HAJRAH ALI - 40157986
NIT 21: MEDICAL PHYSICS APPLICATIONS
HEALTH AND SAFETY IN THE MEDICAL USE OF IONISING AND NON-IONISING RADIATION TECHNOLOGIES.
C: UNDERSTAND HEALTH AND SAFETY, ASSOCIATED RISKS, SIDE EFFECTS AND LIMITATIONS OF IONISING AND NON-
IONISING INSTRUMENTATION TECHNIQUES IN MEDICAL APPLICATIONS
INTRODUCTION
Radiation is used every day in the UK, it is used for different purposes such as medical, industrial, research and communication.
Some of these can potentially be harmful when exposed, which must be controlled effectively. The health and safety Executive (HSE)
regulates the work which exposes radiation to workers, the public or both.
Health and safety measurements in scientific organisation comply with legislation, by having laws and rules put in place for
companies to follow; different institutions will have different rules to follow under the HSE. The HSE helps regulate workplaces and
prevents safety concerns and death from occurring. Laws state that organisations must have protective measures that will help
prevent so to Plan, Assess, organise, control, and monitor employees, patients and others who could also be impacted is a necessity.
All Employees should be given special training (such as how to operate machinery to carry out certain treatments on patient, patient
confidentiality and how to treat patient and health and safety requirement of equipment and surgery rooms) that is required to
adapt to the workplace and should be aware of any health and safety risks that could occur during activities if not followed
accordingly there will be a cost for both organisation and individuals; include fines, imprisonment, and disqualification.
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
REQUIREMENT IMPORTANCE
Relevant Medical Any health care ally will require a medical qualification recognised by the Health and Care
Qualifications Professionals Council (HCPC) to ensure Safe Operating Procedures (SOPs)
Effective communication with Clear communication must be given to patients and to be sure that everything that will be
patient and other colleagues. carried is clear and anything that they want, or need is given. All rights should be respected by
the medical practitioner for any decisions being made by the patient about the treatments and
care.
Confirm the identity and Before calling the patient make sure you have identified them using three identifiers.
medical details of the patient Full name
before examination. Date of Birth
Address
To ensure the correct patient is present and the correct medical procedures will be performed.
Have a detailed understand Only trained medical practitioners should be using the equipment. They should be skilled and
and knowledge of equipment knowledgeable of the principles and production of the medical technology they are performing
used. on to ensure the safety of patient and other colleagues this is important so that no harm can
occur. This includes an understanding of the biological effects of the techniques due to
potential hazards and associated risks that can occur. Make sure that sufficient doses are used
and regular inspection and maintenance of equipment.
Follow documented medical Medical guidelines are required to improve quality and efficiency of care, variations in clinical
guidelines. practice. Provide audit trial and decrease high-cost and preventable mistakes/adverse events.
P5: EXPLAIN THE HEALTH AND SAFETY RISKS, SIDE EFFECTS AND LIMITATIONS OF NON-IONISING AND IONISING RADIATION
TECHNOLOGIES.
P6: EXPLAIN HOW HOSPITALS CAN EMPLOY HEALTH AND SAFETY MEASURES, WHEN USING INSTRUMENTATION, FOR THE
PROTECTION OF OPERATORS AND PATIENTS.
RISK ASSESSMENT
Managing risk comes under the Management of Health and safety at Work Regulations 1999, and Standard operating procedure
(SOP) as an employer you are required to by law. (www.hse.gov.uk, n.d.) [1] A risk assessment is a legal requirement which a
workplace must carry out. It should be done regularly, due to the change in nature of workplace from time to time or new hazards
could be raised which were not seen before. This is important as new additional training maybe required to improve risk. The term
‘risk’ means the degree of likelihood that harm will be caused by a potential hazard.
Under the management of Health and safety at Work Regulations 1999, employers are required to undertake suitable and sufficient
Risk assessments to identify risks and hazards relating to the health and safety of operators and patients in the workplace and put in
place additional measures to manage and reduce the likelihood of harm.
WHAT IS CONSIDERED IN RISK?
Possible accidents situations and their likelihood and potential safety.
The consequences of possible failures of control measures.
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NON – IONISING
RISK:
An occurrence which can involve exposure to danger.
PAITENT OPERATOR
MRI An MRI scanner operates using non-ionising radiation which does not emit or exposure harmful
(Center for Devices radiation. This means that no harmful effect can occur to a patient or operator, but due its principles of
and Radiological using strong, electromagnets its frequency to change magnetic field and radiofrequency energy could
Health, 2017) [8] have some concerns to health hazards.
The strong magnetic fields will attract objects that are magnetic, if in possession when the scanner is on
can cause damage to the scanner and injury to the patient, and operator. Items such as keys, clothing
which consist of metal such i.e., zips, cell phones or an oxygen tank if you require one). All instructions
must be told before the scan so that appropriate screening can happen and to ensure no magnet
entering which may become projectile causing injury.
Patients with medical implants may not be allowed to have an MRI scan due to an implant being able to
conduct electricity as it can cause an implant to move around, due to the magnetics pulling on
materials and could also cause an implant to heat up, which can cause burns.
Loud noises made by the rotation of magnets,
inside the scanner which can create loud
knocking noises which can cause harm to
patients’ ears if appropriate ear protection is not
worn., this can also cause muscle and nerve Not many risks involved to the operator as they be
stimulation which cause twitching sensation. in separate rooms outside the scanning room and
The energy from the radiofrequency from the no radiation is emitted, so no exposure.
MRI could cause the body to heat up.
To produce quality images, a patient must
remain still, patients who are young or unable to
do so may need to be sedated or anaesthesia.
This can cause risks, such as breathing difficulties
and low blood pressure.
ULTRASOUND Ultrasound has no known risks which could harm a foetus or patient and operator as it does not emit
ionising radiation, from the sound waves emitted, when performed by a qualified physician.
LASERs Tissue damage can occur if lasers are misdirected, or unintentionally reflected, from its protective
(Lasers, intense light housing and optical fibres or the high energy outputs by the LASER. Operators should check if
source systems and equipment is in the right position and is operating correctly before treating clients.
LEDs -guidance for safe Optical radiation risk can occur to both patient and operators, to prevent this PPE for eye must be worn
use in medical, when LASER treatments are carried out, operators should give eye wear at the beginning of the
surgical, dental and treatment. This may cause damage to the eyes if the light of the beam is scattered. Patients who
aesthetic practices, undergo anaesthesia before treatment could be at high risk, as they cannot react to any stimulus.
2015) [9] Skins burns can occur causing a photochemical Laser plume emissions could pose a health risk to
effect on a patient’s tissue or skin, this could be operators, which may require an evacuation
because the filter may not be cleaned system.
appropriately causing hotspots or due to Risk of fire to operator if equipment is not made
scratches on the filter due to lower wavelengths using suitable fire-resistant material such as
being transmitted. Surgical instruments, tubing which are used closely
to the laser beam.
IONISING
RISK:
An occurrence which can involve exposure to danger.
PAITENT OPERATOR
X-RAY A patient who has had an X-Ray could be at risk Operator who carry out x-Ray are also at risk
CT/CAT of developing cancer, due to exposure of of radiation exposure and can be at risk of
(Health, 2020) [10] ionising radiation. cancer like a patient, as they are working
(www.medicalnewstoday.com To improve quality of images, a contrast dye is with. They must wear dosimetry badges and
, n.d.) [11] injected into patient to improve visibility of correct PPE such as apron to minimise the
organs, this could be a risk as it could cause an risk.
allergic reaction.
