This service is intended to assist manufacturers, importers and end-users in demonstrating that their equipment satisfies the requirements of the International Electro-technical Commission (IEC) and other major international bodies.

The UKHSA Instrument Testing Service has established an enviable international reputation as a leading source of expertise and innovation in the fields of type-testing and radiation monitoring instrumentation development and design consultancy.

We also specialise in the energy compensation of x-ray and gamma-ray detectors. In addition to our comprehensive radiation facilities we have an extensive range of electronic test equipment and a range of temperature and humidity environmental cabinets.

Radiation protection instrumentation development and design innovation

We contribute to high-profile projects for major private, public and overseas organisations. For example, we pioneered the detector technology behind the Siemens/Thermo Electronic Personal Dosemeter (EPD). We have recently designed and patented the new guided neutron unit (GNU), which combines the best response characteristics and portability of any neutron instrument.

If you have radiation instrumentation project under development please contact us - we'll be pleased to advise you.

Want to hire our facilities?

Want to carry out measurements in support of instrument development work and need to access proper testing facilities? Call us - we can help: You get full access to our facilities. We take care of the details, operate the facilities and provide full support.

For facilities hire or enquiries to come and take a tour simply call us or complete the enquiry form we'll be pleased to help you.

Case study: Instruments for A&E departments

The Department of Health identified a requirement for A&E departments to have some means of determining whether patients had been contaminated with ionising radiation following a radiological incident.

We were invited to contribute to the resolution of this requirement. In the first of four steps we reviewed the requirement and developed an instrument specification. This detailed which instrument features were important to ensure that the requirement was fully met.

Next we invited manufacturers to submit instruments for assessment by a technical evaluation programme. With suitable instruments identified we conducted usability trials to establish the most appropriate instrument.

In the penultimate step we worked with the manufacturer and UK agent to develop a logistics strategy to put all 820 instruments through the 'test before first use' assessment in the shortest possible time. Instruments arrived in 3 main batches over a 2.5 month period, with most instruments in each batch assessed and despatched within a few days.

Last - but not least, with the instruments distributed to all A&E departments, we developed a custom radiation and instrumentation training course and delivered UK-wide, regional user training.