Ensuring the safe use of ionizing radiation requires personnel that are competent in radiation safety. Training is essential to achieve an adequate level of competence among staff. The IAEA has developed a large portfolio of material for specialized training courses on a wide range of subjects.
These courses, which last one or two weeks, provide participants with in-depth knowledge on various aspects related to radiation protection and safety that are either relevant for a specific category of personnel or a specific field.
The personnel in question may comprise regulators, health professionals, radiation protection officers or operators. The specific field can include the regulatory framework, external and internal occupational exposure, patient protection (diagnostic radiology, radiotherapy and nuclear medicine, cardiology, hybrid imaging), radioactive waste management, transport of radioactive material, emergency preparedness and response, safety of radioactive sources, and safety in industrial applications.
The target audience of the courses is professional or technical staff, or those who have already attended the Postgraduate Educational Course in Radiation Protection and the Safety of Radiation Sources (PGEC).
The course’s training packages, most which are available online, may include the following:
- Lecture plan;
- Lecture notes (where appropriate);
- Presentation slides or other teaching aids;
- Practical exercises;
- Multiple choice questions;
- References and bibliography; and
- Material for on-the-job training, as appropriate for the particular course.
Each year, some 25 such training events are organized in IAEA Member States worldwide in Arabic, English, French, Russian and Spanish.