Unit of competency Outline
Date retreived
22/07/2026 7:19 AM AWST
22/07/2026 7:19 AM AWST
Whilst all efforts are made to provide accurate and timely information from the relevant source/documentation, please be aware that the information supplied may not be the most current version. The accuracy of the detail has not been confirmed by the Department and therefore should not be relied upon without first confirming the contents.
Perform basic radiation measurements
Perform basic radiation measurements
Unit of competency
National Code
PSPRAD703A
PSPRAD703A
State Code
D3754
D3754
TGA Status
Replaced
Replaced
DTWD Status
Replaced
Replaced
State Implementation and Classification
Approved Date
Field of Education
039901 - Environmental Engineering
Original Release Date
Nominal Hours
45
Description
This unit covers the ability to directly measure radiation by following the organisation's procedures and using instruments calibrated by others. Basic radiation measurements will be straightforward involving one or two steps, take a short time and produce results that can be easily compared with specified limits.No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement.
Notes
Elements and Performance Criteria
1. Prepare for radiation measurements
- 1.1. Confirm purpose, priority and nature of required ionisingradiation measurements and any site access arrangements with supervisor.
- 1.2. Use organisation's radiation management plan to obtain information about the hazards associated with performing the measurements, measuring instruments and safe working rules to be used and refer to radiation protection safety standards, codes and guidelines as necessary.
- 1.3. Perform and record pre-use checks of measuring instruments and tag or replace faulty items as necessary.
- 1.4. Check that personal protective equipment (PPE) and other task-related equipment is fit for purpose.
- 1.5. Stow measuring instruments and task-related equipment to ensure safe transport to the site and within the boundaries of the site if required.
2. Obtain reliable radiation data
- 2.1. Operate measuring instruments in accordance with radiation management plan and manufacturer specifications and applying safe working rules to minimise personal radiation exposure.
- 2.2. Perform measurements at specified locations and times and in accordance with organisational procedures.
- 2.3. Seek advice if required measurements cannot be made or if specified procedures require modification.
- 2.4. Conduct regular instrument checks and minor maintenance (e.g. battery changes) if required.
- 2.5. Take sufficient measurements to ensure reliable data.
- 2.6. Recognise obvious errors and atypical data, and take appropriate corrective actions.
- 2.7. Record data with the required precision, accuracy and units.
- 2.8. Record environmental/site conditions or observations that may impact on data quality.
3. Finalise radiation measurements
- 3.1. Check for contamination and, if necessary, perform personal decontamination in accordance with radiation management plan.
- 3.2. Re-stow measuring instruments and task-related equipment to ensure safe transport from the site and within the boundaries of the site if required.
- 3.3. Record use of PPE and measuring instruments according to radiation management plan.
- 3.4. Check condition of measuring instruments, PPE and task-related equipment before storing them in accordance with manufacturer's recommendations and radiation management plan.
4. Report results
- 4.1. Record results according to organisational procedures.
- 4.2. Compare results with relevant radiation limits and identify/record significant differences or atypical results.
- 4.3. Maintain required records that are complete, accurate, legible and secure.
5. Respond to potential or actual radiation incidents
- 5.1. Recognise unusual situations, unexpected hazards, and potential or actual emergency radiation incidents.
- 5.2. Inform relevant personnel about the situation, hazard or incident and seek their advice.
- 5.3. Initiate appropriate workplace emergency first response in accordance with instructions, radiation management plans and organisation's response procedures.
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.
Ionising radiation may include:
x-rays, electrons, neutrons, gamma rays, beta particles and alpha particles emitted from radioactive materials, including sealed and unsealed sources
neutrons emitted from generator tubes
x-rays generated by industrial radiography equipment, XRF and XRD instruments.
Radiation measurements may include:
recording background levels
recording radiation levels during the operation of sealed source equipment
confirming that a sealed source has been returned to the fully shielded position in its container
assessing integrity of packaging or shielding
locating contamination on personnel and equipment
determining the effectiveness of decontamination.
Radiation management plan should include details of:
safe working rules and workplace emergency response procedures
roles and responsibilities of personnel
radiation monitoring requirements
control of an incident involving a source
storage of a source
accountability and records
other requirements that may have a bearing on safety.
Hazards may include:
inhalation of radioactive dust or gas
ingestion of radioactive dust or contaminated food or water
unexpected exposure to sealed or unsealed radiation sources or partially enclosed equipment that emits ionising radiation.
Measuring instruments may include:
air proportional (alpha)
gas proportional (alpha, beta)
gas ionisation (gamma)
Geiger-Muller (beta, gamma)
ionisation (beta)
scintillation (alpha, beta, gamma)
solid state (alpha, gamma).
Safe working rules relevant to performing basic radiation measurements may include:
safe methods for conducting specific radiation measurements and wipe tests
procedures for recording and reporting results
types and occasions for use of personal monitoring devices
personal decontamination procedures.
Radiation protection safety standards, codes and guidelines may include:
Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) radiation protection series publications, such as:
RPS No.1 Recommendations for Limiting Exposure to Ionizing Radiation (1995) and National Standard for Limiting Occupational Exposure to Ionizing Radiation (republished 2002)
RPS No.7 Recommendations for Intervention in Emergency Situations Involving Radiation Exposure (2004)
requirements of commonwealth, state and territory radiation protection and safety legislation
definition of a responsible person.
Personal protective equipment may include:
gloves, over-boots, safety hats, goggles, face masks, overalls and gowns
respirators or HEPA filter masks.
Appropriate corrective actions may include:
accuracy check of data entry and transcription
logical check of instrument set-up
check of calibration, zero error and drift for measuring instrument
check of source-detector geometry/distance
careful re-reading of procedures and checklists
repeat radiation measurements
seeking advice.
Required records may include details of:
calibration, inspection, and use and maintenance of radiation instruments and equipment
incidents and accidents involving exposure to radiation.
Radiation incidents may include:
exposure of unauthorised personnel entering a controlled area
personal exposure above statutory exposure limits and a monitoring result in excess of statutory derived levels of exposure
exposure from an uncontrolled, high hazard radioactive sealed source that:
has loss or destruction of shielding
is involved in a transport accident
is lost, missing or stolen
has malfunction of its shutter or interlocks
has been dropped during removal from its container
has jammed in an unsafe position
exposure from equipment that emits ionising radiation and has:
loss or destruction of shielding
malfunction of its shutter or interlocks
exposure from dispersed radioactive material caused by:
leakage or radioactive contamination
industrial or laboratory accident
uncontrolled releases of radioactive materials from a mine site, such as dust or contaminated water
dispersion of contaminants following destruction of a high activity sealed source.
Response procedures will include:
instructions for keeping exposures to a minimum, consistent with essential operations through evacuation or otherwise
instructions for notifying relevant competent authority if required.
Ionising radiation may include:
x-rays, electrons, neutrons, gamma rays, beta particles and alpha particles emitted from radioactive materials, including sealed and unsealed sources
neutrons emitted from generator tubes
x-rays generated by industrial radiography equipment, XRF and XRD instruments.
Radiation measurements may include:
recording background levels
recording radiation levels during the operation of sealed source equipment
confirming that a sealed source has been returned to the fully shielded position in its container
assessing integrity of packaging or shielding
locating contamination on personnel and equipment
determining the effectiveness of decontamination.
Radiation management plan should include details of:
safe working rules and workplace emergency response procedures
roles and responsibilities of personnel
radiation monitoring requirements
control of an incident involving a source
storage of a source
accountability and records
other requirements that may have a bearing on safety.
Hazards may include:
inhalation of radioactive dust or gas
ingestion of radioactive dust or contaminated food or water
unexpected exposure to sealed or unsealed radiation sources or partially enclosed equipment that emits ionising radiation.
Measuring instruments may include:
air proportional (alpha)
gas proportional (alpha, beta)
gas ionisation (gamma)
Geiger-Muller (beta, gamma)
ionisation (beta)
scintillation (alpha, beta, gamma)
solid state (alpha, gamma).
Safe working rules relevant to performing basic radiation measurements may include:
safe methods for conducting specific radiation measurements and wipe tests
procedures for recording and reporting results
types and occasions for use of personal monitoring devices
personal decontamination procedures.
Radiation protection safety standards, codes and guidelines may include:
Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) radiation protection series publications, such as:
RPS No.1 Recommendations for Limiting Exposure to Ionizing Radiation (1995) and National Standard for Limiting Occupational Exposure to Ionizing Radiation (republished 2002)
RPS No.7 Recommendations for Intervention in Emergency Situations Involving Radiation Exposure (2004)
requirements of commonwealth, state and territory radiation protection and safety legislation
definition of a responsible person.
Personal protective equipment may include:
gloves, over-boots, safety hats, goggles, face masks, overalls and gowns
respirators or HEPA filter masks.
Appropriate corrective actions may include:
accuracy check of data entry and transcription
logical check of instrument set-up
check of calibration, zero error and drift for measuring instrument
check of source-detector geometry/distance
careful re-reading of procedures and checklists
repeat radiation measurements
seeking advice.
Required records may include details of:
calibration, inspection, and use and maintenance of radiation instruments and equipment
incidents and accidents involving exposure to radiation.
Radiation incidents may include:
exposure of unauthorised personnel entering a controlled area
personal exposure above statutory exposure limits and a monitoring result in excess of statutory derived levels of exposure
exposure from an uncontrolled, high hazard radioactive sealed source that:
has loss or destruction of shielding
is involved in a transport accident
is lost, missing or stolen
has malfunction of its shutter or interlocks
has been dropped during removal from its container
has jammed in an unsafe position
exposure from equipment that emits ionising radiation and has:
loss or destruction of shielding
malfunction of its shutter or interlocks
exposure from dispersed radioactive material caused by:
leakage or radioactive contamination
industrial or laboratory accident
uncontrolled releases of radioactive materials from a mine site, such as dust or contaminated water
dispersion of contaminants following destruction of a high activity sealed source.
Response procedures will include:
instructions for keeping exposures to a minimum, consistent with essential operations through evacuation or otherwise
instructions for notifying relevant competent authority if required.
The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.
Overview of assessment
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
Assessment must confirm the ability to:
work safely in a radiation environment
use measuring instruments to obtain reliable radiation data
care for radiation measuring instruments and PPE
record radiation data accurately and report results
keep accurate and complete records relevant to job role or assigned tasks.
Consistency in performance
Competency should be demonstrated by safely undertaking a variety of radiation measurement tasks using appropriate instruments.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Competency should be assessed in the workplace or a simulated workplace environment.
Assessment must comply with:
local regulations regarding the registration of operators, premises and sources at workplaces where radioactive materials and/or ionising radiation equipment are present
organisation's radiation management plan
manufacturer's instructions for operating radiation measuring instruments.
Access may be required to:
registered premises and sources
supervision by a radiation safety professional
radiation measuring instruments
appropriate PPE
organisation's radiation management plan and operating procedures.
Method of assessment
The following assessment methods are suggested:
oral or written tests and calculations involving:
radiation terms, principles and quantities
pre-use checks, operation and basic maintenance of radiation measuring instruments
care and use of specified PPE
review of radiation data, results and records generated by the candidate
feedback from peers and supervisor that the candidate consistently applies relevant radiation protection and safety requirements
observation of the candidate using and caring for radiation measuring instruments and PPE in a simulated radiation environment.
In all cases, practical assessment should be supported by questions to assess underpinning knowledge and those aspects of competency that are difficult to assess directly.
Guidance information for assessment
Overview of assessment
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
Assessment must confirm the ability to:
work safely in a radiation environment
use measuring instruments to obtain reliable radiation data
care for radiation measuring instruments and PPE
record radiation data accurately and report results
keep accurate and complete records relevant to job role or assigned tasks.
Consistency in performance
Competency should be demonstrated by safely undertaking a variety of radiation measurement tasks using appropriate instruments.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Competency should be assessed in the workplace or a simulated workplace environment.
Assessment must comply with:
local regulations regarding the registration of operators, premises and sources at workplaces where radioactive materials and/or ionising radiation equipment are present
organisation's radiation management plan
manufacturer's instructions for operating radiation measuring instruments.
Access may be required to:
registered premises and sources
supervision by a radiation safety professional
radiation measuring instruments
appropriate PPE
organisation's radiation management plan and operating procedures.
Method of assessment
The following assessment methods are suggested:
oral or written tests and calculations involving:
radiation terms, principles and quantities
pre-use checks, operation and basic maintenance of radiation measuring instruments
care and use of specified PPE
review of radiation data, results and records generated by the candidate
feedback from peers and supervisor that the candidate consistently applies relevant radiation protection and safety requirements
observation of the candidate using and caring for radiation measuring instruments and PPE in a simulated radiation environment.
In all cases, practical assessment should be supported by questions to assess underpinning knowledge and those aspects of competency that are difficult to assess directly.
Guidance information for assessment
Replaced By
| State Code | National Code | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| WE672 | PSPRAD301 | Perform basic radiation measurements | Unit of competency |
| State Code | National Code | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| D551 | MSS40211 | Certificate IV in Environmental Monitoring and Technology | Qualification |
| D553 | MSS50211 | Diploma of Environmental Monitoring and Technology | Qualification |