Re: external dosimeter measurement accuracy

["BRUCE B. DICEY" <RSDBBD@vegas.las.epa.gov>]

There is not an easy single answer to this question -- much depends on 
circumstances of use, type of radiation to which the dosimeter is exposed, 
etc.

There have been a number of reports addressing accuracy and precision of 
external personnel dosimetry.  NIST/NVLAP periodically publishes summary 
results of performance testing.  Also, during development of what became 
the NVLAP dosimetry standard, Phil Plato and Joe Miklos from The University 
of Michigan prepared a series of reports for NRC.  Two good summary 
documents are: NUREG/CR-2891 (Performance Testing of Personnel Dosimetry 
Services, Final Report of Test #3, February, 1983) and NUREG/CR-2892 
(Performance Testing of Personnel Dosimetry Services, A Revised Procedures 
Manual, February, 1983).  

Check also the references contained in the new personnel dosimetry 
performance standard, published as an insert to Health Physics in l994.

Hope this helps.

Bruce Dicey
Sr. Health Physicist
US-EPA (Las Vegas)
(702) 798-2320

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