How to become a radiation worker at UCL

Before starting work with ionising radiation you must complete formal training and register as a Radiation Worker with Safety Services.

On this page

• Formal radiation training ​
• Local radiation induction​
• Registration as a Radiation Worker​

Anyone working with ionising radiation must be a registered Radiation Worker. Before you can submit your Radiation Worker registration you must complete formal radiation training and local induction training.

Formal radiation training ​

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Before you can register as a Radiation Worker you must complete formal training. Your local Radiation Protection Supervisor will advise you of the most appropriate training courses for your work.

Type of work	Formal training that must be completed
Working with unsealed radioactive material	Principles of Radiation Safety Safe Handling of Unsealed Radioactive Sources
X-rays (users)	Safe use of X-rays Basic X-ray physics
Sealed sources	Principles of Radiation Safety  In some cases, the Safe Handling of Unsealed Radioactive Sources may also be appropriate. Speak to your RPS or the Radiation Protection Team for more information
Working with small amounts of Uranium, Thorium, and Plutonium (e.g. using uranium acetate for staining)	Nuclear safeguards for users
Nuclear Materials Inventory Co-ordinators (NMIC)	Nuclear safeguards for users Nuclear safeguards for NMIC
Radiation Protection Supervisors (RPS) for x-ray, unsealed and sealed sources	Radiation protection supervisors (ionising radiations) including relevant pre-requisite courses detailed in the course description

> See radiation training courses at UCL.

Refresher training

The formal radiation training listed above must be completed every five years, or more frequently, if specified by the Radiation Protection Team.

​Local radiation induction

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On completion of the required radiation training courses, you must complete a radiation induction with the local Radiation Protection Supervisor.  

Local induction criteria 

• The local procedures and arrangements for radiation safety.
• The management of radioactive materials and waste.
• Instruction and demonstration in the correct use of Personal Protective Equipment.
• Instruction and demonstration of any monitoring that needs to be completed.
• Instruction in the correct use of equipment.
• Arrangements for the distribution, collection and how to wear issued personal dosimetry correctly.
• Contingency and incident plans.

​As part of your local induction you will be asked to sign that you have read and fully understood the following (where relevant): ​

• Radiation risk assessment and Standard Operating Procedure(s) relevant to your work.
• Departmental written procedures for the management of radioactive material and waste.
• Local rules for the designated area you will be working in.

​Registration as a radiation worker ​

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Once you have completed the training and undertaken the local induction, you will be able to progress your registration as a Radiation Worker. 

The Radiation Worker Registration Form must be signed by the following:

• Your line manager or supervisor.
• Your local Radiation Protection Supervisor.

> Download the Radiation Worker Registration Form

In the event that a radiation worker intends to work with ionising radiation at another organisation, the Radiation Protection Team must be informed at least 28 days in advance.

> Read about working with ionising radiation at another organisation.

In the event at a person intends to work with ionising radiation in a UCL managed area but does not hold a contract of employment with UCL, the Radiation Protection Team must be informed at least 28 days in advance.

> Read about non-UCL staff working with ionising radiation at UCL.