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Evidence Guide: PSPRAD707A - Monitor radiation

Student: __________________________________________________

Signature: _________________________________________________

Tips for gathering evidence to demonstrate your skills

The important thing to remember when gathering evidence is that the more evidence the better - that is, the more evidence you gather to demonstrate your skills, the more confident an assessor can be that you have learned the skills not just at one point in time, but are continuing to apply and develop those skills (as opposed to just learning for the test!). Furthermore, one piece of evidence that you collect will not usualy demonstrate all the required criteria for a unit of competency, whereas multiple overlapping pieces of evidence will usually do the trick!

From the Wiki University

 

PSPRAD707A - Monitor radiation

What evidence can you provide to prove your understanding of each of the following citeria?

Prepare for assigned monitoring tasks

  1. Use organisation's radiation management plans to obtain information about the hazards associated with assigned tasks and the monitoring equipment and safe working rules to be used at the site, and refer to radiation protection safety standards, codes and guidelines if necessary.
  2. Liaise with relevant site personnel to arrange access and confirm the nature and likely duration of assigned monitoring tasks.
  3. Perform and record pre-use checks of radiation instruments and tag or replace faulty items as necessary.
  4. Check that personal protective equipment (PPE) and other task-related equipment is fit for purpose.
  5. Stow all radiation instruments and monitoring equipment to ensure safe transport to the site and within the site if required.
Use organisation's radiation management plans to obtain information about the hazards associated with assigned tasks and the monitoring equipment and safe working rules to be used at the site, and refer to radiation protection safety standards, codes and guidelines if necessary.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Liaise with relevant site personnel to arrange access and confirm the nature and likely duration of assigned monitoring tasks.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Perform and record pre-use checks of radiation instruments and tag or replace faulty items as necessary.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Check that personal protective equipment (PPE) and other task-related equipment is fit for purpose.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stow all radiation instruments and monitoring equipment to ensure safe transport to the site and within the site if required.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Obtain reliable monitoring data or samples

  1. Apply safe working rules to minimise personal ionising radiation exposure according to relevant radiation protection safety standards, codes and guidelines.
  2. Operate radiation instruments in accordance with radiation management plans and manufacturer specifications.
  3. Conduct regular instrument checks and minor maintenance if required.
  4. Conduct repeat measurements for quality control purposes in accordance with procedures, and identify and report atypical equipment response.
  5. Collect and label environmental samples using specified equipment and procedures to preserve their integrity if required.
  6. Record atypical radiation conditions.
  7. Seek advice to deal with any situation beyond own technical competence.
Apply safe working rules to minimise personal ionising radiation exposure according to relevant radiation protection safety standards, codes and guidelines.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operate radiation instruments in accordance with radiation management plans and manufacturer specifications.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conduct regular instrument checks and minor maintenance if required.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conduct repeat measurements for quality control purposes in accordance with procedures, and identify and report atypical equipment response.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Collect and label environmental samples using specified equipment and procedures to preserve their integrity if required.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Record atypical radiation conditions.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seek advice to deal with any situation beyond own technical competence.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Complete assigned monitoring tasks

  1. Check for contamination of equipment.
  2. Re-stow all radiation instruments and monitoring equipment to ensure safe transport from the site and within the site if required.
  3. Record use of PPE and radiation instruments in accordance with radiation management plans.
  4. Before storing PPE, radiation instruments and monitoring equipment, check their condition in accordance with manufacturer's recommendations and radiation management plan.
  5. Store any samples to preserve their integrity, security and traceability in accordance with sampling procedures.
  6. Organise the management of any waste in accordance with organisation's procedures.
Check for contamination of equipment.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Re-stow all radiation instruments and monitoring equipment to ensure safe transport from the site and within the site if required.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Record use of PPE and radiation instruments in accordance with radiation management plans.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Before storing PPE, radiation instruments and monitoring equipment, check their condition in accordance with manufacturer's recommendations and radiation management plan.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Store any samples to preserve their integrity, security and traceability in accordance with sampling procedures.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Organise the management of any waste in accordance with organisation's procedures.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Analyse monitoring data and report results

  1. Record results in accordance with procedures.
  2. Check that recorded outcomes are consistent with expectations.
  3. Compare results with relevant radiation limits and identify and record any significant differences or atypical results.
  4. Identify potential or actual radiation protection issues revealed by the site monitoring tasks.
  5. Identify potential improvements that could be made to monitoring at site.
  6. Maintain required records that are complete, accurate, legible and secure.
  7. Provide site and personal radiation data to authorised personnel if required.
Record results in accordance with procedures.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Check that recorded outcomes are consistent with expectations.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Compare results with relevant radiation limits and identify and record any significant differences or atypical results.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Identify potential or actual radiation protection issues revealed by the site monitoring tasks.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Identify potential improvements that could be made to monitoring at site.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maintain required records that are complete, accurate, legible and secure.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Provide site and personal radiation data to authorised personnel if required.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Respond to potential or actual radiation incidents

  1. Recognise unusual situations, unexpected hazards, and potential or actual emergency radiation incidents.
  2. Inform the responsible person or delegate about the situation, hazard or incident and seek their advice.
  3. Initiate appropriate workplace emergency first response in accordance with instructions, radiation management plans and organisation's response procedures.
Recognise unusual situations, unexpected hazards, and potential or actual emergency radiation incidents.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inform the responsible person or delegate about the situation, hazard or incident and seek their advice.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Initiate appropriate workplace emergency first response in accordance with instructions, radiation management plans and organisation's response procedures.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assessed

Teacher: ___________________________________ Date: _________

Signature: ________________________________________________

Comments:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Instructions to Assessors

Evidence Guide

The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

Assessment must confirm the ability to:

work safely in a radiation environment

detect ionising radiation and contamination

obtain reliable data and samples to quantify radiation and contamination

process radiation data and report results

keep accurate and complete records relevant to job role or duties.

Consistency in performance

Competency should be demonstrated by safely undertaking a variety of radiation monitoring tasks involving the use of appropriate radiation monitoring equipment.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Competency should be assessed in the workplace or a simulated workplace environment.

Assessment must comply with:

local regulations regarding the registration of operators, premises and sources at workplaces where radioactive materials and/or ionising radiation equipment are present

organisation's radiation management plan

manufacturer's instructions for operating radiation monitoring equipment.

Access may be required to:

registered premises and sources

supervision by a radiation safety professional

radiation instruments and monitoring equipment

appropriate PPE

radiation management plan or procedures.

Method of assessment

The following assessment methods are suggested:

oral/written tests and calculations involving:

radiation terms, principles and quantities

set-up, calibration and basic maintenance of radiation instruments

selection and use of PPE

analysis of monitoring case studies and reports

review of radiation data, results and records generated by the candidate

feedback from peers and supervisor that the candidate consistently applies relevant radiation protection and safety requirements

observation of the candidate:

using and caring for PPE

using radiation instruments and monitoring equipment

undertaking a variety of tasks in a simulated radiation environment.

In all cases, practical assessment should be supported by questions to assess underpinning knowledge and those aspects of competency that are difficult to assess directly.

Required Skills and Knowledge

Required skills

recognising different types of monitoring equipment, such as air proportional, gas proportional, gas ionisation, Geiger-Muller, scintillation, neutron monitors, solid state, and personal dosimeters (badge and electronic)

recognising the limitations, restrictions and applicability of these various detector units

using relevant information sources to locate and interpret information about radiation sources and equipment encountered in job role or duties

conducting pre-use checks for radiation instruments and monitoring equipment used in job role or duties

interpreting manuals for radiation monitoring equipment used in job role or duties

collecting, labelling and preserving occupational and environmental samples if required in job role or duties

processing and analysing radiation monitoring data

regularly assessing and reassessing risks and hazards and taking appropriate protective measures

safely operating radiation instruments and monitoring equipment used in job role or duties to obtain reliable data

seeking advice and further directions when faced with unforseen circumstances or situations that may require decisions or response actions beyond technical competence

using and caring for PPE used in job role

Required knowledge

terms and concepts, such as ionising radiation, radioactivity, radioactive material, activity, dose, contamination, contamination controls, shielding, half-life, and radionuclide

types and properties of ionising radiation (e.g. alpha, beta, gamma, neutron, x-ray, and electron), sources and shielding methods

definitions of radiation quantities, such as exposure, dose, effective dose, dose rate, dose equivalent, and dose limits

international system (SI) of units for radiation quantities, multiples and sub-multiples

function of key components and operating principles of radiation instruments and monitoring equipment used in job role

guidelines and safety procedures for working with radiation sources, based on principles of:

reducing exposure time

maintaining greatest distance

using as much shielding as possible

health, safety and workplace emergency response procedures relevant to job role or duties

techniques and procedures for collecting potentially radioactive samples, if required in job role or duties

techniques for assessing radiation hazards likely to be encountered in job role or duties

techniques for conducting monitoring surveys used in job role or duties

Range Statement

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Radiation management plans should include details of:

work practices, such as safe working rules and emergency response procedures

roles and responsibilities of personnel

radiation monitoring requirements

control of an incident involving a source

storage of a source

accountability and records

other requirements that may have a bearing on safety.

Hazards may include:

inhalation of radioactive dust or gas

ingestion of radioactive dust or contaminated food or water

unexpected exposure to sealed or unsealed radiation sources or partially enclosed equipment that emits ionising radiation.

Monitoring equipment may include:

radiation instruments and survey meters, such as:

air proportional (alpha)

gas proportional (alpha, beta)

gas ionisation (gamma)

Geiger-Muller (beta, gamma)

ionisation (beta)

scintillation (alpha, beta, gamma)

solid state (alpha, gamma)

wipe test equipment

sample containers, shovels, augers, buckets, air/water pumps, and stainless steel bailers.

Safe working rules will vary according to the type of source equipment and should include monitoring details, such as:

for example, RPS No.13 Code of Practice and Safety Guide for Safe Use of Fixed Radiation Gauges (2007), which specifies that working rules include details of:

expected radiation levels around each fixed radiation gauge under the control of the responsible person

tests for non-fixed surface contamination where appropriate

occasions on which radiation surveys and contamination tests will be carried out

methods for conducting radiation surveys, wipe tests and other examinations required by the code, and for reporting and recording results

types and occasions for use of personal monitoring devices.

Radiation protection safety standards, codes and guidelines may include:

Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) radiation protection series publications, such as:

RPS No.1 Recommendations for Limiting Exposure to Ionizing Radiation (1995) and National Standard for Limiting Occupational Exposure to Ionizing Radiation (republished 2002)

RPS No.7 Recommendations for Intervention in Emergency Situations Involving Radiation Exposure (2004)

RPS No.6 National Directory for Radiation Protection, (December 2009)

RPS No.9 Code of Practice and Safety Guide for Radiation Protection and Radioactive Waste Management in Mining and Mineral Processing (2005)

RPS No.15 Safety Guide for the Management of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) (2008)

requirements of commonwealth, state and territory radiation protection and safety legislation

definition of a responsible person

Australian standards.

Monitoring tasks may include:

observation of personnel conducting work activities in controlled radiation areas

surveys and measurements for:

establishing background levels

identifying areas of elevated activity and possible contamination

identifying and quantifying radiation contamination at specified locations

locating discrete radiation sources

assessing integrity of packaging or shielding

determining the effectiveness of decontamination

locating contamination on personnel and equipment

verifying contamination control boundaries

collection of air, water, soil, plant and animal specimens to monitor contamination.

Personal protective equipment may include:

gloves, over-boots, safety hats, goggles, face masks, overalls and gowns

respirators or HEPA filter masks.

Ionising radiation may include:

x-rays, electrons, neutrons, gamma rays, beta particles and alpha particles emitted from radioactive materials, including sealed and unsealed sources

neutrons emitted from generator tubes

x-rays generated by industrial radiography equipment, XRF and XRD instruments.

Instrument checks and minor maintenance may include:

battery changes

calibration checks

zero checks.

Required records may include details of:

approvals and authorisations granted by the appropriate authority

specifications of the radiation management plan and monitoring program

estimates of doses received by employees and by members of the public

health records of personnel and individual monitoring data

environmental radiation measurements

calibration, inspection and maintenance of radiation instruments and equipment

transport of radioactive sources

shipment of radioactive ores

radioactive waste disposal

procurement and disposal of radioactive sources

incidents and accidents involving exposure to radiation and corrective measures taken.

Radiation incidents may include:

exposure of unauthorised personnel entering a controlled area

personal exposure above statutory exposure limits and a monitoring result in excess of statutory derived levels of exposure

exposure from an uncontrolled, high hazard radioactive sealed source that:

has loss or destruction of shielding

is involved in a transport accident

is lost, missing or stolen

has a malfunction of its shutter or interlocks

has been dropped during removal from its container

has jammed in an unsafe position

exposure from equipment that emits ionising radiation and has:

loss or destruction of shielding

malfunction of its shutter or interlocks

exposure from dispersed radioactive material caused by:

leakage or radioactive contamination

industrial or laboratory accident

uncontrolled releases of radioactive materials from a mine site, such as dust or contaminated water

dispersion of contaminants following destruction of a high activity sealed source.

Response procedures will include:

instructions for keeping exposures to a minimum, consistent with essential operations through evacuation or otherwise

instructions for notifying the relevant competent authority if required.