La regulación de la protección frente al riesgo por agentes físicos

Resumen

Although the toxicologist is concerned mainly with the adverse effects of chemicals, can not be inhibited to consider the actions and effects of physical agents on living organisms. It is also a subject of interest of Toxicology, both for their direct interaction with biomolecules as to influence the action of chemicals on biological systems. This concern has also come to the legislator that has developed different types of regulations to protect human health and the environment. Harmful and toxic physical agents are usually grouped by the type of energy: the mechanical energy in the form of noise and vibration; the heat energy; the pressure and gravity; and the electromagnetic energy, expressed in ionizing and non-ionising radiations. Ionizing radiation are the most dangerous, and their main regulated areas are the protection of the health of the public and workers, the control of the exposure on medical uses, the transportation of radioactive substances, the sources of high-activity sealed radioactive substances, and the contamination of water and food, as well as food preservation by irradiation. The regulations on electromagnetic fields pursue the protection of the general public and workers against electrical and electromagnetic risks, the harmonisation of radio spectrum and the control of equipment. The ultraviolet radiation is the most dangerous optical radiation, so it should be monitored both solar exposure as artificial sources, including tanning devices. The noise, of interest in ototoxicology and environmental health is regulated at both occupational and environmental levels. As the most dangerous vibrations are those of high frequency, they also have specific regulation.