Regulatory approval of a dosimetry service using electronic dosemeters for individual dose measurements in the UK.
In the United Kingdom it is a legal requirement that the radiation doses received by classified persons are measured using dosemeters that have been provided by an approved dosimetry service. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the regulatory body responsible for approving these dosimetry services. Until recently, statutory dose measurements in the UK have been made with well established dosimetry techniques involving the use of film or TLDs. In January 2000 HSE granted approval to a dosimetry service, operated by a UK nuclear utility, to provide a service to nuclear sites for making measurements of individual dose using electronic dosemeters. HSE has published the requirements that prospective dosimetry services must satisfy in order to gain regulatory approval. These requirements are applicable to those services wishing to use established techniques with film and TLDs and also to services that wish to use novel systems of dose measurement such as electronic dosemeters. This paper briefly describes the regulatory framework for the approval of dosimetry services in the UK, the criteria used by HSE for the approval of these services with particular reference to electronic dosemeters, and the regulatory issues associated with the use of electronic dosemeters for statutory individual dose measurements in the UK.
Bevington
L M
LM
HM Nuclear Installations Inspectorate, Nuclear Safety Directorate, Health & Safety Executive St Peters House, Balliol Road, Bootle, Merseyside l20 3lz, UK lyn.bevington@hse.gov.uk
D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D004581:Electronics; D006801:Humans; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000592:standards*; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017749:Total Quality Management; D006113:United Kingdom