Re: radiological signs

["A. Hancock" <a.hancock@s1.cxwms.ac.uk>]

Lester.Slaback@nist.gov wrote:
> 
> The 'sameness' (i.e., visual similarity) of different radiological signs
> makes them rather ineffective for warning regular
> workers in an area of a change in conditions. 

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Hey tell me about it!

In hospitals (UK that is) we have the very same signs on doors to 
diagnostic x-ray rooms as we do to radiation hot-labs, e.g. in Radiology 
and Nuclear Medicine departments respectively. A hot-lab is likely to be 
a controlled radiation area 24hrs a day due to the raised ambient level 
of radiation (doserate), or perhaps contamination levels, yet an x-ray 
room is only a controlled area when the machine is switched on, 8hrs a 
day, and then there is no radiation at all unless someone presses the 
x-rays on button.

Sure there are extra lights that come on during prep and exposure, or 
when screening, but the basic "fixed to the door" radiation hazard signs 
are the same. As x-rays therefore are different from radioactivity, do we 
need a new international hazard warning for x-rays?????

Andy H
Charing Cross Hospital
a.hancock@cxwms.ac.uk