[ RadSafe ] on-site versus vendor provided dosimetry

[Sander Perle]

Hello James,

 

While I can’t provide you with current cost comparisons, I did this back in the late 70’s and 80’s, I ran an in-house dosimetry program while at Florida Power and Light Company, 1976-96 and from there went to a commercial dosimetry processor. You are correct, there are only a few NPPs currently performing their own in-house processing, typically where the utility has multiple sites and can establish a central processing location, otherwise, the cost becomes prohibitive for setting up a processing facility at each site. Almost all sites outsource their dosimetry. These are the costs that have to be considered that in the end, makes for more economical reasons for outsourcing:

 
Processing equipment for redundancy
Back-up facility in the event of a catastrophic loss of the facility
Calibration sources
Databases and software for running personnel information, dosimeter assignment, quality assurance record keeping requirements, retention of data, coordination of all the data into the individual’s dose history
Establishing an algorithm for each dosimeter type, i.e., whole body, extremity, neutron, etc.
Dosimeter inventory for exchange and backup in the facility for replacement of lost, damaged or new staff
The qualified staff, including the positions to meet NVLAP and other regulatory requirements
The cost of NVLAP itself
Independent assessment of dose, sometimes eliminates the “perceived” conflict between site produced dose versus a 3rd party
Inter-comparison testing with another facility, required
Internal and other external audits
 

The above are just examples of what must be considered. 

 

Regards,

 

Sandy

Retired, Consultant

 

From: <radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu> on behalf of "Tracy, James W. (Fed)" <james.tracy at nist.gov>
Reply-To: "The International Radiation Protection (Health Physics) Mailing List" <radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu>
Date: Thursday, August 17, 2017 at 6:23 AM
To: "radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu" <radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu>
Subject: [ RadSafe ] on-site versus vendor provided dosimetry

 

Hello,

 

Does anyone have any cost comparisons for processing dosimetry on-site versus obtaining vendor provided services?  I'm trying to see what the typical threshold is (e.g < 5,000 dosimeters per year) for when companies switch to vendor provided dosimetry.  I realize there are other factors involved in the decision but I'm just trying to get a general idea.

 

Do most nuclear utilities obtain vendor provided services?  I viewed the list of accredited NVLAP processors from the NVLAP website and there were only 4 utilities listed (I thought there would be more).

 

James Tracy

NIST

100 Bureau Drive

Building 235 Room A109

Gaithersburg, MD 20899

Phone: 301-975-5810

email: james.tracy at nist.gov

 

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