The Radiological Health Program in Rensselaer County, N.Y.

Abstract

A VOID all unnecessary ionizing radiation. With this the objective, the Rensselaer County Health Department in New York State developed over the past 4 years a modest but effective radiological health program. Accomplishment of the objective is attempted by providing advice, guidance, and techiical service in the use of ionizing radiation sources. New York State became actively concerned with the health and safety aspects of ionizing radiation as a result of waste disposition problems of the early Atomic Energy Commission installations in the State. In 1952, the State health and labor departments took a census of shoe-fitting fluoroscopes. Under the then existing regulation 2 of chapter IX of the State Sanitary Code a program was initiated for controlling the specific hazards associated with the use of these machines. (As of July 1, 1958, the New.York State Health Department outlawed the use of the shoe-fitting fluoroscope by unlicensed pra.ctitioners.) Both departments then appointed committees of experts to assist them in a study of the entire ra.diation problem in New York State. The State health department's Advisory Comnmittee conclude.d tha.t there was a sig,nificant and steadily increasing radiation problem in the State and that the health department should prepare to meet this situation. This culminated in June 1954 with the preparation and acceptance by the commissioner of health of a program plan for radiological health. The objectives of this plan were education and training, regula.tion of radiation exposure, enforcement of laws and regulations, and research. A radiological health section was subsequently established in the State department's bureau of environmental sanitation, and chapter XVI was added to the Sanitary Code, effective September 1, 1955, as the basis for a program of inspection, education, and correction. Chapter XVI is intended to control the location or facility where radiation equipment is used or where radioactive material is produced, transported, stored, or used for any purpose. The regulations cover registration of radiation installations with the health officer having jurisdiction, definitions, construction, maintenance and operation, maximum permissible doses, personnel protection, medical examinations, patient protection, disposal of radioactive wastes, radiatioin instruments, handling of cadavers, monitoring of radiation installations, therapy rooms, warning signs, accounting for radioactive materials, radiation illnesses, injuries, emergencies, accidents, electrical hazards, vacated premises, and limitations on application of radiation to humans. The interest of the Rensselaer County Health Department in radiation lhazards was aroused Mr. Lanzillo is a sanitarian with the division of environmental hygiene, Rensselaer County Health Department, N.Y. This paper is a revision of the one he presented at the 55th New York State Annual Health Conference in Lake Placid, N.Y., May 26, 1959.