Lead Apron Testing: Ensuring Radiation Protection & Safety

Lead is a dense element that is used inside of an apron to protect the body from radiation due to X-rays or other medical procedures. Lead aprons are important for protecting vital organs from damage and exposure. Hospitals and other medical facilities must inspect their lead aprons in order to make sure that they are effective in protecting the patient by reducing the number of gamma and X-rays that the body will come into contact with. If the aprons have damage then they must be replaced.

Things You'll Need

• Fluoroscopic X-ray imaging equipment
• List of hazardous waste procedures for your state

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Instructions

• 1

  Inspect the lead aprons physically for any obvious damage like tears, seams that are coming unraveled, perforations or thinning creases.

• 2

  Remove all lead aprons that do not pass the physical inspection immediately and replace with new aprons.

• 3

  Examine fluoroscopically aprons that passed the physical test. Set the machine to a manual setting and do not use the automatic brightness control because this will produce unwanted radiation and give an inaccurate reading while trying to determine if there is damage such as rotting or vampire marks tiny holes resembling teeth marks). The shielded areas will be dark and the defects, seams and stitching will appear light on the films.

• 4

  Dispose of all aprons with defects by following the proper procedures for getting rid of hazardous waste.

• 5

  Repeat lead apron inspections on at least an annual basis, preferably semi-annually.