Required accuracy and dose thresholds in individual monitoring

The paper follows the approach given in recent revisions of CEC and IAEA recommendations on requirements in individual monitoring for external radiations. The ICRP requirements on overall accuracy for individual monitoring, as given in ICRP Publication 35 (1982), form the basis for the specification of detailed accuracy requirements which are needed in practical routine monitoring. The ICRP overall accuracy requirement is defined as an allowable maximum uncertainty factor at the 95% confidence level for a single measurement of the relevant dose quantity, i.e. H(p)(10) and H(p)(0.07). From this uncertainty factor, a value of 21% can be evaluated for the allowable maximum overall standard deviation for dose measurements at dose levels near the annual dose limits increasing to 45% for dose levels at the lower end of the dose range required to be monitored. A method is described for evaluating the overall standard deviation of the dosimetry system by combining random and systematic uncertainties in quadrature, and procedures are also given for determining each individual uncertainty connected to the dose measurement. In particular, attention is paid to the evaluation of the combined uncertainty due to energy and angular dependencies of the dosemeter. In type testing of personal dosimetry systems, the estimated overall standard deviation of the dosimetry system is the main parameter to be tested. An important characteristic of a personal dosimetry system is its capability of measuring low doses. The paper discusses different definitions of the lower detectability of dosimetry systems for individual monitoring.