This thesis incorporates two different studies investigating occupational exposure to ionizing radiation in veterinary workers. The first study evaluated the frequency of use of protective eyeglasses and gloves, and the frequency of protective behaviors (increasing distance from the body and head eye region to the radiation source), during manual restraint for radiography among small animal workers in a veterinary hospital before and after a video training module. In the second study we evaluated self-reported radiation safety behaviours among small animal veterinary diplomate and resident fluoroscopy users through an electronic questionnaire.
The first study demonstrated a significant improvement in all behavior outcomes after the video training (vs before), and also found that sedation or anesthesia reduce the need for workers to be inside the radiography room manually restraining the animal; however, the overall frequency of optimal behaviors was still low. The second study found a low eyeglasses and hand shielding compliance among veterinary fluoroscopy users. Both studies demonstrated that workers with formal training in radiation safety are more likely to adopt behaviours that reduce their dose, such as PPE compliance.
In conclusion, this thesis work found that education and formal training on radiation safety increases behaviours that decrease worker dose and help to develop a radiation safety culture in the workplace. However, it also found a low compliance of protective eyeglasses and gloves among veterinary radiology and fluoroscopy users. Finally, sedation or anesthesia should be used more often during diagnostic radiography as it reduces the need for workers to be inside the radiography room, thus reducing their radiation exposure
