What is a health physicist?
Health physics is the profession devoted to protecting people and their environment from potential radiation hazards. Ionizing radiation, used in treating cancer or producing electrical power, is a useful commodity. Ionizing radiation, used in large quantities or in an unsafe way, can be harmful. Health physicists control the beneficial use of ionizing radiation while protecting workers and the public from potential danger. Health physics requires an understanding of many fields, including physics, biology, biophysics, engineering, chemistry, genetics, ecology, environmental sciences, metallurgy, medicine, physiology and toxicology. Oversight’s health physicists monitor the environment on and off site; assess environmental affects of INL activities, particularly those involving radiation; participate in and coordinate state emergency planning; and provide technical expertise to state and local agencies. Oversight health physicist is David Jones.
