What does a personal contamination monitor (PCM) do?

• A. Monitors entire body, more sensitive, detects very low levels of radioactive material
• B. Only monitors hands
• C. Measures electrical current
• D. Calculates dose rate

Answer: (A)

A personal contamination monitor is worn to detect radioactive contamination on a worker’s skin and clothing, providing immediate indication if material is present so decontamination can be done promptly. The key is its ability to sense very small amounts of surface contamination across the whole body, not just a specific part. This helps prevent internal uptake by catching contamination early wherever it appears on the body.

This differs from instruments that measure dose rate or electrical signals. A PCM isn’t used to calculate how much radiation dose you’re receiving, nor does it measure electrical current. It’s focused on whether contamination is present on the body, serving as a first line of defense against contamination becoming an internal exposure.