The future of personnel dosimetry

The present status of personnel dosimetry, which is still to a large extent characterized by inaccurate detectors and an oversimplified, uncritical interpretation of the results, leaves much to be desired. However, the current change in many installations to systems with increased reliability and more sophisticated methods of evaluation is an encouraging development. Some of the more basic aspects of personnel dosimetry are discussed briefly and several changes in presently prevalent policies are suggested, such as: (a) Completely different approaches with regard to detectors, monitoring periods, etc. for the large low-risk, and the small high-risk groups of monitored persons; (b) Establishing of minimum performance criteria for the dosimeters, in particular maximum permissible total errors as a function of dose, and regular testing of their performance; (c) More extensive use of appropriate correction factors for the interpretation of higher exposures; (d) Careful adjustment of the dosimeter design to the particular monitoring situation; and (e) Rapid replacement of film dosimeters by solid-state detectors, especially in warm and humid climates (developing countries).