High-speed railways crisscross the country, and the three-dimensional transportation network covering sea, land and air brings greater convenience to daily life. As we may notice, luggage at stations, ports and airports must go through strict security screening. Such equipment plays a vital role in preventing safety hazards, ensuring transportation operation safety and protecting passengers’ personal and property security.
Baggage scanners are equipped with X-ray generators to scan luggage. The cabinet of each scanner is lined with lead sheets, and lead rubber curtains are installed at inlet and outlet openings for radiation shielding. When operated and managed in compliance with regulations, the equipment poses no health risks. Improper operation or inadequate maintenance, however, may lead to ionizing radiation leakage that causes harm to human bodies.
With the rapid development of transportation, passenger flow at airports, railway stations and ports has surged dramatically, which raises stricter standards for standardized and safe operation of security scanners. Experts from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention offer the following reminders:
Screening staff must implement personal radiation protection measures. Wear personal dosimeters as required to monitor radiation exposure, replace dosimeters every quarter, and track daily radiation doses to stay within national limits (the annual limit for the public is 1 mSv, with a maximum of 5 mSv in any single year within 5 consecutive years).
Conduct regular calibration, maintenance and repair to keep equipment in safe working condition. Special attention shall be paid to lead rubber curtains at the inlet and outlet, which must hang fully down without displacement, damage or gaps. Radiation leakage shall not exceed the hygiene limit of 5 μGy/h.
Install temporary guardrails at scanner outlets during peak passenger hours to organize passenger flow and avoid congestion that weakens shielding performance.
All passengers shall follow security rules even when in a hurry. Do not retrieve luggage until it fully passes through the outlet lead curtains, and never reach hands inside the curtains to grab bags.
Only with joint efforts to maintain orderly screening can we enjoy safe and pleasant journeys.
