Radiation Exposure Data Collection
and Dose Reconstruction - U.S. Department of Energy's Radiation Exposure Monitoring System (REMS)
The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) provides the management and operational support for DOE's Radiation Exposure Monitoring System, which is used to collect and analyze radiation exposure information reported under DOE Order 231.1-1 for all DOE employees, contractors, and visitors. ORISE provides:
- Data analysis
- Health physics expertise
- Database management
- Web site support
- Software development
- Production of an annual report on occupational radiation exposure
ORISE collects and processes more than 100,000 exposure reports annually.
The REMS Web site maintained by ORISE provides:
- Information on radiation exposure data such as regulations and guidance
- A complete list of annual reports
- How to report data
- How to request information from DOE
- Available software
- Links to related sites
REMSView is a software package that DOE sites use to validate their data submittals prior to submission to DOE. The Web site also contains a query tool that allows users to view data on the radiation exposure at DOE since 1987 by categories such as year, site, facility type, and labor category.
REMS began in 1969 under the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) when licensees were required to report radiation exposure records for individuals that terminated employment. They also had to provide an annual report of the distribution of radiation exposure among the exposed workers during the year.
In 1987, DOE began requiring annual radiation exposure records to be reported for every monitored worker.
The data in the REMS database is covered under the Privacy Act of 1974 and is listed as System of Records #35 for DOE. DOE and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) have an interagency agreement to share information and computer systems for this project.