Answer to Question #15341 Submitted to "Ask the Experts"

Category: Medical and Dental Equipment and Shielding — Lead Aprons

The following question was answered by an expert in the appropriate field:

Q

Does a lead apron wall rack need to be hung outside the operating room of exposure or inside the room that has radiation producing machine?

A

It does not matter if the lead apron rack is mounted inside or outside the x-ray room because lead aprons will not become radioactive from x-ray exposure. The best location is based on convenience, but it would make most sense to mount outside the x-ray room because people need to have their apron on when entering a room with an active x-ray procedure in progress. They would not be able to get to their aprons without receiving unnecessary exposure if they had to walk into the x-ray room. Also, if your facility permits people to leave their dosimeters on person-assigned lead aprons when not in use, the aprons would need to be outside the x-ray room to prevent exposure to the dosimeters that was not received by the person to whom the dosimeters are assigned.

Kennith Lovins, CHP

Answer posted on 17 May 2024. The information posted on this web page is intended as general reference information only. Specific facts and circumstances may affect the applicability of concepts, materials, and information described herein. The information provided is not a substitute for professional advice and should not be relied upon in the absence of such professional advice. To the best of our knowledge, answers are correct at the time they are posted. Be advised that over time, requirements could change, new data could be made available, and Internet links could change, affecting the correctness of the answers. Answers are the professional opinions of the expert responding to each question; they do not necessarily represent the position of the Health Physics Society.