Re: NRRPT and Technician training

["Frank E. Gallagher, III" <fegallag@uci.edu>]

Ellen Hochheiser wrote:
>Earlier I request information from DOE sights on whether they exempt RRPT from 
>the core RCT exam.  What happens in the NRC world? Do you exempt RRPTs from
any 
>RCT training?  If so what type of training to you exempt them from?  

This is a good opportunity to discuss the differences between the ivory
tower (USDOE) and the real world (university and industry).  [Note the way
the definition of "ivory tower" has changed over the years.]

In my long career with three different university campuses, I have never
worked with an RRPT.  Most of our RCT's (we use different terminology, but
the job is about the same) start out as radioisotope users in labs and
complete our standard user training program well before they are then hired
by radiation safety after graduation.  Some even start out out as student
assistants doing radiation safety work on a part-time basis while still in
school.

The essential training of the new technicians is on-the-job training under
an experienced technician or health physicist.  They learn by "doing" under
close supervision.  When we can afford it, we like to send new technicians
to a 40 hour basic radiation safety course after 2 or 3 years of work.  Each
employee is handled as circumstances and tiny budgets permit. 

A more limited source of technicians is the nuclear navy.  They usually come
in above the entry-level classification, so the training is modified to
emphasize site-specific information.

Our training program for technicians is really driven by our small number of
new hires--none in the last three years.  We only have two technicians at
present (we had three before our recent downsizing), and it is difficult to
set up a formal training program for such a small number of individuals.
 

Frank E. Gallagher, III, CHP    
Manager, Radiation Protection,
  and Radiation Safety Officer
University of California, Irvine
Environmental Health and Safety           Phone:  (714) 824-6904
300 University Tower                      Fax:    (714) 824-8539
Irvine, CA   92697-2725                   E-mail: fegallag@uci.edu