ASSESSMENT OF OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE TO EXTERNAL RADIATION AMONG WORKERS OF THREE COMMUNITY HOSPITALS IN SENEGAL.

This article evaluates occupational radiation doses received by 602 medical workers across Radiology, Thoracic and cardiovascular surgery, Operating room, Nuclear medicine, Radiotherapy, and Cardiology departments in three community hospitals in Dakar, Senegal, from 2017 to 2021. Using optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dosimetry, the study measured whole-body doses Hp(10) and local skin doses Hp(0.07), finding that all doses were well below the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) recommended limits of 20 mSv per year averaged over five years for effective dose and 500 mSv per year for local skin dose. The highest exposures were observed among technologists in the nuclear medicine department, while doses in radiotherapy were below detection limits due to shielding practices. The findings highlight the importance of ongoing radiation protection measures, including adherence to the ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) principle, and support continued monitoring and training to maintain safe occupational exposure levels.