Intercomparison of passive dosimetry technology at EDF facilities in France

Since the spring of 1999, new French radiation protection legislation has allowed the use of passive dosemeters, other than the silver emulsion film badge, for the measurement of H(p)(10). Faced with the eventual obsolescence of its dosimetry system, Electricité de France (EDF, the French electricity provider) initiated a comparative study of passive dosemeters, based on different technologies, that had received accreditation by national laboratories and regulatory bodies, namely: TLD, RPL and OSL. An extended field study in nuclear power stations and medical X-ray departments has shown that all technologies provide compatible dosimetric estimates. It also showed that the selected dosemeters based on RPL and OSL technologies gave better results due to their energy responses and to a lower detection threshold compliant with the new regulation. A final suggestion to implement a new OSL based dosimetric system is made due to its overall performance and to its lower cost of implementation.