Radiation Safety Officer Course

Lesson 1 • Atomic Structure and Nuclear Stability

Covers protons, neutrons, electrons, and binding energy as the basis for radioactive behavior. Establishes the physical foundation for all subsequent radiation concepts.

Lesson 2 • Radioactive Decay Modes

Explains alpha, beta, gamma, and neutron emission with decay equations. Connects decay mode to radiation type and energy released.

Lesson 3 • Radiation Interaction with Matter

Describes how alpha, beta, gamma, and neutron radiation interact with biological and shielding materials. Directly informs shielding design and exposure control.

Lesson 1 • Radiation Weighting and Risk Factors

Explains radiation weighting factors and tissue weighting factors used to convert absorbed dose to risk-equivalent dose. Links dosimetry to biological harm assessment.

Lesson 2 • Personnel Dosimetry Systems

Covers film badges, TLDs, OSLDs, and electronic personal dosimeters for occupational monitoring. Connects dosimeter selection to regulatory dose limits and record-keeping.

Lesson 3 • Fundamental Dosimetric Quantities

Defines exposure, absorbed dose, equivalent dose, and effective dose with SI and legacy units. Provides the quantitative language for all radiation protection decisions.

Lesson 4 • Radiation Detection Instrumentation

Surveys ionization chambers, Geiger-Mueller counters, scintillators, and neutron detectors. Students select appropriate instruments for specific radiation types and environments.

Lesson 1 • Deterministic Radiation Effects

Covers threshold doses, acute radiation syndrome stages, and organ-specific effects. Enables recognition of overexposure scenarios requiring immediate medical response.

Lesson 2 • Cellular and Molecular Radiation Damage

Explains direct and indirect DNA damage, free radical formation, and repair mechanisms. Establishes the mechanistic basis for stochastic and deterministic effects.

Lesson 3 • Radiosensitivity and Special Populations

Examines how age, gender, cell type, and pregnancy affect radiation sensitivity. Guides dose limit differentiation for workers, embryos, and the public.

Lesson 1 • Fundamental Protection Principles

Defines justification, optimization, and dose limitation as the three pillars of radiation protection. Connects each principle to practical program design decisions.

Lesson 2 • Radiation Protection Program Requirements

Outlines mandatory program elements: written procedures, training, dosimetry, surveys, and audits. Provides the structural template for a compliant institutional program.

Lesson 3 • Occupational Dose Limits

Details annual effective dose limits, organ dose limits, and lens-of-eye limits for radiation workers. Enables RSOs to set internal action levels below regulatory thresholds.

Lesson 4 • Regulatory Framework Overview

Surveys the structure of national and international radiation protection regulatory bodies and their authority. Prepares students to navigate licensing, inspection, and enforcement processes.

Lesson 1 • Controlled and Supervised Area Designation

Defines criteria for designating controlled, supervised, and public areas based on dose rate and occupancy. Guides physical boundary placement and access control implementation.

Lesson 2 • Protective Equipment for External Exposure

Evaluates lead aprons, thyroid shields, leaded glasses, and remote handling tools for external dose reduction. Connects PPE selection to source type and work duration.

Lesson 3 • Gamma and X-Ray Shielding Design

Covers half-value layer, tenth-value layer, and buildup factors for photon shielding calculations. Enables selection of shielding material and thickness for specific sources.

Lesson 4 • Beta and Neutron Shielding

Addresses bremsstrahlung production from beta shielding and neutron moderation and capture strategies. Prevents common shielding design errors for mixed radiation fields.

Lesson 1 • Internal Contamination Incident Response

Provides step-by-step response to suspected internal contamination, including wound flushing and decorporation agents. Prepares RSOs to manage acute internal exposure events.

Lesson 2 • Contamination Control in the Workplace

Addresses containment, ventilation, protective clothing, and decontamination procedures for open-source work. Directly reduces the probability of internal contamination events.

Lesson 3 • Biokinetic Models and Committed Dose

Explains ICRP biokinetic models for radionuclide distribution and committed effective dose calculation. Enables RSOs to interpret bioassay results and estimate internal dose.

Lesson 4 • Bioassay Program Design

Covers in-vivo counting, urinalysis, and fecal sampling methods for internal dose monitoring. Guides frequency, trigger levels, and follow-up action thresholds.

Lesson 1 • Storage and Labeling Requirements

Defines secure storage criteria, radiation labels, and segregation requirements for radioactive materials. Prevents unauthorized access and minimizes dose to non-radiation workers.

Lesson 2 • Radioactive Waste Classification and Segregation

Explains low-level, mixed, and exempt waste categories and segregation requirements. Enables correct waste stream assignment to reduce disposal costs and regulatory risk.

Lesson 3 • Receipt and Inventory of Radioactive Materials

Covers package receipt surveys, leak testing, and inventory tracking systems for licensed materials. Ensures regulatory compliance from the moment materials enter the facility.

Lesson 4 • Safe Handling Techniques for Open Sources

Teaches pipetting, dilution, and transfer techniques that minimize contamination and dose during liquid source work. Applies contamination control principles to bench-level operations.

Lesson 1 • Overexposure and Medical Emergency Response

Guides RSOs through dose assessment, medical referral, and regulatory reporting for suspected overexposures. Ensures timely and appropriate response to protect worker health.

Lesson 2 • Post-Incident Investigation and Corrective Action

Applies root cause analysis and corrective action planning to radiation incidents. Closes the safety loop by preventing recurrence through systematic program improvement.

Lesson 3 • Radioactive Spill Response Procedures

Provides step-by-step minor and major spill response, including isolation, decontamination, and survey verification. Builds responder confidence through procedural clarity.

Lesson 4 • Lost or Stolen Source Response

Covers search procedures, regulatory notification timelines, and public communication for missing sealed sources. Addresses one of the highest-consequence radiation safety scenarios.