The Radiation Safety Institute of Canada Is Building A Legacy of Safety and Education

The Radiation Safety Institute of Canada Is Building A Legacy of Safety and Education

The Radiation Safety Institute of Canada (RSIC) is a national not-for-profit organization that is independent of industry and government. As the world-class centre of excellence, RSIC promotes radiation safety and awareness through sharing science and best practices. Its guiding principle of “Good Science in Plain Language”® underpins everything they do.

A PROUD LEGACY OF SAFETY

RSIC was founded in 1980 as a direct response to the human disaster in the Elliot Lake uranium mines. Decades of toiling in hazardous underground conditions and excessive exposure to radiation left miners with severe lung diseases. In the aftermath, hundreds of miners lost their lives battling occupational lung cancers and silicosis. On April 18, 1974, the uranium miners of Elliot Lake, led by the United Steelworkers union, took a courageous stand for their health and safety, protesting unacceptable working conditions in the mines.

The subsequent inquiry led by Dr. James Ham shed light on the dire need for regulatory reform to safeguard workers' well-being. In 1979, the Ontario government enacted the Occupational Health and Safety Act, a legislative landmark aimed at preventing workplace injuries and illnesses.

This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the wildcat strike, a watershed moment in occupational health and safety in Canada that also led to the creation of the RSIC. The Institute was formed as an independent organization with the mission of protecting workers from excessive radiation exposure and ensuring that such a disaster never happens again.

Today, RSIC continues to monitor underground uranium miners in Canada and Australia for radiation exposure. Over the decades of operation, the Institute’s focus has expanded to include a variety of workplaces and communities nationwide, providing safety advice and radiation safety resources to all Canadians. The Institute achieves this through consulting and laboratory services, education, and awareness-building initiatives.

FREE INFORMATION SERVICE IN RADIATION SAFETY

One of the key services available is the RSIC Free Information Service in Radiation Safety. The Service provides regular webinars, publications, outreach initiatives, blog posts, e-learning materials, and an inquiry component aimed to equip Canadians with the knowledge needed to make informed health and safety decisions.

The Institute scientists are ready to serve you and answer your radiation safety-related questions.

RISC does not take sides in radiation disputes; it is a trusted voice in Canada with an impeccable reputation for scientific integrity and independence.

HOW IT WORKS

RSIC’s impartial information service receives hundreds of calls and emails annually for information and assistance on workplace radiation questions as well as public concerns.

If you have a question about radiation or are looking for quality scientific resources on radiation safety, you can connect with the Institute by:

Email: info@radiationsafety.ca

Phone: 1-800-263-5803

Web: radiationsafety.ca

Radiation can be a technically complex and, sometimes, polarizing subject. Having assisted numerous workplaces, individuals, governments, and communities in finding answers to their radiation-related challenges, the Institute recognizes that it can be a difficult topic to navigate. It is the Institute’s philosophy that equipped with sufficient knowledge and understanding, people will be empowered to make their own decisions about radiation.

At the Radiation Safety Institute of Canada, all questions, big and small, are welcome. RSIC’s scientists answer the majority of inquiries on the same day, within business hours. Where complex research or specialized technical assistance is required, the Service will connect you with qualified scientific resources.

The Institute believes in the power of education and will work tirelessly to provide you with “Good Science in Plain Language.”©

Questions about radiation? Visit radiationsafety.ca to learn more or donate.