Unit of competency Outline
Date retreived
22/07/2026 8:10 AM AWST
22/07/2026 8:10 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.
Monitor radiation
Monitor radiation
Unit of competency
National Code
PSPRAD401
PSPRAD401
State Code
WE676
WE676
TGA Status
Replaced
Replaced
DTWD Status
Replaced
Replaced
State Implementation and Classification
Approved Date
19/02/2013
Field of Education
061301 - Occupational Health And Safety
Original Release Date
19/02/2013
Nominal Hours
55
Description
This unit covers the ability to safely monitor radiation and the exposure of people and environment during radiation-related work activities. This involves identifying information about the work activities to be monitored, using the specified monitoring equipment, and applying safe working rules and monitoring procedures to obtain reliable results.No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement.
Notes
Elements and Performance Criteria
1. Prepare for assigned monitoring tasks
- 1.1. Use organisation's radiation management plans to obtain information about the hazards associated with assigned tasks and the monitoring equipment and safe working rules to be used at the site, and refer to radiation protection safety standards, codes and guidelines if necessary.
- 1.2. Liaise with relevant site personnel to arrange access and confirm the nature and likely duration of assigned monitoring tasks.
- 1.3. Perform and record pre-use checks of radiation 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 all radiation instruments and monitoring equipment to ensure safe transport to the site and within the site if required.
2. Obtain reliable monitoring data or samples
- 2.1. Apply safe working rules to minimise personal ionising radiation exposure according to relevant radiation protection safety standards, codes and guidelines.
- 2.2. Operate radiation instruments in accordance with radiation management plans and manufacturer specifications.
- 2.3. Conduct regular instrument checks and minor maintenance if required.
- 2.4. Conduct repeat measurements for quality control purposes in accordance with procedures, and identify and report atypical equipment response.
- 2.5. Collect and label environmental samples using specified equipment and procedures to preserve their integrity if required.
- 2.6. Record atypical radiation conditions.
- 2.7. Seek advice to deal with any situation beyond own technical competence.
3. Complete assigned monitoring tasks
- 3.1. Check for contamination of equipment.
- 3.2. Re-stow all radiation instruments and monitoring equipment to ensure safe transport from the site and within the site if required.
- 3.3. Record use of PPE and radiation instruments in accordance with radiation management plans.
- 3.4. Before storing PPE, radiation instruments and monitoring equipment, check their condition in accordance with manufacturer's recommendations and radiation management plan.
- 3.5. Store any samples to preserve their integrity, security and traceability in accordance with sampling procedures.
- 3.6. Organise the management of any waste in accordance with organisation's procedures.
4. Analyse monitoring data and report results
- 4.1. Record results in accordance with procedures.
- 4.2. Check that recorded outcomes are consistent with expectations.
- 4.3. Compare results with relevant radiation limits and identify and record any significant differences or atypical results.
- 4.4. Identify potential or actual radiation protection issues revealed by the site monitoring tasks.
- 4.5. Identify potential improvements that could be made to monitoring at site.
- 4.6. Maintain required records that are complete, accurate, legible and secure.
- 4.7. Provide site and personal radiation data to authorised personnel if required.
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 the responsible person or delegate 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.
Radiation management plans should include details of:
work practices, such as safe working rules and 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
Monitoring equipment may include:
radiation instruments and survey meters, such as:
air proportional (alpha)
gas proportional (alpha, beta)
gas ionisation (gamma)
Geiger-Muller (beta, gamma)
ionisation (beta)
scintillation (alpha, beta, gamma)
solid state (alpha, gamma)
wipe test equipment
sample containers, shovels, augers, buckets, air/water pumps, and stainless steel bailers
Safe working rules will vary according to the type of source equipment and should include monitoring details, such as:
for example, RPS No.13 Code of Practice and Safety Guide for Safe Use of Fixed Radiation Gauges (2007), which specifies that working rules include details of:
expected radiation levels around each fixed radiation gauge under the control of the responsible person
tests for non-fixed surface contamination where appropriate
occasions on which radiation surveys and contamination tests will be carried out
methods for conducting radiation surveys, wipe tests and other examinations required by the code, and for reporting and recording results
types and occasions for use of personal monitoring devices
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)
RPS No.6 National Directory for Radiation Protection, (December 2009)
RPS No.9 Code of Practice and Safety Guide for Radiation Protection and Radioactive Waste Management in Mining and Mineral Processing (2005)
RPS No.15 Safety Guide for the Management of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) (2008)
requirements of commonwealth, state and territory radiation protection and safety legislation
definition of a responsible person
Australian standards
Monitoring tasks may include:
observation of personnel conducting work activities in controlled radiation areas
surveys and measurements for:
establishing background levels
identifying areas of elevated activity and possible contamination
identifying and quantifying radiation contamination at specified locations
locating discrete radiation sources
assessing integrity of packaging or shielding
determining the effectiveness of decontamination
locating contamination on personnel and equipment
verifying contamination control boundaries
collection of air, water, soil, plant and animal specimens to monitor contamination
Personal protective equipment may include:
gloves, over-boots, safety hats, goggles, face masks, overalls and gowns
respirators or HEPA filter masks
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
Instrument checks and minor maintenance may include:
battery changes
calibration checks
zero checks
Required records may include details of:
approvals and authorisations granted by the appropriate authority
specifications of the radiation management plan and monitoring program
estimates of doses received by employees and by members of the public
health records of personnel and individual monitoring data
environmental radiation measurements
calibration, inspection and maintenance of radiation instruments and equipment
transport of radioactive sources
shipment of radioactive ores
radioactive waste disposal
procurement and disposal of radioactive sources
incidents and accidents involving exposure to radiation and corrective measures taken
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 a 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 the relevant competent authority if required
Radiation management plans should include details of:
work practices, such as safe working rules and 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
Monitoring equipment may include:
radiation instruments and survey meters, such as:
air proportional (alpha)
gas proportional (alpha, beta)
gas ionisation (gamma)
Geiger-Muller (beta, gamma)
ionisation (beta)
scintillation (alpha, beta, gamma)
solid state (alpha, gamma)
wipe test equipment
sample containers, shovels, augers, buckets, air/water pumps, and stainless steel bailers
Safe working rules will vary according to the type of source equipment and should include monitoring details, such as:
for example, RPS No.13 Code of Practice and Safety Guide for Safe Use of Fixed Radiation Gauges (2007), which specifies that working rules include details of:
expected radiation levels around each fixed radiation gauge under the control of the responsible person
tests for non-fixed surface contamination where appropriate
occasions on which radiation surveys and contamination tests will be carried out
methods for conducting radiation surveys, wipe tests and other examinations required by the code, and for reporting and recording results
types and occasions for use of personal monitoring devices
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)
RPS No.6 National Directory for Radiation Protection, (December 2009)
RPS No.9 Code of Practice and Safety Guide for Radiation Protection and Radioactive Waste Management in Mining and Mineral Processing (2005)
RPS No.15 Safety Guide for the Management of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) (2008)
requirements of commonwealth, state and territory radiation protection and safety legislation
definition of a responsible person
Australian standards
Monitoring tasks may include:
observation of personnel conducting work activities in controlled radiation areas
surveys and measurements for:
establishing background levels
identifying areas of elevated activity and possible contamination
identifying and quantifying radiation contamination at specified locations
locating discrete radiation sources
assessing integrity of packaging or shielding
determining the effectiveness of decontamination
locating contamination on personnel and equipment
verifying contamination control boundaries
collection of air, water, soil, plant and animal specimens to monitor contamination
Personal protective equipment may include:
gloves, over-boots, safety hats, goggles, face masks, overalls and gowns
respirators or HEPA filter masks
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
Instrument checks and minor maintenance may include:
battery changes
calibration checks
zero checks
Required records may include details of:
approvals and authorisations granted by the appropriate authority
specifications of the radiation management plan and monitoring program
estimates of doses received by employees and by members of the public
health records of personnel and individual monitoring data
environmental radiation measurements
calibration, inspection and maintenance of radiation instruments and equipment
transport of radioactive sources
shipment of radioactive ores
radioactive waste disposal
procurement and disposal of radioactive sources
incidents and accidents involving exposure to radiation and corrective measures taken
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 a 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 the 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.
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
detect ionising radiation and contamination
obtain reliable data and samples to quantify radiation and contamination
process radiation data and report results
keep accurate and complete records relevant to job role or duties
Consistency in performance
Competency should be demonstrated by safely undertaking a variety of radiation monitoring tasks involving the use of appropriate radiation monitoring equipment.
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 monitoring equipment
Access may be required to:
registered premises and sources
supervision by a radiation safety professional
radiation instruments and monitoring equipment
appropriate PPE
radiation management plan or procedures
Method of assessment
The following assessment methods are suggested:
oral/written tests and calculations involving:
radiation terms, principles and quantities
set-up, calibration and basic maintenance of radiation instruments
selection and use of PPE
analysis of monitoring case studies and reports
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 PPE
using radiation instruments and monitoring equipment
undertaking a variety of tasks 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.
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
detect ionising radiation and contamination
obtain reliable data and samples to quantify radiation and contamination
process radiation data and report results
keep accurate and complete records relevant to job role or duties
Consistency in performance
Competency should be demonstrated by safely undertaking a variety of radiation monitoring tasks involving the use of appropriate radiation monitoring equipment.
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 monitoring equipment
Access may be required to:
registered premises and sources
supervision by a radiation safety professional
radiation instruments and monitoring equipment
appropriate PPE
radiation management plan or procedures
Method of assessment
The following assessment methods are suggested:
oral/written tests and calculations involving:
radiation terms, principles and quantities
set-up, calibration and basic maintenance of radiation instruments
selection and use of PPE
analysis of monitoring case studies and reports
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 PPE
using radiation instruments and monitoring equipment
undertaking a variety of tasks 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.
Replaces
| State Code | National Code | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| D3758 | PSPRAD707A | Monitor radiation | Unit of competency |
Replaced By
| State Code | National Code | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| AWU00 | PSPRAD007 | Monitor radiation | Unit of competency |
| State Code | National Code | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| J283 | PSP40112 | Certificate IV in Government | Qualification |