Techniques and Management of Personnel Thermoluminescence Dosimetry Services

The International Commission on Radiological Protection and the Euratom Council directive have specified that workers exposed to ionizing radiation shall be subjected to individual dose monitoring. In the past, individual doses have almost always been monitored by film badge dosimeter, but thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) are now coming into widespread use, principally due to the availability of automated readout systems. This work gives details of the operation of and experience gained with a number of large-scale TL personnel dosimetry services, with particular reference to the management aspects of such services. It should be of interest to technical and administrative personnel in TLD services, TLD system designers, staff of licensing authorities concerned with dosimetric licensing and students of radiation protection, especially in the area of protection from ionizing radiation. A basic knowledge of atomic and nuclear physics is assumed, and a training in radiation protection or health physics would be an advantage.