How are employee doses of radiation typically measured in a workplace setting?

In workplace settings, employee doses of radiation are commonly measured in rems, which is a unit that reflects the biological effect of radiation on human tissue. The rem accounts for the type of radiation and the sensitivity of the body to that radiation, making it especially pertinent in occupational safety contexts where understanding the potential health risks to employees is crucial.

The use of rems is a continuation of the practice in radiation safety to assess exposure in terms of its potential to cause harm, thus helping to ensure that exposure is kept within safe limits. The other units mentioned, such as grays and sieverts, are indeed related to radiation but serve different purposes. Grays measure the absorbed dose of radiation energy by matter, while sieverts also consider biological effects, with one sievert equating to 100 rems. Rads, similar to grays, measure the absorbed dose but are less commonly used in contemporary radiation safety practices compared to rems and sieverts. The contextual use of rems emphasizes its significance in protecting worker health and safety in environments where radiation exposure is a concern.