As a user of the IRS Dosimetry Service, it is important to be aware of your account details as they are used regularly in managing a dosimetry account.
When requesting any information relating to your site, you will be asked for your Account Number & Series Code.
The account number consists of 6 digits with a 0 at the start (e.g. 0712183) and the series code contains 3 numbers or letters (e.g. ABC).
These details can be found printed in the following locations:
Examples of Account/Subaccount code locations on both the Packing List and Luxel Dosimeter are highlighted yellow in the nearby diagrams.
If you need to make changes to the staff or environmental dosimeters received at your site, please complete our Amendment/Change Form For Existing Customers (available on our Order Forms page) and return this to dosimetry@irs-limited.com.
Changes include:
On each packing list received with the delivery of dosimeters, a ‘Change Deadline’ date is listed. In order for changes to be active on the next issue of dosimeters, IRS must be informed of all changes before the Change Deadline.
The Change Deadline is approximately 4 – 5 weeks prior to the start of the next monitoring period.
The IRS Dosimetry Service operates with 3 monitoring frequencies:
Each issue of dosimeters run annually from the 1st of January.
The table below shows how these frequencies are structured into monitoring periods throughout the year.
Initially, IRS will need to sync your account with these frequencies. Whilst the first issue of dosimeters may arrive part-way through a monitoring period, they will still be assigned to that period.
For example, if you receive a quarterly dosimeter on 15th of May, this dosimeter will be assigned to the April – June monitoring period.
Moving forward, you will receive your next set of dosimeters within the final 2 weeks of the current monitoring period.
With every routine shipment that is sent to you, there will be an accompanying return envelope.
All dosimeters are to be returned using the return envelope at the end of the monitoring period.
If the dosimeters are not returned within 90 days, they will be processed on the system as late/unreturned and may incur an additional unreturned charge.
Instructions are provided on the reverse side of each envelope and the correct postage will need to be applied to all return envelopes.
The different types of dosimeter available are not necessarily for all users of radiation.
Your Radiation Risk Assessment will define what body part needs to be monitored, as well as the types of dosimeters required. You should consult the RPA for your site if assistance or further information is required.
The images below present information on the dosimeters available, the holders provided with them and instruction on how they should be used. Ultimately, your RPA and the Risk Assessment should clearly state exactly how an individual’s dosimeter should be worn.
The Luxel dosimeter is a general-purpose dosimeter that can be worn in a variety of locations around the body. It can also be situated in the workplace for use in environmental monitoring.
The diagram below shows the various positions that Luxel dosimeters may be worn.
All dosimeters should be delivered with clip holders and/or straps to aid in placement on the body. Luxel dosimeters used for environmental monitoring purposes will be shipped with a similar holder and Velcro backing.
To arrange, alter or cancel Dosimetry Services with IRS, please see our Order Forms page, where you can download forms to complete and return to the Dosimetry Team at dosimetry@irs-limited.com.
A Control dosimeter is issued with every parcel sent to an IRS customer. The Control can come in the form of any of the devices listed in this guide, though will always be clearly labelled ‘CONTROL’.
The purpose of a Control Dosimeter is to measure background radiation and doses received in transit.
Any dose recorded on the Control is deducted from doses received by the rest of the shipment. This allows accurate calculation of the official dose received by all other dosimeters.
Please note, these dosimeters are not to be used as environmental monitors or by any staff for personal monitoring purposes!
If this does occur and a Control dosimeter is used, before returning the monitor to IRS for reading, please notify IRS by contacting the Dosimetry Team at dosimetry@irs-limited.com.
It is important to keep Control dosimeters stored safely, well away from a radiation environment. Return them with your other dosimeters at the end of the wear period.
All Luxel dosimeter that are sent to our customers will include a ‘REMOVE’ tag at the top of the dosimeter. This tag needs to be taken off the dosimeter before it is placed within the holder that is provided.
Any dosimeters returned to IRS with the ‘REMOVE’ tab still on will flag as ‘Unused’ on your dosimetry report.
The usage of PPE and dose monitoring together is another element of the dosimetry service that should be detailed clearly in your Radiation Risk Assessment. Again, consultation with your RPA can provide further guidance.
The wear position for the Saturn Ring Monitor should be detailed within your Radiation Risk Assessment. Guidance for its use can be provided by your RPA.
Ring monitors are available in three flexible sizes:
Each monitor will display the following information:
Flexible and ergonomic – this dosimeter allows accurate measurement of doses to the eye.
Unshielded Head Strap Position
In Front of Glasses Position
All dosimeters returned to IRS will be reported on within 2 – 4 weeks upon being received at our offices and will be available on Landauer’s account management system, myLDR.com.
All IRS customers are issued a username and password to log into this system to access their site’s reports.
These details will have been sent to the contact email address provided when first placing your order with IRS. If you do not have these details, please notify IRS’s Dosimetry Team via dosimetry@irs-limited.com. Alternatively, see our Contact Page for alternative ways to get in touch.
A report is generated each time that dosimeters are received at the processing location, regardless of the dosimeters included.
This means multiple reports can be generated for one set of dosimeters if returned separately. Similarly, a report can include dosimeters from multiple monitoring periods if returned together. A demonstration of this is shown in the sample report below:
Please note: colour coding on this sample report is for illustrative purposes only.
Historical Customer Avg. Control DoseAn average control dose is calculated when the control dosimeter is not returned with the dosimeters the report has been generated for. This is to ensure an accurate control dose value is deducted from the results within this report.
This is an abbreviation of ‘Minimal’. This means that the dose is below the lowest reporting level for that particular dosimeter.
When a report shows a dosimeter value is ‘Absent’, this means that the dosimeter for this participant has not yet been received for processing and may not have been returned.
This means that this dosimeter was returned but not reported due to the ‘REMOVE’ tab still being attached to the dosimeter when it was received at the processing location. If the dosimeter was used without being placed in the relevant holder provided and the tag was not removed when in use, please contact IRS to have the dosimeter reprocessed.
Any other values generated for the staff on the reports should be compared against your local investigation levels, as defined in your Local Rules and derived from your Risk Assessment.
If results are higher than your local investigation levels, it is usual for an investigation to be required. However, you should consult your RPA for any queries regarding the results.