Senate Republicans Pass Bills to Shield Health Care Workers from Radiation

Arizona health care workers who spend their careers near X-ray imaging equipment may soon have stronger protections on the job, thanks to a package of legislation advancing through the state legislature.

Senate Health & Human Services Committee Chair Carine Werner (R-AZ) sponsored three bills that passed the Arizona Senate, each targeting a different aspect of radiation safety for medical workers and staff working in cardiac catheterization labs.

The labs hold  procedure rooms where real-time X-ray imaging is used daily during life-saving heart procedures.

The concern comes as a single exposure is generally considered low-risk, repeated low-dose radiation over years of work has been linked to serious long-term health consequences, including cancer, brain tumors, cataracts, thyroid disorders, reproductive complications, and orthopedic injuries from years of wearing heavy lead aprons.

Bills Fighting the Risk

Werner's three bills take a layered approach to addressing that risk.

The first, SB 1118, creates a state grant program to help rural and smaller hospitals afford modern radiation protection systems, equipment that larger, better-funded facilities may already have in place.

The second, SB 1120, sets a concrete deadline, requiring hospitals that perform catheterization procedures to install radiation protection systems in at least half of their applicable procedure rooms by 2027.

The third, SB 1121, updates workplace safety rules to allow medical staff to forgo heavy lead aprons when advanced protection systems are already in use, while still requiring real-time monitoring of exposure levels throughout each procedure.

Together, the bills aim to align Arizona's hospital safety standards with technology already widely available.

"Health care workers dedicate their lives to caring for others, and they should not have to sacrifice their own long-term health in the process," Werner said. "These bills use proven technology to reduce radiation exposure, improve workplace safety, and help hospitals protect the people who make patient care possible."

The legislation passed with bipartisan support and now heads to the Arizona House for further consideration.