Nuclear safety

From ArticleWorld

Nuclear safety encompasses the various actions that are taken to prevent nuclear-technology related accidents or control their consequences.

Nuclear safety regulations are overseen and reviewed by special institutions in countries that utilize nuclear power for either civilian or military purposes.

Hazards due to nuclear activity and the need for safety

The rapid advancements in nuclear technology over the last half-century have been increasing the need for awareness about the dangers that are associated with it. Radioactive materials that are used in nuclear reactors emit ionizing radiation that can cause injury to living tissue.

Though radiation is used in moderate amounts to treat cancers, exposure to sufficiently excess quantities can actually lead to fatal cancers. A radioactive gas called radon which is released from the decay of uranium, has been known for its cancerous effects. Nuclear fallouts after explosions can lead to genetic disorders that can affect several generations.

Important measures towards nuclear safety

Several important measures are undertaken to ensure that the hazards of nuclear activity do not affect living beings.

• Nuclear waste is disposed of in appropriate ways to prevent damaging radiation from causing its harmful effects. The deadly radon gas is prevented from escaping by storing wastes in waterproof basins and burying them under layers of earth. The creation of deep underground repositories for this purpose is seen as a very good solution.
• The walls around nuclear reactors are made of concrete that is several meters thick to prevent radiation from affecting the outside environment.
• At the individual level, workers and engineers are trained to observe the necessary safety regulations to ensure their own safety. Some measures include the use of shielding and limiting the time that workers are allowed to spend in risk-prone areas.
• Continuous radiation tests are carried out on both human operators and the surroundings to check for any increased levels of radiation.

Nuclear accidents and their probability

The two major nuclear accidents that have happened in the history of civilian nuclear technology are the Three Mile Island (USA 1979) and the Chernobyl (Ukraine 1986) incidents. The former did not cause much damage to the environment, but contributed to heightened levels of distress among people living in the surrounding areas. The latter of led to the immediate death of 31 people and caused serious environmental damage.

The probability of the occurrence of such nuclear accidents is very low due to tight safety regulations. However, the consequences of nuclear accidents, if ever they occur, would be dangerous, as was seen in the above two examples.

Nuclear power as used for civilian purposes is a safe and environment friendly alternative source of energy, provided strict norms regarding safety and waste disposal are followed.