub.
>> 
>> It is kind of, if we would do reactor cavity decon and then with out
> changing protective clothing go straight into cafeteria. 
>> 
>> Emil Murat.
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