The procedure and requirements for obtaining a personal or operational dosimeter can be found below for:

• personal dosimeter for employed and associated members of the personnel
• personal dosimeter for contractors' personnel​
• operational dosimeter

If you don't know in which category of personnel you belong, please check on the Users' office site.

To get your dosimeter, please come to Building 55 R-004 between 8:30 and 12:00, Monday to Friday. In case you cannot come in person you may mandate another person to come on your behalf, provided you supply the required papers signed as listed below.

Please ensure that you meet all the cited requirements and provide all the listed documents before coming to pick up your dosimeter!

You can obtain a personal dosimeter if you meet the following conditions:

1. You have a valid contract with CERN and, in this context, you are required to work in a CERN Radiation Area.
2. You have successfully completed the appropriate CERN radiation protection training.
3. You have read and signed the CERN Personal Dosimeter - Reception Form (pdf). You need to sign this document only the first time you request a dosimeter.
4. Depending on your status at CERN, you fulfil the following conditions:
   1. Employed members of the personnel (MPE: staff, fellows, apprentices)
      The CERN Medical Service must confirm your medical fitness to be occupationally exposed to ionising radiation following a medical examination and blood test. Please contact the Medical Service by phone 78435 or mail medical.service@cern.ch to get an appointment for a medical examination and blood test.
   2. Associated members of the personnel for the purpose of training (MPA-t: doctoral, technical and administrative students and trainees)
      Unless otherwise agreed between CERN and your home institution, CERN will, on behalf of your home institution, classify you as radiation worker and the CERN Medical Service will ascertain your medical fitness to be occupationally exposed to ionising radiation (cf. MPE above).
   3. Associated members of the personnel (MPA, other than MPA-t)
      If you are an associated member of the personnel other than for the purpose of training, you must provide either:
      1. a valid and up to date radiation passport
      2. a certificate in the prescribed format signed by your home institution. If you encounter difficulties in filling in and signing the certificate, please contact the Dosimetry Service.

Short-term dosimeter for associated members of the personnel (except MPA-t)
If you stay at CERN for less than 2 months in a calendar year and work only in Supervised Radiation Areas, you may request a short-term dosimeter without the need to provide any of the above documents (radiation passport or home institution certificate). In this case your maximum allowed personal dose is limited to 1 mSv per year. The two months period can be fractioned over the calendar year. Please return your dosimeter whenever you leave CERN or when you are absent for several weeks.

1. You must be a contractor holding a valid contract with CERN.
2. You have taken note of CERN’s rules and procedures applicable for work in CERN Radiation Areas and you agree to take all necessary measures to ensure that your personnel concerned understands and complies with these rules and procedures.
3. You have designated a qualified Radiation Protection Expert. The name and address of the expert must be communicated to the Dosimetry Service before requesting a dosimeter.
4. You have obtained the relevant authorisation(s) issued by your home country as well as a license (pdf) from the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health for the work in presence of ionising radiation.
5. You have provided a general training in radiation protection to the personnel concerned.
6. Your personnel must have followed the required specific radiation protection training for the relevant CERN Radiation Area.
7. You have organised the medical and dosimetric follow-up of the personnel concerned in accordance with the national law applicable to you. You will provide the personnel concerned with legal passive personal dosimeters in addition to the ones provided by CERN. The Dosimetry Service ensures independent individual dosimetry for all persons working in CERN Radiation Areas. To this end your personnel concerned will be provided with a CERN personal dosimeter. You must ensure that your personnel wears both, yours and CERN’s, passive dosimeters for all work in CERN Radiation Areas.
8. Each member of your personnel concerned must have read and signed the CERN Personal Dosimeter - Reception Form (pdf). This is only needed for the first dosimeter.

For certain interventions or for working in areas with higher dose rate levels, operational dosimeters are mandatory.

You can obtain an operational dosimeter from the Dosimetry Service if you fulfill the following conditions:

1. You have been assigned a regular (not short-term!) personal dosimeter.
2. You will work in a Limited Stay or High Radiation - Controlled Radiation Area or the Radiation Protection Group has recommended that you wear an operational dosimeter for your activity.

In some teams an operational dosimeter pool is available. If your group has such a dosimeter pool you can use them to access Limited Stay or High Radiation - Controlled Radiation Areas and are not required to pick up your own operational dosimeter from the Dosimetry Service.