Wearing Your Personnel Dosimeter

Wearing Your Radiation Dosimeter

You should wear your dosimeter ("film badge") whenever you are working with x-ray equipment, radioactive patients or radioactive materials. You should not wear your dosimeter while having x-rays that are part of your medical or dental care. Radiation exposure from these sources is not included in your occupational exposure.

Badge Cover Body Dosimeter: Depending on your situation, you will wear your body dosimeter at collar level, chest level or waist level. You can determine the proper location by looking at the dosimeter cover. You should wear your dosimeter at the location of the white dot on the figure (at shirt-pocket level in this example).

Ring Badge Ring Dosimeter: Ring dosimeters (used for measuring beta and gamma dose to the hand) should be worn on the hand which is closest to the radiation source. Wear the ring so that the label is on the palmar (inside) surface of the finger, toward the radiation source and opposite from the side you would normally wear the "stone" of a ring.

Wearing an ED-2 Badge
ED-2 Badge Graphic "Single-Badging" for Fluoroscopy Users: You will wear your dosimeter at the collar level, on the outside of any x-ray shielding personal protective equipment (lead apron, thyroid shield) you may be wearing. Your assigned dose is calculated by a formula called the "ED-2" formula, which multiplies the badge reading by a factor designed to better reflect your true effective dose.
To remind you where to wear the badge, look for the location of the white dot on the figure on the cover of your badge. A collar-level example is shown at the left.

Wearing Double Badges (ED-1) "Double-Badging" for Fluoroscopy Users: Personnel who work in high-dose fluoroscopy settings may be required to wear two dosimeters. This "double-badge" system gives a much more realistic assessment of the "assigned" dose than a single dosimeter worn at the collar. If you are double-badged, wear the red-labeled dosimeter at collar level outside your lead PPE (the usual location) and the yellow-labeled dosimeter under the lead PPE as shown. Always wear both dosimeters when you are working. Be caredul not to switch the badges around; that is, do not wear the collar badge under the lead and vic-versa. Besure to return both badges at the end of the "wear" period.
Fetal Dosimeter Fetal Dosimeter: If you become pregnant, you may still be able to work safely around radiation sources and radioactive material. Under certain circumstances, your radiation exposure will be monitored using a fetal dosimeter. This dosimeter is worn on the front of the abdomen at about waist level. If you wear an x-ray shielding apron, the fetal dosimeter must be worn under the apron.

Dosimetry Reports: Depending upon the type of work you do, your dosimeter may be changed monthly or quarterly. You should periodically check your dosimetry reports, so you can evaluate how well you are doing in terms of minimizing your radiation exposure. Copies of these reports sent to the "badge contact" person in your work area and are available for your inspection. A typical dosimetry report is attached so you can see where to find your radiation doses. The "Deep Dose Equivalent" (DDE) is the quantity that best reflects your dose from a standpoint of risk assessment.

If you are using the "double-badge" system, your "assigned dose" best reflects your risk. The assigned dose is calculated by a formula called the "EDE-1" formula, which is a weighted average of the collar and waist dosimeter readings. A sample report containing an EDE-1 measurement is shown.

Return to the Dosimetry Program Page

	Body Dosimeter: Depending on your situation, you will wear your body dosimeter at collar level, chest level or waist level. You can determine the proper location by looking at the dosimeter cover. You should wear your dosimeter at the location of the white dot on the figure (at shirt-pocket level in this example).
	Ring Dosimeter: Ring dosimeters (used for measuring beta and gamma dose to the hand) should be worn on the hand which is closest to the radiation source. Wear the ring so that the label is on the palmar (inside) surface of the finger, toward the radiation source and opposite from the side you would normally wear the "stone" of a ring.
	"Single-Badging" for Fluoroscopy Users: You will wear your dosimeter at the collar level, on the outside of any x-ray shielding personal protective equipment (lead apron, thyroid shield) you may be wearing. Your assigned dose is calculated by a formula called the "ED-2" formula, which multiplies the badge reading by a factor designed to better reflect your true effective dose. To remind you where to wear the badge, look for the location of the white dot on the figure on the cover of your badge. A collar-level example is shown at the left.
	"Double-Badging" for Fluoroscopy Users: Personnel who work in high-dose fluoroscopy settings may be required to wear two dosimeters. This "double-badge" system gives a much more realistic assessment of the "assigned" dose than a single dosimeter worn at the collar. If you are double-badged, wear the red-labeled dosimeter at collar level outside your lead PPE (the usual location) and the yellow-labeled dosimeter under the lead PPE as shown. Always wear both dosimeters when you are working. Be caredul not to switch the badges around; that is, do not wear the collar badge under the lead and vic-versa. Besure to return both badges at the end of the "wear" period.
	Fetal Dosimeter: If you become pregnant, you may still be able to work safely around radiation sources and radioactive material. Under certain circumstances, your radiation exposure will be monitored using a fetal dosimeter. This dosimeter is worn on the front of the abdomen at about waist level. If you wear an x-ray shielding apron, the fetal dosimeter must be worn under the apron.