Press Release-00-157, NRC Broadens Use of Dosimeters to Reflect New Advances in Technology
| ML003763689 | |
| Person / Time | |
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| Issue date: | 10/11/2000 |
| From: | Office of Public Affairs |
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| Category:Press Release | |
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| Press Release-00-157 | |
| Download: ML003763689 (1) | |
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NRC NEWS U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Office of Public Affairs Telephone: 301/415-8200 Washington, DC 20555-001 E-mail: opa@nrc.gov Web Site: http://www.nrc.gov/OPA No.00-157 October 11, 2000 NRC BROADENS USE OF DOSIMETERS TO REFLECT NEW ADVANCES IN TECHNOLOGY The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is broadening its regulations for personnel dosimeters used to determine the radiation dose received by workers at licensed nuclear facilities. The change allows use of new technology with any type of dosimeter, as long as the processor of the dosimeter is appropriately accredited.
Current regulations require the use of either a film badge, which uses photographic development, or a thermoluminescent dosimeter, which uses heat-stimulated light emission as a monitoring technique, to determine radiation dose to an individual. New dosimeter technologies are providing techniques to measure radiation which are more precise. For example, optically stimulated luminescent dosimeters that use optical lasers for processing have higher sensitivity to radiation than either of the other devices. Other superior dosimeter technologies and processing techniques are likely to appear in the future.
Dosimetry processing must be conducted under the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program, which is operated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Because the NRC considers this action to be non-controversial and routine, the rule will become effective 75 days after publication in the Federal Register, expected shortly. However, if significant adverse comments are received, the agency will withdraw the action and address such comments.
Comments may be mailed to the Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, Attention: Rulemaking and Adjudications staff. Comments may also be provided at http://ruleforum.llnl.gov on the agencys website.