Dosimetric monitoring in Ukraine - present status and path to the future

Full text: Ukraine is the country which utilizes radiation in many peaceful areas. So, nuclear energy sector includes 15 power units (including two new units commissioned in 2004), nuclear fuel cycle also include uranium mines, radiation sources are widely used in industry, science and medicine. As a result, about 50,000 occupationally exposed workers require dosimetric monitoring. However, presently dosimetry services in Ukraine cover only about 38,000 occupationally exposed workers, including 9,100 medical professionals, 16,400 employees of 5 nuclear power plants and ca. 12,400 workers dealing with other sources of occupational exposure (industry, research). Territorial dosimetry services, responsible for dosimetric monitoring in industry and medicine operate in 13 of 25 oblasts (regions) of Ukraine. The coverage of critical groups by dosimetric monitoring is variable and ranges from 38 % to 100 % depending on the oblast. With rare exception, instrumentation is represented by outdated manual TLD systems (inaccurate and insufficiently sensitive) capable of measurement of deep photon dose only; no personal monitoring of beta and neutron exposure is possible now. Quality assurance is limited to the annual metrological attestation of the dosimetric instruments. No information exchange infrastructure and dosimetric registry are in place. The dosimetric data is stored in home-made data environments or even in paper log-books, no data on individual doses is conveyed to central depository, which could be easily accessible for regulating authorities. Although the standing law requires elaboration of the United System for monitoring and registration individual doses, little was done so far, mainly due to lack of domestic funding. However, intention is strong to build such network in accordance with the best practice, covering not only the aspects of physical measurement and data storage, but also quality assurance, accreditation programs and training of the local personnel. In view of modernization of the measurement equipment, it is planned to establish single central dosimetry service destined for high quality dosimetric monitoring of the occupationally exposed workers in industry and medicine, while leaving monitoring of NPP staff in the responsibility domain of the nuclear energy company. The ground for such laboratory exists in SCRM which operates since 1987 automated TLD systems (including one Harshaw 8800 reader). The efforts towards elaboration of the United System are harmonized with the international guidelines, in particular with IAEA and EURADOS. The final aim of this attempt is to establish modern dose measurement and data exchange infrastructure, as well as building modern competence in the area of occupational dosimetric monitoring. (author)