Pitfalls in Use of a Survey Meter
| Type of use | Pitfall |
| Routine | Battery power insufficient for measurement |
| Insufficient time allowed for reading to settle | |
| Cable wires or thin end-window broken | |
| Covering of thin end-window not removed for particulate radiation measurement | |
| Unit contaminated with radioactivity | |
| High radiation source causing dead time | |
| Unit not close enough to source (e.g., for contamination survey) | |
| Shielding material between source and detector | |
| QC | Geometric configuration for operational check not according to protocol |
| Not calibrated within regulatory time frame |