PDS Dosemeters

Concepts

• radiation monitors
• purchase of pds dosemeters
• pds dosemeters

Location

Description

Purchase of PDS Dosemeters and accessories

Award Detail

Renewal Options

Options have been included in the contract to enable the Authority to purchase further goods, as set out in the specification, up to a further £354,963.

Award Criteria

CPV Codes

• 38341600 - Radiation monitors

Indicators

• Options are available.

Legal Justification

UKHSA offers a Personal Dosimetry Service (PDS) which is based on its extensive expertise in radiological protection and is underpinned by continuing research and development. The UKHSA Personal Dosimetry Service is the largest dosimetry service in the UK and supplies a range of dosemeters (tool that measures exposure to radiation) to 5,500 commercial customers including NHS Trusts, Defence and Universities to ensure the employer complies with the Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017 and the Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA). PDS provides a high-quality dosimetry service capable of measuring and recording radiation doses received by our customers and their employees. PDS is approved by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) as an Approved Dosimetry Service (ADS) and accredited under ISO/IEC 17025;2017. PDS supplies dosimetry for more than 85,000 radiation workers in the UK and overseas. HSE are the regulatory body. The PDS is a long-standing service with over 50 years’ experience in providing high-quality personal radiation dose monitoring. The Service has millions of pounds worth of equipment and infrastructure and intends to continue providing this much needed service to its customers. PDS supplies a large proportion of the NHS dosimetry requirements. The Service runs a Harshaw Personal Dosimetry System with 7 Harshaw Readers, 170,000 dosemeters in circulation and bespoke ancillary equipment to the value of over £5M. The Harshaw system has been running since 2003 and in the next 5-10 years when the equipment needs replacing, we will review which system to use going forward. The dosemeters are of thermoluminescent design meaning they are re-usable and cost effective for multiple use throughout their lifetime. This lifetime is mainly limited by the customers who lose or damage, on average, 10,000 to 18,000 per year. These need to be replaced to keep stock levels up to continue to be able to run the service. Each year, the UKHSA PDS issues approximately: 470,000 whole body TLDs; 23,000 eye dosemeters; 20,000 fingertip and wrist dosemeters; 38,000 ring dosemeters. The existing dosimetry system only works with Harshaw compatible dosemeters. The Harshaw brand of equipment is manufactured by Thermofisher Scientific and distributed in the UK solely by Phoenix Dosimetry Ltd. The Harshaw dosemeters are of a particular size and shape that fit each piece of bespoke equipment including the holder. It is therefore critical for supplies purchased to be compatible with the existing system. Dosemeter stock is now at critically low levels and will soon affect our routine service and emergency response capability. If we cannot buy the interim supplies, this would have critical business and financial impact on the PDS, directorate and our approval by HSE/UKAS (our approval to provide this service could be withdrawn leaving NHS Trusts, Defence and Universities without this service). Dosemeters damaged or lost by workers cannot be replaced which will leave workers without a means of measuring their exposure to potentially dangerous levels of radiation. Where dosemeters are not available, customers will not be able to supply new staff members with the requisite radiation monitoring devices leaving them vulnerable and increasing the risk of exposure to hazardous radiation. This would also mean that the PDS would not be able to respond in the event of a radiation emergency. These are ongoing business requirements to supply dosimetry to our 5,500 radiation employers in monitoring their workers for occupational doses to meet the health & safety legislation for employers. UKHSA cannot continue to supply these services without the purchase of these goods. An interim supply is essential and required as soon as possible to ensure there is no break in supply to our customers.

Other Information

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