Calibration of Survey Instruments Used in Radiation Protection for the Assessment of Ionizing Radiation Fields and Radioactive Surface Contamination-977AA7A9

Report No. 112 is one in a series of reports concerned with operational radiation protection issues. It was formulated in recognition of the fact that implementation of recommendations for the protection of workers and the public, as well as demonstration of compliance with the requirements of regulatory agencies, requires instrumentation and techniques for the measurement and evacuation of radiation fields and radioactive contamination. Proper calibration procedures are, of course, and essential requirement for effective measurement and evaluation. Report No. 112 is focused on the calibration of portable instruments used in dose equivalent assessment and the evaluation of surface contamination. The Report outlines the techniques and procedures necessary to characterize the desired responses of various survey instruments through appropriate calibration procedures. Major sections of the Report treat the following topics:

• considerations in the calibration process
• calibration facility
• calibration of photon measuring instruments for external radiation field evaluation
• calibration of beta dose measuring instruments for the assessment of neutron radiation fields
• calibration of field instrumentation for the assessment of surface contamination

Appendices to the Report, in addition to providing details on techniques and a glossary of terms, also set out examples of calibrations appropriate for instruments used in photon radiation fields, for beta dose response, for neutron source measurements, and for assessment of surface contamination. Also treated in an appendix are the systematic uncertainties in the calibration process.