Occupational radiation exposure and non-compliance with safety standards: Legal implications for healthcare institutions
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Abstract
The exponential increase in the use of ionizing radiation in medical applications has intensified occupational exposure, transforming radiological safety into an institutional and legal non-transferable duty within hospital management. Despite the existence of a rigorous regulatory framework, established in the Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom, Decree-Law No. 108/2018 and Law No. 102/2009, scientific evidence documents widespread failures in compliance with radiological protection standards, both in terms of individual monitoring and the use of protective equipment and professional training.
This study aims to critically analyze the available scientific evidence on occupational radiological exposure and discuss the legal consequences associated with the inadequate management of this risk. In this sense, a theoretical-normative approach analysis was carried out, based on a critical and selective review of the literature. It has been shown that non-compliance does not stem solely from individual negligence on the part of professionals, but is predominantly a systemic and organizational phenomenon, resulting from failures in resource management, institutional safety culture, and leadership.
The Portuguese and European legal framework assigns primary and non-delegable responsibility for the protection of workers to the employer, and non-compliance may give rise to civil, labor, and administrative liability. The preventive role of law is also highlighted, whose function goes beyond the mere sanctioning dimension, contributing to the influence of clinical and organizational practices.
It is concluded that the articulation between science and law is essential for the promotion of safe work environments, highlighting the need for integrated approaches that strengthen institutional governance and the culture of radiological safety.
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