The Industrial Radiography Assistants Course provides foundational radiation protection and radiation safety knowledge. It allows participants to work under the direct and immediate supervision of a licenced RT2 technician when performing radiographic inspections (using x-ray and gamma sources) in various industrial settings.
Note that this course only applies to WA as other jurisdictions require an Assistant to hold a full licence (which this course is not aimed at).
Assistants are not required to complete this course as a pre-requisite to being recognised as an Assistant. They can choose to undergo self-study using the study notes provided on the Radiological Council website and then sit the exam. However, completing this course now prepares you well for the course approved as a pre-requisite for a full licence (and for which you will already have had exposure to a number of the modules).
This course starts with the basics of radiation: what it is, its sources and types, how it affects the body, and how we measure radiation exposure and personal doses.
Then, we'll focus on how we can keep radiation doses within limits and as low as reasonably achievable. An understanding of dose limits and the application of radiation protection strategies of time, distance, and shielding will allow you to keep your radiation doses within the dose limits in routine and emergency situations.
Measuring radiation exposure: You'll learn about workplace / area and personal monitoring devices and their correct use, including the conduct of functional checks before starting any radiographic inspection work.
Finally, the Assistant course covers two important codes: the Industrial Radiography Code* and the Transport Code*. These codes apply to radiographic testing conducted in fully enclosed, partially enclosed and at open sites. We'll break down their key requirements in a clear and practical way, ensuring you can confidently follow them on the job under the instruction of your supervising RT2 technician.
Competency on the job: Under ISO 9712, technicians working towards holding RT2 certification must complete a compulsory period of logged work experience. Regulatory authorities also require evidence of practical experience. To help with this Radiation Training provides all participants with a skills competency checklist for assessing application of knowledge attained from the course. This can be progressively signed off by the supervising RT2 technician and ultimately submitted with your radiation licence application (once you have passed your training for your full licence).
This competency checklist is only available to persons enrolled on a Radiation Training course.
*abbreviated references to these Codes.
Describe the fundamentals of radiation and radiation exposure:
Apply radiation safety principles:
Implement safe work practices, considering the Industrial Radiography, Transport and Security Codes:
Recognise and respond to emergencies:
Maintain radiation safety records:
There is continuous assessment throughout the course. Within a module are quizzes to check content is understood prior to moving on to the next topic. At the conclusion of each module is a short randomised multiple-choice test.The pass mark of assessments is 70%.
While you work through quizzes and tests you are remotely proctored using your webcam under normal test conditions.
Currently the Radiological Council requires that all prospective industrial radiography assistants to sit a face-to-face exam. This can be completed at Radiation Health in East Perth (or a remotely proctored location such as a TAFE).