The National Institute of Radiation Protection and Research (NIRPR), University of Ibadan (UI), has begun a five-day national training course for radiation safety officers (RSOs) in industrial radiography and safe transport of radioactive materials.
At the opening of the course on Monday in Ibadan, Oyo State, the acting head of the institute, Dr Samuel Oyeyemi, who presided over the session alongside the course coordinator at the institute, Dr Latifat Owoade, said the participants, including radiographers and people that transport radioactive materials from one point to another, would be trained in the proper handling of the radioactive materials for their safety and the protection of the general environment.
The participants also include workers of cement and bottling companies.
Both Dr Oyeyemi and Dr Owoade spoke to Tribune Online on the sidelines of the training programme held at the Otunba Subomi Balogun Conference Centre, University of Ibadan.
Dr Owoade said the purpose of the training course, which is based on the the approved International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) training syllabus for radiation safety officers, was to help the RSOs in industrial radiography and transportation of radioactive materials to acquire enough competence to carry out their duties safely and contribute to the safe use of ionising radiation sources in Nigeria.
She said that at the end of the training course, an examination would be conducted and certificates would be awarded to the successful candidates.
Dr Oyeyemi, in his own remark, said: “There is a regulation that says that every user of ionising radiation must appoint a radiation safety officer to ensure the safety of the public, the worker and the environment. So, we make sure that we train these people on the risks associated with the use of ionising radiation.
“Ionising radiation is radiation that can eject electrons from the nucleus of an atom which means it can ionise an electrically nuclear body. In simple terms, it can initiate cancer in the human cell.
“Ionising radiation could be x-ray, gamma ray that is used in radiotherapy; it could be radiation coming from the use of a radioactive source for nuclear well logging, from nuclear gauges, and from industrial radiography.
“So, this radiation is what we want to protect human beings from being over-exposed to. We embark of training courses like this to inform radiation safety officers of the associated risks in the use of ionising radiation.
“And because they have been designated as radiation safety officers, we vest them with the authority to stop unsafe practices on the part of the legal person, that is, the owner of the facility, the licencee or registrant.
“So, we must show them some of the dangers that are involved in the use of these radiation sources in their facilities. This is exactly what we do here. We want to share with them some things that have happened in different parts of the world and how they are likely to happen in their facilities. They must be aware of this.
“That is the reason why the Act that established the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA) designated the NIRPR as the ancillary body charged with the training of users of ionising radiation.”
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