Integration of dosimetric methods for internal and external exposures: conclusions of a Eurados action

Full text: In radiation protection dosimetry the quantity of interest is the effective dose (E); the dose limit to an adult worker applies to the sum of the relevant effective doses from external exposures and the relevant committed effective dose from intakes of radionuclides, during the same period of time. The integration of dosimetric methods and data for external and internal radiation requires the complete characterization of the occupational exposure present in the workplace, and the availability of adequate equipment and tools for the assessment of the effective dose. The European Radiation Dosimetry Group, EURADOS, established a working group whose aim was to consider harmonization of individual monitoring of internal and external exposures as part of the protection of occupationally exposed persons. The term harmonization means here that the services are meeting the similar requirements and as a consequence their results should be comparable. Part of this EURADOS Action was to investigate how the results from personal dosemeters for external radiation, from workplace monitoring and from monitoring of internal exposures can be combined into a consistent system of individual monitoring. One important outcome of this collaboration is that a European Dosimetry Network has been established among 28 European countries (western, central and eastern states) through the respective contact-persons. The contact-persons have actively collaborated with EURADOS in the distribution of questionnaires among their dosimetry facilities and providing relevant information related to the implementation of EC Directive 96/29 Euratom and other legal considerations. At the end of the Harmonization study the information collected was presented in a monographic of the RPD journal in 2004. The more relevant conclusions of the 'Integration of Dosimetric Methods' work are presented here. (author)