TRANSFORMING DOSE MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES THROUGH TECHNOLOGY

摘要

The management of occupational dose exposure has been transformed in recent years through the use of facilities such as computerized databases, remote instrumentation and electronic data transfer. Use of this technology has allowed increases both in the amount of data capable of being processed and in the speed at which the data is made available to operators and Health Physics personnel. These developments have significantly improved the quality and efficiency of dose management. The dose management system being used in support of the UK's naval nuclear plants has incorporated advances in the areas of dosimetry, data handling and data analysis. Physical dispersion of sites servicing the nuclear plants means that effective communication links have also been vital for good dose management. In dosimetry, the move away from manually kept records of film badge dose information to the rue of electronic dosimetry with computerized databases able to store information on a wide range of parameters has meant that dose control can be carried out quickly and effectively. Application of remote dose-rate measuring instruments to provide continuous monitoring of the workplace has also proved beneficial. Consideration is being given to using radio-frequency technology to allow real-time dose management of workers in the radiation area and to transmit data from local Health Physics monitoring points to the main control area. In the area of data handling and analysis, a centralized database with data transfer links to the various sites has enabled dose and time data for individuals and tasks to be recorded on a common basis for all plants. Analysis of this data is used to predict doses for future work, to plan manpower requirements, to identify areas requiring dose reduction effort, and to monitor the effects of any changes in work practice or plant modifications. Dose management capabilities are completed by a predictive computer code capable of estimating dose-rates, doses and shielding requirements for tasks where historical data is not applicable. [References: 2]