Databases in use at the individual monitoring service of ITN-DPRSN

In this work, the databases developed for routine use at the Individual Monitoring for External Radiation Service (IMS) of the Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety Department (DPRSN) at the Nuclear and Technological Institute (ITN) in Portugal are presented. At the IMS there are two dosimetry systems running simultaneously, one based on film and the other one on thermoluminescent detectors (TLD). Two databases were initially and independently home-developed in order to meet each service's needs. A few modifications were introduced and while each service's requirements were maintained where needed, the databases were adapted in order to store the same type of information relative to the facilities and monitored workers, as well as to produce similar shaped reports and technical information. The necessary administrative features of the services were considered in the database development, made user-friendly and welcomed by the ordinary users. The improvements allowed a more direct analysis of the annual doses and an easy identification of professions and practices associated with higher dose values.