A catalogue of dosemeters and dosimetric services within EU member states and Switzerland able to estimate external radiation doses as personal dose equivalent

The purpose of this paper is to present an overview of dosemeters and dosimetric services within EU member states and Switzerland which are able to estimate external radiation doses as personal dose equivalent, H-p(d). The total number of dosimetric services in the EU and Switzerland is estimated to be approximately 200. Questionnaires requesting information on various topics concerning the dosimetric systems used, were sent to these services. Of the dosimetric services that responded, 45 reported that they estimate the external radiation doses as personal dose equivalent, H-p(10) and H-p(0.07). The majority of these services use thermoluminescence dosemeters (TLDs). From the results of this study combined with some information from other studies, it can be estimated that roughly 50% of the radiological workers in the EU and Switzerland are monitored in terms of personal dose equivalent. This is one of three papers produced by the EURADOS action group Harmonisation and Dosimetric Quality Assurance in Individual Monitoring for External Radiation. The other two papers are included in this issue of Radiation Protection Dosimetry.