Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) are materials found in the environment that contain radioactive elements. Managing NORM in industrial settings such as in activities like mining, oil and gas extraction, and water treatment, is a complex task.
ANSTO radiation experts work safely with radiation every day and are committed to sharing our knowledge and expertise with Australian workplaces.
ANSTO’s NORM Radiation Safety Officer course is specifically designed to support Australia’s mining, oil and gas, or related industrial sectors, to comply with regulations and establish a robust operational framework based on safe management practices.
The five-day course at ANSTO’s Lucas Heights campus in Sydney, equips radiation safety officers, or their equivalent, with an in-depth understanding of ionising radiation, radiation safety and security, and incident preparedness and response.
The course delivers a review of scientific principles and their application in industrial settings and covers industry best practices, legislation, regulations, and codes of practice. Participants also tackle risk assessment and incident preparedness and participate in scenario-based workshops.
ANSTO has been training Australia’s radiation safety personnel for 30 years.
Darren Mason, Manager Radiation and Nuclear Waste Services at ANSTO, leads the team that delivers the course and says,
“ANSTO operates Australia’s only multi-purpose research nuclear reactor, OPAL, and our specialist trainers have hands-on nuclear and radiation protection experience. We provide the training that radiation safety officers need to do their job. They know they’re getting industry-leading training at the highest level,”
A highlight of the NORM Radiation Safety Officer course is the group tour of OPAL. The OPAL multipurpose reactor is a state-of-the-art facility that plays a critical role in producing medical isotopes, conducting scientific research, and supporting industrial applications. During the tour, participants will have the opportunity to see the reactor in operation and learn about its design, safety features and functionality.
Since launching in 2020, participants from some of Australia’s most prominent global mining organisations have completed this program and many of our other radiation safety courses.
Participant feedback has been very positive:
“A well-presented course with good examples, very relevant to my current projects.”
" The level of detail was good and the course was informative and relevant. I enjoyed the course and got a lot from it.”
“I found the sessions on hazards and decay the most interesting and important to my role.”
The NORM Radiation Safety Officer course runs once a year and is part of a program of radiation safety education courses ANSTO delivers.
For more information about the ANSTO radiation safety courses available, get in touch with our team or view the course calendar online.
Understanding your training requirements
Licensing requirements outline that anyone using a source or facility must receive appropriate training in radiation safety. The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency, recognises radiation safety courses approved by the state and territory Qregulators.
ANSTO's training courses provide licences recognised by state and territory regulators.
To find a list of courses approved by your relevant regulator:
