- Protecting Yourself from Radiation - (https://www.epa.gov/radiation/protecting-yourself-radiation)
Safe Amount of Radiation
Threshold levels have been suggested for the various non-stochastic effects by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Setting a “safe” level of exposure of radiation is extremely difficult. A large number of sources emit radiations that are well below natural background levels. Any increase in radiation exposure is assumed to be accompanied by an increased risk of nonstochastic effects.
The uncertainty exists only with respect to the stochastic effects. Threshold levels have been suggested for the various non-stochastic effects by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). EPA is a federal body charged with protecting human health and the environment. The effects of ionizing radiation are measured in terms of different units like gray (Gy), rad (radiation absorbed dose) and rem (roentgen equivalent mammal/man).(4✔ ✔Trusted Source
Protecting Yourself from Radiation
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The following table comes from the official site of the EPA.
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| Exposure (rem) | Health Effect | Time to Onset (without treatment) |
| 5-10 | changes in blood chemistry | |
| 50 | nausea | Hours |
| 55 | fatigue | |
| 70 | vomiting | |
| 75 | hair loss | 2-3 weeks |
| 90 | diarrhoea | |
| 100 | hemorrhage | |
| 400 | possible death | within 2 months |
| 1,000 | destruction intestinal lining | |
| internal bleeding | ||
| and death | 1-2 weeks | |
| 2,000 | damage to central nervous system | |
| loss of consciousness; | minutes | |
| and death | hours to days | |
| Source: EPA | ||
