Raising public awareness about radiation safety - The reality in Lam Dong

Radiation is increasingly being used, bringing many practical benefits but also posing potential risks, requiring increased public awareness and enhanced communication efforts.

Training on nuclear incident response at the facility.

Radiation - Identifying Benefits and Risks

In the context of rapid scientific and technological development, radiation and atomic energy are increasingly being applied in medicine, industry, agriculture , and scientific research. However, along with the benefits come potential risks if management, use, and incident response are not carried out according to regulations.

Radiation is the process of energy transmission in the form of electromagnetic waves or particles through space or matter. It is a fundamental physical phenomenon, widespread in nature and applied in many fields of modern technology.

Radiation can occur in a vacuum, without the need for intermediate matter, distinguishing it from other forms of heat transfer such as conduction or convection.

In daily life, people are constantly exposed to natural radiation such as sunlight, cosmic rays, and radiation from the Earth's core. In addition, artificial radiation is generated from devices and radioactive sources used for medical , industrial, research, and technical testing purposes.

Patients receive radiation therapy for cancer treatment at Lam Dong General Hospital.

From a positive perspective, radiation offers many practical benefits. In medicine, diagnostic imaging techniques such as X-rays, CT scans, scintigraphy, and radiotherapy have played a crucial role in the detection and treatment of diseases, especially cancer.

In industry, radiation is used to test material quality, measure product thickness and density, and improve accuracy and safety in production. In agriculture and science, radiation technology supports breeding, agricultural product preservation, and environmental research.

However, if exposed to radiation at levels exceeding permissible limits or under uncontrolled conditions, humans can face many serious harmful effects such as cell damage, long-term health consequences, and even life-threatening situations.

Therefore, strict adherence to radiation safety regulations and raising public awareness in this field are mandatory requirements.

Summary of activities in responding to radiation and nuclear incidents.

Multimedia propaganda

Recognizing the importance of radiation safety awareness campaigns, Lam Dong province has implemented numerous solutions to disseminate knowledge, legal regulations, and skills for responding to nuclear radiation incidents to all levels of government, sectors, and the general public.

Information in the field of atomic energy is regularly updated and disseminated promptly to leaders at all levels, members of the Command Board, and the Support Team through specialized meetings, ensuring uniformity in direction and management.

This helps officials and civil servants to thoroughly understand regulations and enhance their responsibility in state management of radiation and nuclear safety.

Radiation and nuclear incident response drills

For organizations and individuals conducting radiation work, public awareness campaigns are implemented in various ways through: the website of the Department of Science and Technology - the permanent agency of the Command Board for Radiation and Nuclear Incident Response; official notices and guidelines when carrying out procedures for licensing and transporting radioactive sources; specialized inspections; and mass media.

This approach ensures legal compliance while helping entities using radiation sources understand their obligations, responsibilities, and the safety procedures they must adhere to.

Presenting flowers to the teams and individuals participating in the drill to respond to incidents involving the transportation of open radioactive sources and fires and explosions at the Institute of Nuclear Research.

To bring radiation safety knowledge closer to the community, the Department of Science and Technology collaborated with Lam Dong Newspaper and Radio and Television to produce and broadcast 5 documentaries and 20 news articles with rich and easily accessible content.

The topics focused on clarifying state management activities regarding nuclear radiation safety in the province; new points of Government Decree No. 142/2020/ND-CP; inventory of radioactive sources, inspection and supervision; training and drills for responding to radiation and nuclear incidents.

Simultaneously, 4,000 leaflets outlining procedures for responding to radiation incidents were designed, printed, and distributed to organizations and units with radiation equipment and radioactive sources, as well as households living near the facilities.

Close coordination with the Economic and Infrastructure Departments of communes and wards in the distribution of materials has helped to ensure that information reaches the right target audience, maximizing the effectiveness of propaganda at the grassroots level.

In particular, information dissemination regarding radiation and nuclear incident response drills in 2022 and 2023 was carried out systematically before, during, and after the events. This created a widespread impact in society and helped people better understand the role and significance of proactive prevention and preparedness.

Commendation for collectives and individuals with outstanding achievements in responding to radiation and nuclear incidents.

In practice, radiation safety is not only the responsibility of state management agencies but also requires close coordination among departments, agencies, local governments, businesses, and the entire community.

Every organization and individual using radiation sources must strictly comply with legal regulations. Every citizen needs to proactively learn basic knowledge, remain calm, and cooperate with authorities when situations arise.

In the coming period, continuing to innovate the content and form of propaganda; strengthening training and practical exercises; and promoting the role of the press and grassroots media will be key solutions to further raise public awareness of nuclear radiation safety.

The collaboration and shared responsibility among the State, businesses, and people is the solid foundation for Lam Dong's safe, effective, and sustainable development of science and technology.

Source: https://baolamdong.vn/nang-cao-nhan-thuc-cong-dong-ve-an-toan-buc-xa-thuc-te-o-lam-dong-410518.html