The Role of Onthejob Training in Radiation Protection

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The Role of On-the-job Training in Radiation
Protection
FI6O-516529
First EUTERP Platform Workshop Vilnius, Lithuania
22-24 May 2007
S. Möbius, A. Schmitt-Hannig, A. Bickel
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Scope and Objectives

• Requirements of OJT
• Prerequisite by Law in the various EU Member
  States
• Comparison of their different practical
  approaches
• To gather information on capacities for
  OJT-programmes
• To examine the lessons learnt from previous
  experiences
• To develop new OJT approaches in RP

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Previous work - EU Approach

• Council Directive 96/29/Euratom of 13 May 1996
• Council Directive 97/43/Euratom of 30 June 1997
• 98/C 133/03 Communication Concerning
  Implementation of Council Directive 96/29/Euratom
• Study on Education and Training in Radiation
  Protection, Issue No. 133, 2003 (RP 133)
• ETRAP 2005 Conference Declaration

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Previous work - IAEA Approach

• IAEA Safety Standards Series No. RS-G-1.4
  (Building Competence in Radiation Protection),
  2001
• IAEA Safety Report No. 20 (Training in Radiation
  Protection and the Safe Use of Radiation
  Sources), 2001
• IAEA Training Course Series No. 18 (Standard
  Syllabus for the PGEC), 2002
• IAEA Syllabus for the training of RP Officers,
  IAEA Training Course Series (Draft), 2006
• On-the-job Training in Radiation Protection and
  Waste Safety, IAEA, Working Material, 2003

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Set-up of the questionnaire concerning OJT/WE

• Definition of OJT/WE in national regulation (C13)
• Legal basis for OJT (C12)
• Levels or classification for OJT/WE of RPE or RPO
  (C14, C15, D4)
• Regulatory guidance of OJT/WE for different
  categories and sectors, recognition and
  accreditation of training schemes/providers (D4
  D6)
• Assessment of competency acquired during OJT/WE
  (C16)
• Training events available and training providers
  also for trainees from other countries (C11, C17)
• Time-limitation of Recognition, Re-recognition of
  RPEs and RPOs

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Response
Old EU-Member States Austria, Belgium,
Finland, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece,
Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain,
Sweden, The Netherlands, United Kingdom
New Member States Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta,
Poland, Slovenia missing Slovakia
Candidate States Bulgaria, Croatia Others Norway
, Switzerland
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Results OJT/WE Questionnaire I

• C13 (wording) Differentiation between OJT and WE
  difficult
• (as supervision not explicitly defined)
• Clear definitions in all EU-Countries
  imperative!
• C12 (legal basis) 53 yes, 37 no, 10 no answer
• Medicine 58, Industry 38, NPP 35
• C14 (levels) 16 countries have
  levels/classifications for OJT/WE
• On-the-Job Training (OJT) a form of training in
  which the trainee works at a suitable environment
  where the facility or the infrastructure needed
  for the OJT is available, under the supervision
  of an experienced supervisor/expert (hands-on
  experience).
• Work Experience (WE) time spent actively working
  within a specific practice gaining in-depth
  knowledge of the practice and experience in
  relevant RP issues.

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Legal basis of OJT/WE National Regulations
Mostly adapted to EU 98/C 133/03
OJT only as part of a refresher course
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Levels or Classifications for OJT/WE of RPE
and/or RPO, C14
16 countries refer to have different levels or
classifications

• depending on
• Risk level (Germany, Czech Republic, Italy, The
  Netherlands, Lithuania)
• Type of Practice (Germany, Slovenia, Lithuania)
• Education (Germany partly, Latvia, Czech Republic)

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RPO
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Results II National Capabilities for OJT/WE
C11 Availability of OJT - Medicine 16
countries Industry 9 NPP 9 C17 Training
providers for all fields of activity are
available (14 countries), partly as well
for foreign trainees Research Centres 7,
Universities 4, NPPs 4, Medical
Centres/Hospitals 11, Authorities 1,
Other organisations 4
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Results III Assessment and Recognition
C16 Assessment 12 countries (40),
either in written, oral, practical form, or
combination mostly in the medical sector
D5, E8/5 Evidence of OJT/WE for
Re-recognition 17 countries have
regulations about time limitation of recognition
12 countries claim OJT/WE necessary for
keeping recognition, 3 of them with
exam Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Germany
(Sweden, Poland)
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OJT Training Programmes

• University of Surrey Model (UK)
• University of Cooperative Education (Germany,
  Karlsruhe)
• University of Heidelberg (Germany)
• Nuclear Power Plants (Germany)
• Industrial Radiographers (IAEA)
• PAN (FH Aachen, Prague University)
• EHSAL (Belgium)

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Implementation of OJT during Education
University of Cooperative Education Model
Students enrolled are students and
employees Course work at University On-the-job
training in company

• Alternating blocks of 12 weeks of
• Theoretical part with academic courses at
  university and
• Periods of on-the-job training in cooperating firm

Bachelor degree (3 years) includes Recognition
of the Technical Qualification as RPO
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Implementation of OJT during Education
University of Cooperative Education Model

• Cooperating Companies are
• Research Centre Karlsruhe
• Nuclear Engineering and Analytics, Rossendorf
• GSF - National Research Center for Environment
  and Health, Neuherberg
• EnBW with Philippsburg and Biblis (NPPs)
• Cancer Research Centre Heidelberg
• State Institute for Radiation Protection and
  Environmental Engineering (LfU)
• GSI Heavy Ions Research, Darmstadt (Accelerator)
• PSI Paul Scherrer Institute (Switzerland)
• and a number of other partners

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Implementation of OJT during Education
OJT in the practical phase of Research Centre
Karlsruhe
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Conclusions

• From existing OJT Programmes we can conclude that
• OJT has become very well accepted by students
• OJT provides better chances for future job
  opportunities
• OJT facilitates mobility among EU countries
• Mutual recognition of OJT facilitates the
  exchange of
• RPE/RPOs

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Recommendations I

• Suitable qualification for responsible personnel
  in radiation protection (RPO, RPE, QE, Medical
  Physicist) must be a combination of
• Theoretical knowledge and
• Competence for practical radiation protection

• Competencies and skills should be obtained by
• A period of on the job training followed by
• A period of work experience (in most cases
  necessary)

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Recommendations II

• Minimum time period of OJT/WE should depend on
• risk level
• type of practice and
• educational background

• Minimum period of OJT and WE for each practice
  should be common for all Member States
• In general
• RPO weeks to months
• RPE months to years
• in Medicine
  in NPPs
• RPO (Medical Physicist) 1 to 2 y
  RPO (Q E) 1 to 2 y

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Recommendations III

• OJT requires
• necessary facilities and infrastructures
• scheduled programme with regard to topic and time
  duration (syllabus, learning objectives, training
  plan)
• direct supervision by an experienced mentor
• fixed responsibilities of host organisation and
  trainees
• assessment of the acquired competency
• (continuous record and final examination of
  practical skills)

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Recommendations III cont.

• minimum time duration for all EU Member States,
  but flexibility for each practice with respect to
  educational background
• mutual recognition for all EU Member States
• willingness of end users (NPP, Research Centre,
  Hospital) to offer OJT on an international basis
• a list of institutions to provide OJT for foreign
  trainees
• and has to be followed by WE!

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Recommendations for ERPC Course

• OJT should remain as part of a remodelled ERPC
• OJT should be split according to the modular
  course structure
• OJT period should have a similar time duration as
  the training module itself
• OJT might be done either adjacent to the ERPC
  module or later in the country of the participant

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• Thank you for your attention