NORM TRAINING: Increasing Awareness, Reducing Exposure

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NORM TRAINING Increasing Awareness, Reducing
Exposure

• Richard van Sonsbeek
• Röntgen Technische Dienst bv
• Dept. Radiation Protection Services
• P.O. Box 10065
• 3004 AB Rotterdam
• The Netherlands
• Phone [phone]
• Fax [phone]
• e-mail r.van.sonsbeek_at_rtd.nl

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Risks of NORM in OG

• Occupational exposure of workers (own personnel,
  or contractor personnel)
• Contamination of the (local) environment
• Transfer of contaminated equipment and scrap
  metal to other companies, and possibly to other
  countries
• Liability
• Bad publicity
• ? Workers have to be aware of these risks

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Situation in the Netherlands

• Most operators in the OG industry have a license
  to perform work activities with NORM contaminated
  materials
• According to such a license operators have to
  appoint a radiation protection officer (RPO),
  either from own company, or hired from a
  consulting company
• Work activities are directly supervised by
  radiation experts, level 5 in case of routine
  jobs, and level 3 in case of non-routine jobs.
• Workers have to be instructed on the radiation
  protection measures, and procedures (toolbox
  sessions)

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Training in the Netherlands

• Education on radiation protection is regulated
  (since the late 60s)
• Four levels of radiation expertise are described,
  ranging from level 5 (low) to level 2 (high)
• Training institutes have to be recognised by the
  authorities (published in law gazette), and the
  authorities are represented in the examination
  boards

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Extension of training in the Netherlands

• The level 5 course consists of four days of
  theory, and one day of practical exercises
• Depending on the training institute, the level 3
  course extents over a period of three to four
  months (not fulltime), and includes more
  practical exercises (university level)
• All courses have to be completed by passing an
  exam.

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New regulations in the Netherlands

• Since Summer 2004 there is a specific NORM
  regulation (following implementation of Euratom
  BSS)
• Listed identified industries have to investigate
  if they perform work activities, i.e. if they
  have a NORM problem
• Depending on activity concentration work
  activities must either be reported or one has to
  apply for a license

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Continuous training of radiation experts

• Usually operators choose to have their own
  radiation experts level 5 to supervise routine
  NORM jobs
• (Of course) this is not a fulltime position
• Refreshing and keeping up with new developments
  is important, and therefore operators send their
  level 5 experts to refresher courses, e.g.
  provided by RTD
• Further the normal level 5 courses are very
  general, and not focussed on the problems in the
  OG industry. The refresher courses aim to be
  more specific.

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Radiation experts level 3

• Radiation experts level 3 for supervision of
  non-routine jobs are usually hired from
  consulting companies, e.g. RTD
• For these experts keeping up with the latest
  developments is part of their job
• New experts are trained on the job, before they
  may act as supervising expert independently
• In the future a scheme of registration will be
  implemented in the Netherlands

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NORM training in Africa
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NORM problem at Operating Company in African
country

• High radiation level at pipeline discovered
• by industrial radiographer.
• Results of NORM survey (RTD)
• NORM contaminated installation parts
• NORM contamination of environment
• NORM contaminated scrap
• ? Company has a NORM problem

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How can the company deal with this NORM problem?

• There are no national laws regulations on
  ionising radiation, let alone law enforcement in
  the country where it is operating
• There is no infrastructure with regard to
• radiation protection
• decontamination facilities
• radioactive waste treatment and disposal

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Short term solution

• Compliance with Group regulations on radiation
  protection
• (what, if these do not exist?)
• Drawing up procedures based on these regulation
• Training of workers to implement the procedures
• Proper storage of contaminated materials, and
  radioactive waste

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Long term solution?

• Guidance is necessary by international body
  (IAEA) on issues like
• Practical radiation protection measures
• Limits (harmonisation)
• Training of personnel
• Disposal options for NORM waste
• (IAEA Safety Report Series No. 34, 2003)
• International harmonisation would be desirable
  because NORM is a world-wide problem (and not
  only in OG industry)

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Implementation of Group regulations

• Policy statement with regard to NORM
• Limits (dose (rates), activity concentration)
• Organisation (Radiation Protection Advisors,
  -Supervisors, and -Technicians)
• Qualification of personnel (Training)
• Measurement and sampling program

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NORM training

• Creating awareness for risks of NORM
• Diffusion of awareness through the whole company
  and into the local society
• Implementation of measurement program
• Re-assurance of ignorant workers
• Protection of workers, environment, local public,
  and in the end the World population

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Students

• Mixed population with regard to education and
  work experience
• Most of students have no background in Physics,
  let alone Radiation Physics
• Not all students speak English
• We make a distinction in the training for RPS,
  and the training for RPT

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Radiation Protection Supervisor

• Inspect and supervise NORM jobs
• Quality Assurance of radiation protection
• Organise monitoring and sampling
• Radioactive waste qualification
• Proper packaging, storage, and disposal
• Two or three day training
• (depending on availability of students)

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Radiation Protection Technician

• Measure contamination levels
• Register and report results
• Notify RPS if count rates exceed limits
• Supervise routine NORM jobs
• One or one and a half day course
• (depending on availability of students)

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Theoretical part
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General theory

• Basic atomic and nuclear physics
• Ionising radiation (?, ?, ?)
• Interaction of ionising radiation with matter
• Biological effects
• Dose and dose rate, annual limits
• External exposure, internal contamination
• All at an introductory level, you need it to
  discuss it in order to explain other issues

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Focussed theory

• Origin of NORM in oil and gas production. Where
  can you expect to find it?
• Detection of NORM (use of portable monitors)
• Interpretation of measurements
• Protective measures during NORM jobs
• Company NORM procedures

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Practical part
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Measurements on location

• Training is given in house
• During the training the students can perform
  measurements on their own workplace
• Students can directly ask questions concerning
  their own risks (re-assurance)

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Advantages of NORM training

• Motivated students (it concerns themselves)
• Bottom up dissemination of awareness in
  company
• Older students can provide valuable historical
  information

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Feedback

• It is important that students are stimulated to
  actively participate
• Methods that can be used are
• Ask questions during training to verify is
  students understood what was said
• Start training with multiple choice Test you
  knowledge
• Have a short exam at the end of the course, with
  an optional certificate

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Thank you for your attention!