Development of a fleet of mobile units for Accident Monitoring of Internal Contamination: application in the frame of Fukushima accident

In the event of an accident involving radioactive material, there could potentially be a large number of people requiring internal contamination monitoring. To answer to this challenge, the IRSN, the French institute for radiological protection and nuclear safety, has developed since 2007 a fleet of 10 body counting mobile units: 8 light and heavy emergency units and 2 expertise mobile units, unique in Europe, allowing on-site monitoring of up to 2500 people per day. Their use for the follow up of French nationals coming back from Japan after the Fukushima Accident is described and discussed.