The Health Protection Agency has today launched an updated service supplying ‘radiation badges’ to people who work with radiation. This new personal dosimetry service uses thermoluminesence dosemeters (TLDs), often known as ‘radiation badges’. These are worn on clothing or laboratory coats and provide a reliable measurement of radiation dose to people in the workplace.
The updated service, which represents a major investment on the part of the Agency, uses advanced thermoluminescent materials and state-of-the-art equipment. There is also a new design for the dosemeter holder.
The new system will replace an older TLD design which was first used in the mid-1970s. In December 2006 the new TLDs will also replace the Agency’s film badge dosimetry service. This service has been in use even longer, but such systems are being replaced throughout the world because of their dependence on specialised photographic film.
The new system has an improved performance for a wide spectrum of radiation energies and is highly sensitive. It can therefore give an extremely accurate and reliable measure of personal radiation dose.
The Agency’s dosimetry service currently provides dosemeters for about 50,000 wearers in the UK and elsewhere. Each year over 300,000 badges are issued, as people change their badges either monthly or quarterly.
Dr Roger Cox, Director of the Agency’s Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, said ?We are one of the largest dosimetry services in the country and the new TLDs will allow us to provide an even better service. This is good news for our customers and for us.?