Scherming

Scherming is a term originating from Dutch, rooted in scherm, meaning screen or shield. In English-language usage, the closest equivalents are screening or shielding; scherming appears in multilingual technical and policy literature to denote the broad act or outcome of protecting against undesired influences or filtering elements through a barrier or process. The concept encompasses both physical protection and procedural selection across several domains.

In radiation protection, scherming refers to the design and deployment of barriers, materials, and geometries that attenuate ionizing or other hazardous radiation, with the aim of meeting regulatory dose constraints. In medicine and public health, it covers screening programs that detect diseases in populations, as well as pre-assessment screening to determine suitability for procedures. In environmental engineering, scherming can describe filtration or screening processes that remove particles, contaminants, or debris from air or water streams. In security and border control, it denotes screening of people, luggage, or goods to identify threats or contraband. In construction or industrial settings, shielding of workers or equipment is included under the same umbrella.

The term remains predominantly Dutch or bilingual in technical literature; when writing in English, editors typically substitute screening or shielding as appropriate. Related concepts include screening, shielding, radiation protection, and health screening.