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Ionising Radiation > ... > Radiation Protection Register
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The Radiation Protection Register
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Figure 1: Time series of persons monitored with dosemeters (for a larger view, click on the respective picture)
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Figure 2: Time series of exposed persons monitored with dosemeters
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Figure 3: Number of monitored persons in Germany in 2009
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Figure 4: Collective dose of monitored persons in Germany in 2009
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Figure 5: Collective dose and number of monitored workers in Europe
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The Radiation Protection Register (SSR) is a central dose register for the surveillance of occupational radiation exposure. It has the task to control continuously the keeping of the body dose limits of all occupationally exposed persons in Germany and also the issuing of radiation passbooks for itinery workers. The SSR contributes to the further development of the occupational radiation protection as to the state of science and technology and also to the transparency and harmonisation of the occupational radiation protection monitoring in Europe.
In Germany, the principles of occupational radiation protection are stipulated by the Atomic Energy Act (AtG), the Radiation Protection Ordinance (StrlSchV), and the X-ray Ordinance (RöV). The responsibility in the field of monitoring occupational radiation exposure lies with the sixteen Federal States which act by the "Bundesauftragsverwaltung" (Federal State administration on behalf of the Federal Government). As a consequence of this allocation of responsibilities, the monitoring of occupational radiation protection is split up to many regional institutions and state authorities: Dosimetry services are appointed by the competent state authorities to monitor the body doses of radiation workers from external radiation exposure or from internal exposure following a radionuclide incorporation. These dose assessments as well as notional dose constraints stipulated by local supervisory authorities or additional relevant information on dose limit control are continuously reported to the Radiation Protection Register. Here, the monitoring results are centrally assembled for each monitored person and are evaluated. Since August 2003 the new Radiation Protection Ordinance provides the same regulated dose monitoring for air crews as for other occupationally exposed persons. The monitoring is performed by the Radiation Protection Register in collaboration with the Federal Office for Civil Aviation (Luftfahrt-Bundesamt – LBA). The Radiation Protection Register accounts also for the central recording of the radiation passbooks issued by the regional registration authorities of the Federal States.
Results
In the year 2009, about 372 000 persons in Germany were classified as occupationally exposed to radiation and were thus monitored. 334 000 persons were monitored with personal dosemeters, 372 000 persons worked as air crew personnel and 1 800 persons were monitored due to incorporation, or to natural enhanced radioactivity at their workplace. About 51 000 persons monitored with dosemeters were exposed, the average dose was 0.80 Millisievert (mSv) per year. Nearly all air crew members were exposed, the average dose was 2.3 mSv per year. The Figures 1 to 4 give an overview of the occupational radiation exposure in Germany.
International Co-operation
European Studies of Occupational Radiation Exposure (ESOREX) The ESOREX project was initiated in 1997 by the European Commission and is coordinated by the German Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) in close co-operation with the State Office for Nuclear Safety of the Czech Republic. It consists of data surveys on occupational radiation monitoring in 30 European states. The study provides comparable descriptions of the respective national systems used to monitor and register individual occupational radiation exposure. Furthermore, time series of the number of occupational exposed workers and the dose distributions in the different work sectors are surveyed in each country in an internationally comparable way. The project provides important information for a harmonisation of the occupational radiation monitoring in Europe. It also shows the development of occupational radiation exposure before and after the COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 96/29/EURATOM was transposed into national regulations.
Several European workshops were held with representatives of the respective national offices for dose monitoring and registration. These workshops contributed to establish a European network for occupational radiation monitoring. With ESOREX, all essential information about the occupational radiation monitoring in thirty European countries assembles in the BfS. With ESOREX, the radiation protection register of the BfS could develop a detailed overview over occupational radiation monitoring in Europe and could also establish important international contacts.
Expert Group on Occupational Exposure (EGOE)
EGOE is an international working group established on behalf of the „Committee for Radiation Protection and Public Health (CRPPH)“ of the OECD in 2006. The group’s purpose is to provide answers to future challenges for occupational radiation protection. EGOE is chaired by the BfS. Its members come from ten member States of the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the European Commission and the Nuclear Energy Agency of the OECD.
A detailed report of the radiation protection register about occupational radiation exposure is available in PDF format.
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