Re: 1-week RSO's

[Kent Lambert <lambert@allegheny.edu>]

Scott O. Schwahn wrote:

> Are
> there companies out there who routinely hire folks who have taken an RSO
> course, but who have little education and/or experience in Health Physics?
> Do you as a RADSAFER feel that a 1-week RSO course is all that should be
> required for some RSO positions?  

Clearly this training is inadequate to serve as an RSO at national
laboratories, major medical centers, universities, pharmaceutical
companies, and nuclear power plants.  But there are plenty of other
users of sources of radiation (machine and materials) that need RSO's. 
Industrial radiographers, biotechnology companies, gauge users, clinical
laboratories using RIA kits, etc. all need RSO's.  What they don't need
is a full time, MS level, experienced, certified health physicist.  

Take for example a start up biotechnology company that has one
laboratory and are performing millicurie quantity in vitro molecular
biology work.  The RSO will, in all likelyhood, be a principal of the
firm or one of its scientists or technicians.  This individual might
attend a one week RSO course, to supplement his/her experience using
radioactive materials.  Remember, the RSO is the person named on the
license that is responsible for implementing the radiation safety
program - regardless of the size of the program.

--
Kent N. Lambert, CHP
mailto:lambert@allegheny.edu