ML19250B409

Transcript of Speech, NRC Program for Training of State Radiation Control Personnel

ML19250B409
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Issue date:	10/18/1979
From:	Mcgrath J NRC OFFICE OF STATE PROGRAMS (OSP)
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THE NRC PROGRAM FOR TRAINING OF STATE i

RADIATION CONTROL PERSONNEL j

1 John R. McGrath U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C.

20555 Abstract In 1959, section 274 of the Atomic Energy;Act was enacted to spell out the Stat,es' role in the regulation of atomic energy activities and to provide a statutory basis i

under which the Federal Government could relinquish to the States portions of its regulatory authority. Section 274 specifically authorizes the NRC to provide l

training assistance to State and local governments as the Commission deems i

appropriate. The NRC has developed an extensive training program for State and local personnel which cons'ists of courses covering a broad range of topics, including basic health physics, regulatory practices, and emergency rianning and I

response. This paper provides a brief description of the development, goals, and content of eac,h course as well as the overall benefits to States participating in the program.

Introduction On September 23, 1959, the Atomic Energy Act was amended to authorize the Atomic Energy Commission (now the Nuclear Regulatory Connission) to enter into agreements with' States, which allow States to assume certain regulatory authority of the 886

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Cormn inn l on.

Congress recognlzed the need (or Staten to have ndequately tralned personnel and stated in paragraph 2741 of the Act that "...the Commission is also g

i authorized to provide training, with or without charge, to employees of, and such other assistance to, any State or political subdivision thereof or group of States as the Commission deems appropriate..." SincIethebeginningoftheAgreementState Program, the NRC has developed a training program, consisting of a number of courses, to assist the States in achieving and maintaining a level of competence (inneessary to carry out an effective radiation control program. These courses cover a broad range of topics including basic health physics, regulatory practices and procedures, industrial radiography, nuclear medicine, well logging, management

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i practices, and emergency planning and response.

The courses are provided at no cost ;

to State and local participants.

Goals I

The NRC training program for State personnel has essentially two broad-ranged goals:

to improve the technical competency of State personnel and to assure the regulatory effectiveness of the State radiation control program. As a result of staff turnover and expanding programs, States are constantly recruiting new personnel.

Because of 4

budgetary restraints, States often find it necessaty to recruit individuals with little or no health physics experience.

States, therefore, have a continuing need to develop and improve upon the technical competency of new personnel.

It is also l

necessary to update this technical competency when the development of new uses of i

radioisotopes poses new health physics and* regulatory problems.

It is a goal of the NRC training program to satisfy these needs.

In light of changing technology, the NAC and the States must constantly review and modify their regulatory practices.

The NRC's training program is also intended to keep State personnel aware of changes in NRC regulations, licensing and compliance practices, and emergency planning policies.

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Basic Ilealth Physics To meet the need for basic training, the NRC offers a 10-week course in basic health l

physics and radiation protection. The course is conducted by the Special Training l ~~

Division of Oak Ridge Associated Universities under NRC contract.

The course is specifically designed and conducted for State radiation control personnel, j

Participants must I. ave a bachelor's degree in science or engineering and must be employed in a State organization with regulatory authority over the use of radiation i

I p sources. The course is usually limited to 20 individuals.

This is an intensive graduate-level course covering a broad range of topics in I

health physics and radiation protection and includes lectures and laboratory exercises.

The basic features of the course have not changed in the 19 years the

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course has ocen offered. However, it is being constcntly updated with new topics.

i l The beginning weeks of the course are devoted to fundamentals. A mathematics l

review is provided, touching on algebra, calculus, and statistics.

Early lecture topics in physics include atomic and nuclear structure, radioactivity and decay modes, and particle interactions.

Early topics in biology include radiation biology i

I and cellular effects as well as acute, I

chronic, and genetic effects. Students are given an early introduction to radiation detection instrumentation with lectures on gas detectors.

Latet lectures on instrumentation include such topics as scintillation spectrometry, liquid scintillation counters, semi-conductor detectors, i

and particle spectroscopy., Special emphasis is placed on survey instrumentation and the practical problems encountered in the use of such instruments. Other fundamental health physics topics addressed during the course are shielding, dosimetry, and ai.

and water sampling techniques. Other topics that have been added to the course over the >

"i include environmental monitoring, nuclear medicine, and microwave and laser satety.

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The key to the'auccess of this courne la the availability of the excellent l

facilities and highly qualified staf f at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Since l

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1960, 21 courses have been given at Oak Ridge, providing training to more than 300 l

State. people.

These individuals have gone on to make valuable contributions to State radiation control programs; many have become the directors of their State program.

Regulatory Aspects l

A second basic need for individuals working in a State radiation control. program is

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P an understanding of the regulatory process as developed ~and implemented by the NRC and*the Agreement States. The one course we encourage all State regulatory I

i personnel to attend is the " Orientation Course in Regulatory Practices and i

Procedures." The orientation course is a two-week course devoted essentially to materials licensing activities.

It is given once a year at NRC headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland. The course is designed to acquaint State personnel with I

the health and safety considerations necessary for issuance of licenses for use of i

radioactive material. The course consists of lectures by NRC licensing personnel and review of actual cases.

In the area of industrial uses of radioactive material, I

the course covers industrial gauging, industrial radiography, oil ano mineral logging, large irradiators,, and waste disposal operations.

Students are instructed in reviewing license applications for essential information, including training and experience of authorized users, facilities and equipment, and radiation safety i

procedures.

Other topics include the evalbstion of sealed sources and devices, generally lice'nsed and exempt items,

.he special problems in the licensing of source and special nuclear material.

In the area of medical uses of radioactive material, the course covers the licensing of nuclear medicine programs, pacemakers, i

mobile nuclear medicine facilities, and teletherapy. The course also addresses the licensing of major radiopharmaceutical manufacturers and pharmacies. Other topics include broad medical and academic licenses and teletherapy service licenses.

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i The orientation course has been given by the Commission in some form since 1960.

Almost 400 State people have attended this course since that time. The course has t

enabled; Agreement States to maintain licensing programs compatible with that of the f ~~

I NRC.

The training of non-Agreement State personnel'has greatly assisted these States i.n making a smooth transition to Agreement State status.

'l Inspection aspects of regulatory programs are now addressed in a one-week course j

i entitled " Inspection Procedures," which is given at the NRC Region 111 office in

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P Glen Ellyn, Illinois. This course covers all inspection and enforcement i

i activities, i.e., establishment of prioritics, preparation for inspections, taking enforcement action, and writing inspection reports. Regulations are reviewed in detail from the standpoint of an inspector's application of the requirements to i

practical situations.

Particular emphasis is placed on 10 CFR Part 20, " Standards for Protection Against Radiation." Inspection details of various licensee categories are addressed, and the students draw on the experience of NRC inspectors in handling problems that develop in inspecting each type of licensee. The students l

l learn the proper method of handling management close-out meetings and the procedures for taking enforcement actions and conducting incident investigations.

The purpose of the course is to provide State inspectors with a perspective on the inspection function in the overall regulatory scheme.

The inspector should come away from this course with an understanding of the purpose of the inspection program and how to determine whether the purpose has been accomplished. The students also I

learn the legal aspects of inspections, including the need for adequate documentation of inspection findings. The course provides a great deal of technical I

guidance, such as making independent measurements with survey instrumentation, taking-wipe samples, and examining equipment for proper functioning. The course includes simulated inspections where varfous scenarios are staged, demonstrating typical problems encountered during licensee inspections.

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e " Inspection Procedures" course hns been well received by State personnel.

Students have expressed particular enthusiasm for the practical approach of the We feel that the course has made a significant contribution to the quality course.

of State inspection efforts.

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Topical' Courses l

i The NRC sponsors a number of technically oriented courses that provide State personner with training in the fundamentals of each major licensing area.

In the medical area, l' he NRC sponsors a one-week course entitled " Medical Use of Radionuclides for State t

Regulatory Personnel." This course acquaints State personnel with the basic princ'iplus of nuclear medicine and the clinical usage of radionuclides. The course is l designed to provide the student with an understanding of pertinent terminology and diagnostic and the.rapeutic procedures including techniques, choice of nuclide and dose, interpretation of results, and radiation safety practices.

Specific lecture topics include anatomy and physiology of particular organ systems, internal dose I

calculations, scanning and imaging instrumentation, specific imaging techniques, g

x-ray and cobalt therapy, and interstitiali and intracavitary therapy. The course also addresses legal aspects of nuclear medicine practice, research programs, and radiation exposure trends in nuclear medicine.

The medical course, in being conducted at medical institutions (usually teaching hospitals), has given students a unique opportunity to see large nuclear medicine programs and to discuss their questions with physicians and medical physicists who are leaders in their field. We have found that the course has increased the understanding of nuclear medicine among State radiation control personnel and has helped the efficiency of States' licensing and inspection activities in the medical area.

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1 The use of radioisotopes in the nondestructive testing of industrial materials has become the most significant industrial use of radioactive material. There are more serious'overexposures associated with industrial radiography than with any other l

uses of radioactive material, and the NRC,and the Agreement States devote much of thei'r inspection affort to this area. The NRC sponsors a one-week course in the "Safet-pAspectsofIndustrialRadiography;forStateRegulatoryPersonnel." The

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course provides information in the basic principles of radiography including sources

• h used, radiographic film, exposure techniques, and' interpretation of radiographs.

l The' course includes field exercises with " hands-on" use of various exposure devices j

i and a tour of a manufacturer of sources and devices.

Regulatory topics, e.g.,

j licensing and inspection techniques and DOT regulations, are also discussed.

Some i

time is also devoted to discussing special problems and typical radiography i

incidents. The response to this course has been quite favorable. Students l

particularly appreciate the opportunity for " hands-on" experience with the various l

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exposure devices.

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I The use of radioactive material for gas and oil well logging operations has become increasingly widespread in recent years.

In 1975*, the NRC and the Texas Radiation l

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Control Program co-sponsored a course in gas and oil well logging for State regulatory personnel. The purpose of the course was to ccquaint State personnel with logging theory, procedures, and equipment so that they could better evaluate i

such programs.from a radiation safety viewpoint. The course consisted of lectures I

by personnel representing companies in the logging industry. Lecture topics included radiation logging theory, procedures for sources lost and abandoned in holes, l

l radiation cafety in well logging, tracer studies, and current regulatory practices, j

i The c*ourse also included a visit to a well site to observe logging operations.

A second course was sponsored by NRC in 1977 and a third is scheduled for 1980.

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1. Emergency Preparedness i

Emergency preparedness has been an area of increasing concern to the States in recent years, particularly after the Three Mile Island accident. The NRC sponsors three courses in the area of emergency preparedness. The first is in radiological emer'gency response planning, the second is a technical operations management course I

for State emergency response coordinators, and the third is an emergency response operations course designed for response team members.

I U The, emergency response planning course has been given about 15 times since 1975.

It i

is no longer of fered on a routine basis but can be requested by State or local government agencies. Courses are conducted at the Defense Civil Preparedness Agency Staff College in Battle Creek, Michigan, or an alternate location convenient to the State or local agency requesting the course. The course is open to employees of any State or local government agency who have the responsibility for developing all or part of an emergency response plan, typically civil defense or radiological health personnel. The purpose of the course is to provide these individuals with the skills necessary to develop effective emergency response plans.

Some of the topics i

discussed in this one-week course include nuclear reactor technology, detection of releases, biological consequences, protective action guides, the planning process and.

planning concepts, and the essential e1 ments of a radiological emergency response plan.

The course also includes exercises and workshops in which the participants evaluate their.own plan against the criteria of NUREG-75/111 " Guide and Checklist for Development and Evaluation of State and Local Government Radiological Emergency Response Plans in Support of Fixed Nuclear Facilities."

(NRC 78) 886 122 The technical management course for emergency response coordinators and their staffs in designed to prepare these individuals for their decisionmaking and nroblem-solving responsibilities in coordinating State and local responses to emergencies.

This five-day course is no longer being offered on a routine basis but will be schtduled if requested. The course deals with response during the emergency phase f

immediately following an accident and concentrates on the plume exposure pathway.

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t Course topics include protective action guides, meteorology, doce projections, monitoring, reactor accident categories, specifics on reactor systems, and table top exercises.

(NRC 78) r.

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The newest of the courses is the operations course for emergency response teamr.

This'is an eight-day course designed to provide training in on-site response to I

radiological emergencies. The course consists of classroom lectures in the basic e

principles of radiation protection, biological effects, dosimetry, protective D

actions, sample collection and analysis, and emergency response systems. The highlight of the course is the conduct of field exercises that simulate actual

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t radiological emergencies. The course is conducted by the Reynolds Electrical and i

j Engineering Company, a DOE prime contractor, at the Nevada Test Site. Since 1

January 1977, the course has been given 16 times, providing training to more.than 500 -

State and local people. During Fiscal Year 1980, the NRC plans to sponsor 16 such courses.

(NRC 78) i j __

Srecial Training i

l j In addition to the routine courses already discussed, the NRC provides on-the-job i

l training opportunities for State personnel.

This training is provided in cases where there is a special need in a particular State program and may consist of up to four weeks of licensing or inspection training.

On occasion, a need arises 'for training in some particular subject area not addressed,

in other courses sponsored by NRC.

For example, in 1977 the States expressed a desire for a course in radiochemistry techniques. The NRC, with the help of the ERDA (now DOE) Health Services Laboratory in Idaho Falls, developed a course to meet this need. The course addressed such topics as sample collection, standard analytical procedures, calibration and standardization of instrumentation, counting statistics, and calculation of results.

Emphasis was placed on bioassay, air samplIing for part.iculates and gases, sampling for source materials (uranium and thoriub) and naturally occurring isotopes such as radium 226 and radon 222, and

e environmental surveys of ground and surface water, milk, soil, and vegetation. The course was attended by 20 State people with laboratory responsibilities in their respective States.

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As a result of the 1976 Riverside Methodist Hospital teletherapy incident, the NRC initiated efforts to develop a course for NRC inspectors in calibration procedures for cob 41t teletherapy units. NRC eventually contracted with M. D. Anderson Hospital,

.1 Houston, Texas, to provide this training.

M. D. Anderson developed a three-day 0

intensive course that trains inspectors in making measurements of teletherapy machine i

output in order to check licensee calibration procedures.

Topics include the use and limitations of instrumentation, definitions of quantities and units, national standards, conversion of measurements to clinically useful quantities, and design of teletherapy units. The course was initially developed for NRC inspectors, but the Agreement States were invited to participate in each of the courses.

Since the I

course was developed in 1976, approximately 50 State licensinc and inspection r -

personnel have attended this course.

l At the request of the Agreement States the NRC has also sponsored courses in management of radiation control programs. The course is designed to provide an opportunity for participants to develop knowledge and skills in the essentials of program management, which can be applied to actual problems in managing State radiation control programs. The course discusses contemporary concepts in management, su.ch as management-by-objective, and sharpens managerial skills in problem solving, decisionmaking, objective setting, communications, and program appraisal. The course is given approximately once every two years.

American Board of Health Physics (ABilP) Course Credits l

A number of the courses described in this paper have been evaluated by ABHP and approved for continuing education credit. The following credits were assigned for courses given during 1978:

10-week health physics course, 8 credits; 886 124

e orientation course, 3 credits; inspection procedures course 2 credits; medical i

course,!3 credits; teletherapy calibration course, 3 credits; industrial radiography course, I credit; and the gas and oil well logging course, 1 credit.

'l (ABilP 78) 1 REFERENCES I

1.

ABHP 78 American Board of Health Physics, 1978, " Courses Approved by the t

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Continuing Education Panel."

2.

NRC'78 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 1978, " Catalog of Federal Interagency Training Courses For Radiological Emergency Response" (Draf t NUREG report)

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