Measurement of artificial and natural radiation sources


    VioSpor® can be used to perform measurements of solar radiation, sunbeds (including UVA!) and many other artificial lamps. MED, SED or J/m2 are given as the result.

    For measurements of germicidal and some medical lamps with spectra containing UVC the special type VioSpor® red line has to be used.

    Please contact us if you need additional informations.
     

    Radiation monitoring of sunbeds using the VioSpor® UV dosimetry system

    1. All customers receive not only the measurement result but also, if desired, a free-of-charge consulting service.

    2. Why radiation safety monitoring for sunbeds?

    To date, complicated technology was normally required (double monochromators) to measure and analyse tanning equipment; this was extremely expensive and available only to specialists.

    For the first time, even solarium customers now have the opportunity to check cheaply and easily the power and quality of the tanning equipment which they use.

    In addition to a good level of tanning efficiency, other factors must be taken into account when the largest human organ - our skin - is to be irradiated.

     

    The area of use:

    In principle, a sunbed consists of three major radiation sources:
     

            • the high pressure lamps in the head area

            • the low pressure lamps under the bed

            • the low pressure lamps from above

      These three areas can be optimally measured using VioSpor®. By optimal, we mean that the detector system permits a very high angle of incidence for the radiation to be measured; particularly in the case of sunbeds, special emphasis must be attached to this factor due to the enormous size of the radiation area.

     

    Procedure and analysis:

    Depending upon the unit length of the measured solarium, the measuring time is between 15 and 30 minutes. For analysis purposes, the values are converted to one hour. Each plane of effect is measured, i.e. the dosimeter is adjusted by means of tripods in such a way that the detector film plane is positioned at the height of the skin surface of the sunbed user.
    If all the sunbeds in a solarium are measured at the same time, the total measuring procedure takes between 60 and 120 minutes. Once the measurement data have been entered in a measurement record (measuring position of the individual measurement buttons, measuring person, solarium measured, age of the equipment measured, most recent lamp replacement the dosimeters are returned to BioSense and analysed there. The normal sunbed customer merely needs to note the VioSpor® exposure time. The sunburn threshold dose - corresponds to the MED [minimum erythemal induction dose] per hour and the joules per square metre (weighted according to CIE-MED) - is determined for each individual measurement. Upon request, in addition to the dosimetry data, VioSpor® can determine with a high degree of approximation (with l = +/- 10nm for UV-B radiation) the spectral range responsible for the measured effect.

    Overall, the VioSpor® measuring system is thus distinguished by its excellent time-saving and easy-to-use handling while at the same time producing highly meaningful and reliable results.
     

    What points must be borne in mind?

    Potential dangers from the radiation standpoint are as follows:
     

    • Installation of excessively powerful lamps which are not intended for use with the equipment in question

    • Installation of lamps which are not intended for use with the equipment and are incompatible with the filters

    • Installation of filters which are not intended for use with the equipment and are not compatible with the lamps

    • Defective lamps, defective filters

    • Lack of equipment-specific tanning control

    • Recommendation of tanning times / frequencies which are dangerous to health

 

    Regulation radiation checks ensure:
     

    • Identification of equipment defects which could pose a danger to health

    • Ascertainment of improper maintenance and operation

    • Labelling of equipment which is subject to radiation safety monitoring and make possible:

      • First-hand monitoring by the solarium owner of the correct maintenance and operation of the equipment from the radiation safety standpoint

      • Monitoring of individual solaria by owners of chains of tanning salons

      • Customer-oriented labelling of tested equipment

      • The establishment of an equipment-specific tanning plan

      • Self-monitoring by customers by means of the tanning plan