• Radiation, in the form of ionizing or non-ionizing radiation, can be hazardous to health if not properly controlled.
• In addition to OSHA, government agencies that may regulate radiation safety are the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Food and Drug Administration, and more.

Radiation sources are found in a wide range of occupational settings. If radiation is not properly controlled, it can be potentially hazardous to the health of workers. There are two types:

• Non-ionizing radiation is described as a series of energy waves composed of oscillating electric and magnetic fields traveling at the speed of light. Non-ionizing radiation includes the spectrum of ultraviolet (UV), visible light, infrared (IR), microwave (MW), radio frequency (RF), and extremely low frequency (ELF). Lasers commonly operate in the UV, visible, and IR frequencies. Non-ionizing radiation is found in a wide range of occupational settings and can pose a considerable health risk to potentially exposed workers if not properly controlled.
• Ionizing radiation is energy in the form of waves or particles that has enough force to remove electrons from atoms. One source of radiation is the nuclei of unstable atoms. As these radioactive atoms (also referred to as radionuclides or radioisotopes) seek to become more stable, their nuclei eject or emit particles and high-energy waves. This process is known as radioactive decay. Some radionuclides, such as radium, uranium, and thorium, have existed since the formation of the earth. The radioactive gas radon is one type of radioactive material produced as these naturally occurring radioisotopes decay. Human activities, such as the splitting of atoms in a nuclear reactor, can also create radionuclides. Regardless of how they are created, all radionuclides release radiation. The major types of radiation emitted during radioactive decay are alpha particles, beta particles, and gamma rays. Radiation can come from natural sources or man-made radionuclides. Man-made x-rays, another type of radiation, are produced outside of the nucleus. Most x-ray exposure that people receive is technologically produced.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA's) regulations apply to most forms of non-ionizing and ionizing radiation, though they are contained in separate regulations, and in most cases are not very detailed.

Note: Other government agencies may also have regulatory jurisdiction over various aspects of radiation safety, such as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and various state agencies. For example, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates all medical lasers under regulations issued under the Medical Device Amendments to the Food and Drug Act (21 CFR 800-1299), and the Federal Laser Product Performance Standard (21 CFR 1040).