With radiating waves, a skull and crossbones and a running person, a new ionizing radiation warning symbol is being introduced to supplement the traditional international symbol for radiation, the three cornered trefoil.
The new symbol is being launched today by the IAEA and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) to help reduce needless deaths and serious injuries from accidental exposure to large radioactive sources. It will serve as a supplementary warning to the trefoil, which has no intuitive meaning and little recognition beyond those educated in its significance.
“I believe the international recognition of the specific expertise of both organizations will ensure that the new standard will be accepted and applied by governments and industry to improve the safety of nuclear applications, protection of people and the environment,” said Ms. Eliana Amaral, Director, Division of Radiation, Transport and Waste Safety, IAEA.
The new symbol is aimed at alerting anyone, anywhere to the potential dangers of being close to a large source of ionizing radiation, the result of a five-year project conducted in 11 countries around the world. The symbol was tested with different population groups – mixed ages, varying educational backgrounds, male and female – to ensure that its message of “danger – stay away” was crystal clear and understood by all.
“We can´t teach the world about radiation,” said Carolyn Mac Kenzie, an IAEA radiation specialist who helped develop the symbol, “but we can warn people about dangerous sources for the price of sticker.”
The new symbol, developed by human factor experts, graphic artists, and radiation protection experts, was tested by the Gallup Institute on a total of 1 650 individuals in Brazil, Mexico, Morocco, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, China, India, Thailand, Poland, Ukraine and the United States.
The symbol is intended for IAEA Category 1, 2 and 3 sources defined as dangerous sources capable of death or serious injury, including food irradiators, teletherapy machines for cancer treatment and industrial radiography units. The symbol is to be placed on the device housing the source, as a warning not to dismantle the device or to get any closer. It will not be visible under normal use, only if someone attempts to disassemble the device. The symbol will not be located on building access doors, transportation packages or containers.
“The new ionizing radiation warning symbol (ISO 21482) is the latest successful result of long-standing cooperation between the IAEA and ISO. We encourage the symbol´s rapid adoption by the international community,” said ISO Secretary-General Alan Bryden.
Many source manufacturers plan to use the symbol on new large sources. Strategies to apply the symbol on existing large sources are being developed by the IAEA.
"Kwa mfano, kwa mfano, ""kiumbe cha mviringo"" na ""mtu anayekimbia"" ni ishara mpya ya onyo la mionzi, ambayo inasaidia ishara ya kimataifa ya mionzi, ""trefoil ya pembe tatu.""" Alama hiyo mpya inazinduliwa na Shirika la Kimataifa la Maendeleo ya Nishati (IAEA) na Shirika la Kimataifa la Utaratibu (ISO) ili kusaidia kupunguza vifo visivyo na maana na majeraha makubwa yanayotokana na kuambukizwa kwa njia isiyo ya kawaida na vyanzo vikubwa vya mnururisho. "Hii itakuwa kama onyo la ziada kwa trefoil, ambayo haina maana ya intuitive na utambuzi mdogo zaidi ya wale waliofundishwa katika umuhimu wake. """ "Ninaamini utambuzi wa kimataifa wa utaalam maalum wa mashirika yote mawili utahakikisha kuwa kiwango kipya kitakubaliwa na kutumika na serikali na tasnia ili kuboresha usalama wa matumizi ya nyuklia, ulinzi wa watu na mazingira, ""alisema Bi Eliana Amaral, Mkurugenzi wa Idara ya Radiation, Usafiri na Usalama wa Taka, IAEA." "Hii ni ishara ya kuonya watu wote kuhusu hatari ya kuwa karibu na chanzo kikubwa cha mnururisho wa ionizing, na ni matokeo ya mradi wa miaka mitano uliofanywa katika nchi 11 duniani kote.""" Alama hiyo ilijaribiwa na vikundi tofauti vya watu - umri mchanganyiko, asili tofauti za elimu, wanaume na wanawake - kuhakikisha kwamba ujumbe wake wa "hatari - kukaa mbali" ulikuwa wazi na kueleweka na wote. "Hatuwezi kufundisha ulimwengu kuhusu mnururisho, ""alisema Carolyn MacKenzie, mtaalamu wa mnururisho wa IAEA ambaye alisaidia kuendeleza ishara hiyo, ""lakini tunaweza kuwaonya watu juu ya vyanzo hatari kwa bei ya stika.""" "Nembo hii inahusu vyanzo vya IAEA vya makundi ya 1, 2 na 3 vilivyofafanuliwa kama vyanzo hatari vinavyoweza kusababisha kifo au jeraha kubwa, pamoja na vifaa vya kupaka joto vyakula, mashine za teletherapy kwa matibabu ya kansa na vifaa vya radiography vya viwanda. """ Ishara hiyo inapaswa kuwekwa kwenye kifaa cha kuhifadhi chanzo, kama onyo la kutobomoa kifaa hicho au kukaribia zaidi. Haitakuwa inayoonekana chini ya matumizi ya kawaida, tu kama mtu anajaribu disassemble kifaa. Alama hiyo haitawekwa kwenye milango ya kuingia kwenye majengo, vifurushi vya usafirishaji au kontena. "Nembo mpya ya onyo la mionzi (ISO 21484) ni matokeo ya hivi karibuni ya mafanikio ya ushirikiano wa muda mrefu kati ya IAEA na ISO. """ "Tunahimiza utambulisho wa haraka wa ishara hiyo na jamii ya kimataifa,"" alisema Katibu Mkuu wa ISO Alan Bryden." Watengenezaji wengi wa vyanzo wanapanga kutumia ishara hiyo kwenye vyanzo vipya vikubwa. Mikakati ya kutumia ishara juu ya vyanzo vya sasa kubwa ni kuwa maendeleo na IAEA.