Re: UV light measurement instruments and regulations

[Eric Cowdrey <ericc@mctrf.mb.ca>]

At 12:01 AM 8/29/97 -0500, you wrote:

>Roger and other interested Radsfers:
>
>For guidance on exposure limits, you should refer to the "IRPA guidelines
>on protection against non-ionizing radiation" Published by Pergamon in
>1991.  I'm not sure whether the guidelines  have been republished since
>ICNIRP was formed.  The UV recommendations havent changed since then - as
>far as I know.  There's an ICNIRP web page
>http://www.irpa.at/irpa/icnirp.htm but it doesnt contain details of the
>limits - they probably want you to buy the book!
>
>Your choice of instrument depends on what you want to measure:  I would
>recommend you get hold of the catalog put out by International Light Inc
>http://www.intl-light.com/.  Even if you don't buy one of their instruments
>it's still a good source of information, rather like the Ortec and Canberra
>catalogues are in gamma spec.
>
>The Solar Light company http://www.solar.com/ also sells high quality
>instruments and would be worth considering.
>
>A long list of UV instrument manufacturers can be found at
>http://www.srrb.noaa.gov/UV/instruments.html
>
>I've got a Macam UV103 instrument with separate filters for UVB, UVA and
>254 nm: it's a good unit for industrial UV hazards where you know what
>wavelengths are involved, but it's a bit fiddly if you need to change
>filters in the field.
>
>
>
>>I have a need to assess a UV light source and could use some
>>information.
>>
>>First, I am looking for an instrument to measure UV light levels. I have
>>done some searching on the web and looked through a few catalogs and
>>have not been able to find much. I have not yet determined the type of
>>UV light present(A, B or C) but I would imagine that a vendor could
>>supply me with the appropriate instrument once I figure that out.
>>
>>I also did not have much better luck in finding info on exposure limits.
>>I had done some work on non-ionizing safety a while back but it was
>>almost exclusively related to lasers. I could not find a corresponding
>>body of information on regulation of UV exposures. Could someone point
>>me in the right direction? The OSHA regs I looked at do not seem to
>>address it other than from exposure to welding activities.
>>
>
>
>
>Michael Williamson
>(m.williamson@mailbox.uq.edu.au )
>
>Radiation Protection Adviser
>
>Occupational Health & Safety Unit
>University of Queensland
>Brisbane 4072
>Australia
>
>ph +61 7 3365 4504
>fax +61 7 3365 1577
>
>The opinions expressed in this communication are those of the writer:
>unless explicitly stated they should not be taken as representing the
>official policies or views of the University of Queensland.
>
>
The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) also
provides UV exposure guidance in their annual booklet "TLVs and BEIs"
(Threshold Limit Values and Biological Exposure Indices).  Check their web
site for ordering information - http:/www.acgih.org/



*************************************************

Eric Cowdrey
Radiation Protection Officer
Department of Medical Physics
Manitoba Cancer Treatment and Research Foundation
100 Olivia Street
Winnipeg, Manitoba  R3E 0V9
CANADA

Telephone: (204) 787-2166/4145
Fax:       (204) 775-1684
E-mail:    ericc@mail.mctrf.mb.ca