Abstract—The present study represents the occupational radiation doses received by selected workers of Nuclear Institute of Medicine and Radiotherapy (NIMRA) Jamshoro Pakistan and conducted to discuss about how we be careful and try to avoid make ourselves overconscious. Film badges with unique identification number were issued to radiation worker to detect occupational radiation doses. In this study, only 08 workers with high radiation doses were assessed amongst 35 radiation workers during the period of January 2012 to December 2012. The selected radiation workers’ occupational doses were according to designated work areas and in the range of 1.21 to 7.78 mSv (mili Sieveret) out of the annual dose limit of 20 mSv. By the comparison of different studies and earth’s HNBR (High Natural Background Radiation) locations’ doses, it is concluded that the worker’s high doses are of magnitude of HNBR Regions and were in the acceptable range of National and International regulatory bodies so we must not to show any type of overconsciousness but be careful in handling the radioactive sources. Keywords—Natural background radiation, Occupational dose, Overconscious, Personal monitoring. I. INTRODUCTION HE low level natural background radiation and man-made sources are continually exposing humans since their birth [1]. Natural radioactivity is exposing mankind at every place and position and it depends upon their living status, occupation, diet, type of building material used in houses etc. [2]. Although the man-made sources/radiation generating devices used in nuclear medicine procedures, diagnostic x- rays and therapeutic purposes are contributing very little but are threat to the population [3]. For the purpose of protection of radiation workers and general public from these man-made radiation generating devices and sources, the imperial rule of radiation protection i.e. TDS (Time, Distance, Shielding) rule is being implemented since their usages and this can be achieve by (a) spending less time in radiation area, (b) maintaining distance from radioactive sources and (c) placing appropriate shielding [4]-[10]. To detect radiation dose to the worker, film badge is being used since long and is one of the modality for personal dosimetry [10]-[12]. The doses received by the radiation worker can be estimated by the degree of blackness on the developed film [13]. Sajjad Ahmed Memon, Naeem Ahmed Laghari, Noor Mustafa Khuhro are with Nuclear Institute of Medicine and Radiotherapy (NIMRA) Jamshoro, Pakistan (First and corresponding author’s phone: +92-22-9213381-84; fax: +92-22-9213386; mobile: +92-300-3055291; e-mail: physicistsajjad@ hotmail.com). Sadaf Tabasum Qureshi is with University of Sindh, Jamshoro, Pakistan (e-mail: qureshi_plantsciences@hotmail.com). On the basis of recommendations of International Commission on Radiological Protection [14], Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority [15] has approved 20 mSv as an occupational dose limit for radiation workers in Pakistan. This study was carried out to address the matter of overconsciousness & fear among professionals about radiation by evaluating the higher doses received by radiation workers of NIMRA Jamshoro, Pakistan with other studies & HNBR location of different countries. II. MATERIAL AND METHODS For detecting occupational radiation doses, each of the radioactive material handling worker at NIMRA possess a film badge bearing unique identification number and Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology (PINSTECH) Islamabad Pakistan has facilitate our institute by provided film badge monitoring service on monthly basis [10]. For occupational radiation dose measurement of the workers, film badge is one of the recommended devices [12]. In this study, from 35 radiation workers of NIMRA, only 08 workers receiving some higher radiation doses than other workers during the year 2012 have been selected. The film badges readings provided by PINSTECH were kept as records for workers’ radiation dose evaluating history purposes [10], [16]. Statistical analysis of current study was done by SPSS 17 (SPSS Inc. USA) and significant value of P<0.05 was considered for the study. III. RESULTS The annual doses of 08 selected workers for year 2012 (January-December 2012) and their percentages with respect to annual occupational dose limit are summarized in Table I. The data of annual doses for selected radiation workers showed that the occupational doses of radiation workers were ranging from 1.21 mSv (6.1% of annual dose) to 7.78 mSv (38.9% of annual dose) and statistical analysis revealed significant P in the order of 0.013. Although the doses of selected workers were somehow higher than other radiation workers due to their nature of duties but were in the annual dose range i.e. 20 mSv as recommended by the International and National regulator organizations [14], [15]. Sajjad A. Memon, Sadaf T. Qureshi, Naeem A. Laghari, Noor M. Khuhro Radiation Workers’ Occupational Doses: Are We Really Careful or Overconscious T World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology International Journal of Physical Science and Engineering Vol:7 No:8, 2013 1039 International Science Index 80, 2013 waset.org/publications/17318