Radiation Protection Measurements

Ionizing Radiation and Radioactivity

Building materials - Compliance with the reference value for exposure to gamma radiation from building materials

The General Radiation Protection Ordinance 2020 §123 requires compliance with a reference value of 1mSv per year for indoor external exposure due to gamma radiation from building materials. 

In any case, this requirement is considered to be fulfilled if only building products are used whose activity concentration index does not exceed the value 1 or which do not contain materials listed in Annex B of OIB Guideline 3.

The determination of the activity concentrations of the radionuclides Ra-226, Th-232 and K-40 in building materials is carried out according to ONR CEN/TS 17216. The evaluation of the activity concentration index according to OIB guideline 3 or council directive 2013/59/Euratom.