DOI: 10.36347/sajb.2014.v02i09.005

Pages: 583-591

The benefits of radiation were first recognized in the use of X-rays for medical diagnosis, then later with the discoveries of radiation and radioactivity. The rush in exploiting the medical benefits led fairly to the recognition of the risks and induced harm associated with it. In those early days, only the most obvious harm resulting from high doses of radiation, such as radiation burns were observed and protection efforts were focused on their prevention, mainly for practitioners rather than patients. Although the issue was narrow, this lead to the origin of radiation protection as a discipline. Subsequently, it was gradually recognized that there were other, less obvious, harmful radiation effects such as radiation-induced cancer, for which there is a certain risk even at low doses of radiation. This risk cannot be completely prevented but can only be minimized. Therefore, the balancing of benefits from nuclear and radiation practices against radiation risk and efforts to reduce the residual risk has become a major feature of radiation protection. In this paper, we shall be looking at the precautionary measures for protecting life, properties and environment against ionizing radiation.