scope:

Scope and object

This part of the IEC 60846 series applies to dose equivalent (rate) meters and/or monitors for the measurement of ambient dose equivalent (rate) and/or directional dose equivalent (rate) from external beta, X and gamma radiation, as recommended in ICRU, Report 47.

NOTE 1 If both quantities, ambient dose equivalent and directional dose equivalent are meant, the term dose equivalent may be used as an abbreviation.

This part of IEC 60846 series applies only to portable meters and monitors which are intended to be used in both the workplace and the environment. It applies to devices that measure the dose equivalent or dose equivalent rate from external beta and/or X and gamma radiation in the dose range between 0,01 μSv and 10 Sv and the dose rate range between 0,01 μSv h^-1 and 10 Sv h^-1 and in the energy ranges given in the following Table. All the energy values are mean energies with respect to the prevailing dose quantity.

NOTE 2 Where a dose rate meter or monitor may be attached to a supplementary probe used to monitor contamination, the relevant standard for that probe is IEC 60325.

If national legislation requires the use of different measuring quantities, for example, air kerma or exposure, the standard may be used with the respective adjustments.

In this document, the expression "dose equivalent (rate)" is used when the provisions apply to both the measurement of dose equivalent and the measurement of dose equivalent rate.

NOTE 3 It does not apply to medical radiology which is within the scope of technical committee 62, where the conditions of radiation exposure may be extremely inhomogeneous, but precisely known.

NOTE 4 It does not apply to instruments intended to be worn by an individual for the purpose of estimating the radiation dose received by that individual.

The object of this standard is to specify the design requirements and the performance characteristics of dose equivalent (rate) meters intended for the determination of ambient dose equivalent (rate) and directional dose equivalent (rate) as defined in ICRU Report 47.

Accordingly, this standard specifies:

a) general characteristics, the functions and performance characteristics of dose equivalent (rate) meters;

b) the methods of test to be used to determine compliance with the requirements of this standard.

Some countries may wish to use this type of dose equivalent (rate) meter for measurements in the framework of legal metrology.