Originally Posted by
felipegarcia
I've been wondering how long is it going to take California to mandate a placard that reads "WARNING: This machine emits radiation known to the State of California to cause cancer and / or other reproductive harm".
I'm wondering of the TSOs not wearing lead jackets is something done to a) cut costs, b) not scare passengers. Personally I've never been given a lead vest for small dental x-rays (those little 1"x1" squares), but I was given one once for a panoramic dental x-ray. That was the only time I saw the tech wearing one, coincidentally, the machine looked like it was surplus equipment from the USSR. So if they start wearing lead vests people will start freaking out because that would be something against the assurances of Mr. Pistol that the radiation is small.
Don't have a link, but IIRC, one of our resident TSOs may have even posted it here: TSA HQ did not want TSOs wearing dosimeters precisely because pax might see a cause for concern. The official TSA line is that there is no way there can ever be a machine malfunction or problem that could lead to a harmful amount of radiation. Wearing dosimeters would indicate that there is, in fact, a possible risk.