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First type examinations successfully completed for eye lens dosemeters

04.06.2021

A revision of German radiation protection laws was undertaken in 2018. As part of this revision, the limits specified in Germany's Strahlenschutzverordnung (Radiation Protection Ordinance) for persons occupationally exposed to radiation were aligned with the current basic safety standards of EU 2013/59 EURATOM. These standards lowered the organ dose limit for the eye lens from 150 mSv to 20 mSv per year. One consequence of this reduction is that the official monitoring performed to date of the personal dose equivalent at 10 mm depth, Hp(10), and the personal dose equivalent at 0.07 mm depth, Hp(0.07), is no longer sufficient to ensure compliance with all limits. Additional measurements by means of a dosemeter are now needed in some areas for the Hp(3) measurand in order to assess the organ dose for the eye lens. For official dose monitoring, § 66 of the Radiation Protection Ordinance requires that conformity‑assessed dosemeters be obtained from an official dosimetry service.

For the dosimetry services themselves, this change to the ordinance (specifically § 171 in connection with Annex 18, Part A, Number 1, Letter b and § 197) means that they need to offer, by no later than 1 January 2022, dosemeters for measuring Hp(3) that comply with the German Measures and Verification Act (Mess- und Eichgesetz). According to § 14 of this act, PTB bears sole responsibility for carrying out the type conformity assessment of these dosemeters. The requirements pertaining to these dosemeters are documented in line with the latest technological and scientific advances in, for example, international standards such as IEC 62387. In late 2018, the new requirements relating to eye lens dosimeters were added to the PTB requirements for the type testing of area and personal dosemeters for photon radiation (PTB‑A 23.2 and PTB‑A 23.3).

To date, PTB has successfully completed two conformity assessments (type examination, module B) for this new dosemeter type. This means that conformity‑assessed eye lens dosemeters are now available for use in official dosimetry.

 

Contacts

Opens local program for sending emailK. Olzem, Department 6.3, Working Group 6.31

Opens local program for sending emailH. Zutz, Department 6.3, Working Group 6.31