This is the case for many other food technologies, such as canning, fumigation and the agro-chemical industry, which are also potentially hazardous to workers. As at irradiation facilities, controls and formal protocols are required to prevent accidents. The radiation processing industry is considered to have a very good safety record. Today there are about 170 industrial gamma irradiation facilities operating worldwide, a number of which process food in addition to other types of products. Most irradiation facilities are used for sterilizing disposable medical and pharmaceutical supplies, and for processing other non-food items.
Any industrial activity includes certain risks to human beings and the environment.
One of the risks at irradiation facilities is associated with the potential hazard of accidental exposure to ionizing radiation. Under normal operating conditions, all exposures of workers to radiation are prevented because the radiation source is shielded. Irradiators are designed with several levels of redundant protection to detect equipment malfunction and to protect personnel from accidental radiation exposure. Potentially hazardous areas are monitored and a system of interlocks prevents unauthorized entry into the radiation cell when the source is exposed. Worker safety further rests upon strict operating procedures and proper training.