Film badge meaning

A film badge is a personal dosimeter used in regulated workplaces to monitor an individual worker’s exposure to ionising radiation for compliance, risk management and evidential record‑keeping. It comprises photographic film in a light‑tight holder and may contain two or three films of differing sensitivities, together with filters that shield parts of the film to help distinguish radiation type and energy. Typically worn on the torso and exchanged at set intervals, it is processed by an Approved Dosimetry Service to produce a cumulative dose estimate recorded on the worker’s dose record. The term is a descriptive industry expression rather than a statutory definition. Across England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland (under the Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017 and the Northern Ireland equivalent) and in Ireland (under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Ionising Radiation) Regulations 2019), employers must provide suitable personal dosimetry and maintain dose records, overseen respectively by the HSE, HSENI and the EPA. Usage and legal significance are broadly consistent across these jurisdictions. Although many employers now use thermoluminescent or optically stimulated luminescent dosimeters, film badges remain a recognised, passive means of dose assessment for occupational exposure monitoring and compliance.