International Conference on Occupational Radiation Protection: Strengthening Radiation Protection of Workers – Twenty Years of Progress and the Way Forward

Strengthen National Capacity To Minimize Ionizing Radiation Exposure In The Catheterization Laboratories In Iraq

Not scheduled

1h 30m

Geneva

Poster 12. Education and training in occupational radiation protection Session 11. Education and training in occupational radiation protection

Speaker

Ms salwa AL-SALHY (IRAQ)

Description

Abstract - Operators are routinely exposed to high doses during catheterization procedure ,this increased exposure to ionizing radiation is partially due to a lack of awareness to the effects of it In 2020 the total number of workers in the field of radiation in Iraq was 6200 for all sectors, including 4493 in the health sector and the percentage of health workers amounted to 73% in relation to the total number. All statistics available indicate the categories of exposed workers who are working in catheterization, represented by the catheter doctor and staff working with him during the past five years (2015-2020), 300 cases of health workers were monitored (60 cases per year) also the nature of work based on interventional radiology and catheterization, the training center at ( regulatory body ) indicated the causes of exposure of workers in the catheters are due to ( the momentum of work and non-rotation among the workers, especially the staff working in the catheterization room, where doctors participate in all catheter operations , Lack of attention to the factor of time as a factor in reducing the dose of exposure , lack of interest in determining the number of radiographs and the radiation filters, protective barriers and protective means (such as bra, collar, gloves and glasses) are not used continuously in some operations ) . The recommendations to the workers in the catheter section are: the operation time of the Fluoroscopy device should be reduced during operation as much as possible to reduce the exposure time to ensure the safety of the workers. It was suggested that a field should be added to the recorded data for each operation that includes recording the operating time of the Fluoroscopy device installed in the control panel so that we can estimate the cumulative doses received by the staff in the catheterization division, also increase the number of workers in the catheters to distribute the dose and thus reduce the dose received. The awareness and safety culture programs include advance planning and good management in dealing with radiation sources and to learn about and how to lower it.