Protection of persons
In addition to annual instruction, the protection of personnel at the FRM II includes determining the body dose, incorporation monitoring, occupational medical check-ups and contamination monitoring by radiation protection staff.
Instruction
All persons entering a controlled area must be instructed about possible hazards (e.g. contamination of clothing or skin, incorporation) and the applicable safety and protective measures (e.g. protective clothing and prohibition of food intake) before entering. The instruction must be repeated once a year.
The aim of the radiation protection instruction is to keep any radiation exposure or contamination as low as possible, even below the limit values, by taking appropriate measures.
Determination of the body dose
The body dose must be determined for all persons working in the controlled area. This is done using an electronic, directly readable personal dosimeter, which is worn on the body. It actively warns the wearer of increased radiation fields by means of an acoustic signal.
In addition, the body dose of persons occupationally exposed to radiation (e.g. employees of the FRM II) must be determined using an official personal dosimeter. As both gamma and neutron radiation are present at the FRM II, the official dose is recorded using so-called albedo dosimeters. These are evaluated monthly by an official evaluation office.
Incorporation monitoring
The absorption of radioactive substances into the body is called incorporation and is made up of ingestion (ingestion of food) and inhalation (absorption through breathing). Employees who handle open radioactive substances are therefore also subjected to a whole-body measurement or excretion analysis to determine their radiation exposure.
Occupational health check-up
Employees of the FRM II are classified as occupationally exposed persons, category A, and must therefore be examined once a year by an authorized physician. The examination ensures that there are no health concerns regarding the handling of radioactive substances.
Contamination monitoring
The work areas are checked for contamination every working day by radiation protection. In addition, all materials, objects and persons must be checked for contamination before leaving the controlled areas.
Contamination measuring devices are used to detect alpha-, beta- or gamma-emitting radioactive substances on surfaces of any kind.
Hand-foot monitors and whole-body contamination monitors are used at the FRM II to check people for contamination. The whole-body monitors used at the FRM II also have a small parts compartment in which small everyday objects (e.g. ballpoint pens, ID cards, dosimeters) are checked for contamination. Furthermore, they have an additional detector to determine possible incorporation.