Re: Firing Rad Safety Office

[Erick Lindstrom <avrel@trex.oscs.montana.edu>]

I believe that the NRC published OP 722-4 "Qualifications of/for the Radiation
Safety Officer in a Large-Scale Non-Fuel Cycle Radionuclide Program." in 1982.
This is included with the Division 8 Reg Guide Series. I think the OP is an 
acronym for "Operational Program", "Operational Policy", or more simply
"Opinion" (after all, they've got an opinion about everything).  :> 

I asked for a copy the last time I ordered the Series, but never received one.
I don't know if it has been withdrawn or is just out-of-print.  Anyone care
to comment?  Does anybody have a copy of same?

The qualifications of a Broad License RSO are a combination of training,
experience, and eligibility for Certification by ABHP (which is a function of
the both).  Typically, but not necessarily by force of law, they can be 
summarized as follows:


Selection Criteria for Broad Scope Radiation Safety Officers

1.   The selection of the institutional Radiation Safety Officer is based on 
     a number of combinations of formal education and experience.  
     
     These are given as follows:

     a)   Bachelor's Degree in Health Physics or Radiological Health plus six 
          years of applied health physics experience in radiation safety 
          programs of similar scope.

     b)   Bachelor's degree in a physical or biological science plus one year 
          of graduate work in health Physics plus six years of applied health 
          physics experience in radiation safety programs of similar scope.

     c)   Master's degree in Health Physics or Radiological Health plus five 
          years of applied health physics experience in radiation safety 
          programs of similar scope.

     d)   Doctoral degree in Health Physics or Radiological Health plus four 
          years of applied health physics experience in radiation safety 
          programs of similar scope.

     e)   Comprehensive certification by the American Board of Health Physics 
          plus two years of applied health physics experience in radiation 
          safety programs of similar scope.

Once again, these requirements are typical, and an institution may insist on
stronger backgrounds (i.e., the industry sets its own standards in many cases).
It has been my experience that the qualifications shown above are minimal.

BTW - see the grandfather clause in Part 35.901!  Does that mean any license??? 

-Erick

+------------------------------+
| Erick Lindstrom              |
| Radiation Safety Officer     |
| 309 Montana Hall             |
| Montana State University     |
| Bozeman, MT  59717-0244      |
| Phone: (406) 994-2108        |	
| Fax:	 (406) 994-4792        |
| avrel@TREX.oscs.montana.edu  |
+------------------------------+