Radiation Protection Advisers
Would you like to help schools and colleges continue to teach radioactivity
(and be paid for it)?
Nearly all secondary schools and colleges have radioactive sources which they use to
teach about radioactivity in a practical way. Most individuals currently working as RPAs will
have encountered their first sources in such school contexts. Suitably qualified RPAs are
difficult to find and more expensive than schools can afford. There is a serious risk that
schools may choose to dispose of their radioactive sources and rely only on videos,
computer simulations and the like. We don’t think this will help the public develop a sound
understanding of a controversial subject – and it may not do much for the future supply of
RPAs more widely.
CLEAPSS is an advisory service supporting the teaching of practical science and
technology in schools and colleges. We are largely funded by subscriptions from the local
authorities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and from over 1700 independent
schools and colleges. In 2001, after extensive consultation with RPAs, the HSE and
others, we published a 55-page booklet, L93, Managing Ionising Radiations and
Radioactive Substances (available only to CLEAPSS members).
We have now set up an RPA Service for local authorities. We believe we have developed
a model which is workable, not too expensive, meets HSE requirements and yet gives
RPAs a fair return for their work. The model is largely based on advising schools to follow
the detailed guidance in L93. Briefly, it involves the local authorities appointing a Radiation
Protection Officer (RPO) for whom CLEAPSS would provide training. The RPO would then
collect information from the schools, monitor what was happening and liaise directly with
an RPA appointed by CLEAPSS. The main role of the RPA would be to scrutinise records,
query anything unusual and advise accordingly, in line with L93. CLEAPSS would continue
to offer routine advice to member schools via its telephone Helpline. We are now looking
to appoint a number of RPAs, each of whom would work with a few local authorities. A
typical local authority has about 20 schools. We estimate that when a local authority of this
size first joins the scheme there is a little over 20 hours work. In subsequent years,
however, there is little more than a watching brief, although perhaps after about 5 years it
would be appropriate to carry out a more detailed study again. Details of fees etc are
available on application to the Director.
For post-16 colleges, independent schools and some maintained schools not in local
authorities we are setting up a database of RPAs willing to work with such establishments.
We will make this available to our members. It would then be for the school or college to
contact a listed RPA and to agree suitable arrangements, including the fee. We would
hope, however, that RPAs would wish to encourage schools to follow the guidance from
CLEAPSS in L93, Managing Ionising Radiation and Radioactive Substances.
Applicants must have a Certificate of Competence in accordance with the Ionising
Radiations Regulations 1999 (or expect to have one shortly). This would be issued by
RPA 2000 or another authorised body. If you are willing to help schools keep practical
radioactivity in the curriculum in this way, please contact CLEAPSS, The Gardiner
Building, Brunel Science Park, Uxbridge UP8 3PQ; tel 01895 251496; fax 01895 814372;
e-mail science@cleapss.org.uk. To discuss matters further, ask for Phil Bunyan (Director)
or John Ellis (Physics Adviser).
We are now in a rolling programme of recruiting RPAs, both for work with local authorities
and/or independent schools and colleges so there is no particular deadline.