Re: TYpe Testing - USA

[SwinthKL@aol.com]

With regard to type testing in the US.  A formal program does not exist.  DOE
and manufacturers do perform some type testing and ORNL puts some of their
test results into a web page.  (I don't recall the URL, but it was in one of
the recent messages.)  A VIS was performed for the NRC (NUREG/CR-4754) which
indicated that a type testing program was of value.  In 85 and 86 an ad hoc
committee met and formulated a type testing program, but a "home" was not
found for such a program and without regulatory or other backing it is
difficult to move forward.  More information on these efforts can be found on
p.231 in CONF-9303220,  "Proceedings of the Workshop on Measurement Quality
Assurance for Ionizing Radiation."  The Council on Ionizing Radiation and
Standards (CIRMS) subcommittee on Occupational Radiation Protection has a
measurement program description (MPD) which will hopefully result in more
formally structured type testing.  We also have an MPD specific to electronic
dosimeters.  The CIRMS web page (cirms.org) is not operating at this time, but
in about a month it should be back up and include info on MPDs and the next
meeting (October).

The instrument type testing is based on ANSI N42.17A, B, &C and ANSI N42.20
was written for electronic dosimeters  and is based closely on an IEC
standard.  NUREG/CR-6581 provides more info on electronic dosimeter type
testing standards.  Many other countries perform formal (regulatory mandate)
type testing of instruments and also of dosimeters.  The US does not type test
either dosimeters or instruments, but does performance testing based on ANSI
N13.11 for dosimeters. 

KL Swinth
Consultant
2177 Cascade
Richland, WA 99352
509 375 1681
swinthkl@aol.com