Workers in the steel industry are at risk because they can inhale radioactive particles if the contaminated source is vaporized during processing. The steel unions consider potential radioactive contamination a major health priority. Steelmakers in both the U.S. and Japan recognize the problem of radioactive contamination. There are no federal environmental regulations that require steel mills to install radiation-detection equipment, but many firms already have done so. This is an excellent example of innovative and voluntary compliance.
Steel mills can run into problems if they receive radium-contaminated pipes as scrap.
Petroleum deposits in the U.S. contain radium, a naturally occurring radioactive element. As the petroleum flows through pipelines, radium deposits onto the lining of the pipes. Sometimes significant levels of radium can be detected in the scale. Mills also receive unmarked radioactive gages. Gages containing radioactive materials are used in many industrial and household applications.