A pilot study to evaluate the Health Physics Society's standard, 'Criteria for Testing Personnel Dosimetry Performance'

Paragraph 20.202 of 10 CFR 20 specifies the circumstances under which a radiation worker must wear a personal dosimeter, usually a film badge or a thermoluminescent dosimeter. However, no requirements are specified concerning the quality of dosimeters used. Working Group 15 of the Health Physics Society has prepared a standard titled, 'Criteria for Testing Personnel Dosimetry Performance'. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is considering the standard as the basis of an amendment to 10 CFR 20 which would require performance testing of personnel dosimetry processors. The University of Michigan is conducting a two-year pilot study of the Health Physics Society's standard to determine whether the standard provides an adequate and practical test of dosimetry performance. This paper summarizes the several objectives of the pilot study, the number and type (commercial. Government, and in-house) of processors that are participating, the radiation sources and irradiation procedures being used, and the time schedule being followed for the pilot study. (author)