A SOLUTION FOR NEUTRON PERSONAL DOSIMETRY IN THE ABSENCE OF WORKPLACE SPECTROMETRY.

Abstract

In view of the widely varying energy spectra encountered in practical situations, accuracy of neutron dose assessment requires detailed knowledge of detector responses and workplace conditions to achieve an adequate level of protection. If the neutron spectrum should be a priori unknown and no measurement of the workplace spectrum is available, the 'Compendium of Neutron Spectra and Detector Responses for Radiation Protection Purposes' published in the International Atomic Energy Agency Technical Report Series offers a broad range of reference spectra that may be appropriate for many applications. The proposed approach applies a correction factor based on the ratio of 'personal dose equivalent indices' for a particular workplace spectrum and a reference field used for calibration of the dosemeter response. Amendments in the definition of operational quantities as well as introduction of new modalities that, for example, may be expected to give increased importance to high-energy neutrons necessitate frequent revision of the Compendium. Results from the European Radiation Dosimetry Group Intercomparison 2012 for neutron personal dosemeters provide evidence that workplace fields are insufficiently reflected. This is proposed to be considered as an improvement opportunity.