Routine individual monitoring of aircrew: Czech experience and results since 1998

Full text: International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) recommended in its Publication 60 that the radiation exposure due to the cosmic component at high altitudes be taken into account when appropriate as part of occupational exposure to the radiation. Air crew members have become in such a way another group of workers for whom the exposure to ionizing radiation is one of important occupational hazard. The recommendation mentioned was incorporated to the Czech regulation already at 1997, the studies how to perform individual dosimetry of Czech companies aircrew has started immediately after. The contribution describes first the preliminary studies with the goal to elaborate optimal procedure for the aircrew routine individual dosimetry. It was decided to perform individual monitoring through the calculation based on the information on the flights realized during a period and the list of aircrew members participated in them. As a transport code CARI was chosen, since the beginning the version 6 has been used. The information on the flight schedules and the participation of aircrew in is received from the air company. In the Czech Republic, three companies are concerned with. The procedure was proposed to the Czech authorities and it received their accreditation. Routine individual dosimetry has started since 1998. It is regularly checked and innovated. Main results for the period 1998 - 2003 are as follows: both relative frequencies as well as average annual effective dosis vary with the company and with the year, without any evident general tendency; the average values of E are between 1.5 and 2 mSv, closely to the higher value; this average value is slightly higher for charter type air-companies. Further more detailed analysis will be presented, as well as future possible modifications of the procedure. (author)