ASSESSMENT OF OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE OF RADIATION WORKERS AT A TERTIARY HOSPITAL IN ANHUI PROVINCE, CHINA, DURING 2013–18

Abstract

Abstract Data on occupational radiation exposure of radiation workers at a tertiary hospital in China during 2013–18 were analyzed to provide decision-making advice for hospitals and health administrative departments. A total of 1255 exposure records of radiation workers were collected. The average annual effective doses of radiation workers during 2013–18 was 0.4977 mSv, with 1150 (91.63%) records ranging between 0 and 1 mSv, 91 (7.25%) between 1 and 2 mSv, 10 (0.80%) between 2 and 5 mSv and 4 (0.32%) records exceeding 5 mSv. There was a significant difference in the average annual effective dose of radiation workers among different occupational categories except in 2015 indicating that hospitals and administrative authorities should pay more attention to the radiation workers in the nuclear medicine and intervention department. The average annual effective doses did not show significant differences between male and female workers except in 2017; in that year the average individual dose of female workers was higher than male workers’. There were no significant differences in the average annual effective doses among doctors, nurses and radiologic technologists except in 2016 and 2017; during that period the individual dose of nurses was higher than doctors’ and radiologic technologists’.