Join us for two long weekends for the required 40 hours of training to become a Radiation Safety Officer (RSO)! This course meets the coursework training requirement for a Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) type C license, providing the skills needed to successfully implement a radiation protection program in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, university, hospital, or medical laboratory setting.
The NRC requires any organization that uses radioactive material to have a licensed, designated Radiation Safety Officer (RSO). This course is designed to help such organizations apply for or renew their license for use of radioactive materials. The course is not intended to meet the licensing requirements for medical use of radionuclides or fluoroscopic imaging.
Course instructors, with faculty appointments at Columbia University and the Columbia University Medical Center, are experts in their fields. They include faculty from the Center for Radiological Research, the Department of Environmental Health Sciences, the Department of Medicine and the Department of Environmental Health & Safety. Learn more about the course instructors here.
Course Topics
- Radiation and radioisotopes
- The human health effects of ionizing radiation exposure
- Radiation dosimetry and instrumentation
- Radiation protection
- Safe handling and disposal of radioisotopes
- Inventory control
- Record keeping and regulatory requirements
- Transportation of radioactive materials
- Hazard and risk assessment, reduction, and communication
- Employee bioassay program
- Emergency management, personnel contamination, and response
Course Learning Objectives
- Develop RSO skill sets specific to University, Hospital, Medical, Health Department, Governmental or Biopharmaceutical lab environments
- Gain expertise in maintaining compliance with radionuclide permit and licensing requirements at local, state and national levels
- Create and maintain a safe laboratory working environment
- Assess potential radiation risks and relevant human health effects
- Develop work plan for employees to effectively reduce or eliminate risk
- Limit potential for radiological terrorism using laboratory materials
- Understand and apply Health Physics practice in a laboratory setting
- Learn management of radiological solid and liquid waste
- Understand regulatory requirements and expectations
- Gain hands-on experience with instrumentation
- Apply “tools of the trade” upon returning to your organization, with a comprehensive resource guide
Additional Information
Capacity is limited. Paid registration is required to attend.