Course in Protection Strategies for Field Work
Online course of 300 hours in protection strategies for field work. 6 modules covering IAEA SSR-6 (transport of radioactive material), IAEA GSR Part 3 (radiation protection and safety of sources) and MicroShield. Assigned tutor and enrolment open.
Course in Protection Strategies for Field Work — studying from South Africa
South Africa is one of the few African countries with an operating nuclear power programme, centred on the Koeberg power station near Cape Town, operated by Eskom. The country also has nuclear research and fuel cycle activity through the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation, known as Necsa, based at Pelindaba near Pretoria. Nuclear engineers work on reactor operation, safety, fuel management and decommissioning. The National Nuclear Regulator is the independent authority that licenses and oversees nuclear activities.
Fees for South Africa: R 12 000 (South African rand), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in South Africa
Typical roles
Questions from South Africa
Will a SEIUM qualification be recognised by the professional bodies in South Africa for this area?
SEIUM qualifications are private and not accredited by any South African body, so they are not official state degrees. Nuclear activities in South Africa are regulated by the National Nuclear Regulator (NNR), and professional registration runs through ECSA. Acceptance of a private qualification in this regulated field rests with employers or the relevant authority, so verify before enrolling.
How might this qualification be used by employers in South Africa in nuclear engineering?
Nuclear employers, including Eskom and specialist contractors, typically require formally recognised qualifications, security clearances and regulatory competence. A private SEIUM qualification may add background knowledge but is unlikely to meet formal requirements on its own. Discuss this with employers in the nuclear sector to understand how they would view it.
Can I study this programme alongside full-time work from South Africa, and is there a time zone or language issue?
The programme is fully online and taught in English, so you can study from South Africa without a student visa. Master's programmes require 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 hours and specialist courses 300 hours, with an assigned technical tutor. Fees can be paid in instalments and employer sponsorship is possible. Ask SEIUM about time-zone and workload details before enrolling.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Identify the risks of radiological work outside a facility.
Carry out the prior assessment and planning of a field job.
Delimit and control zones during execution.
Apply requirements for transport, custody and physical security of sources.
Prepare the response to emergencies in the field.
Design training programmes and continuous improvement.
Draft a protection procedure for a real job.
Who it's for
- Industrial gammagraphy supervisor looking to specialise in Protection Strategies for Field Work.
- Radiation protection technician looking to specialise in Protection Strategies for Field Work.
- Transport safety adviser looking to specialise in Protection Strategies for Field Work.
- Operator of nuclear soil gauging equipment looking to specialise in Protection Strategies for Field Work.
- Source safety manager looking to specialise in Protection Strategies for Field Work.
- Radiation protection trainer looking to specialise in Protection Strategies for Field Work.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to enter industrial radiology.
What you'll work with
- IAEA SSR-6 (transport of radioactive material)
- IAEA GSR Part 3 (radiation protection and safety of sources)
- Royal Decree 1029/2022 (protection of health against ionising radiation)
- ADR Agreement (carriage of dangerous goods by road)
- CSN Instruction IS-28 (technical specifications for radioactive facilities)
- IAEA NSS 11 (physical security of radioactive sources)
- Royal Decree 1836/1999 (Regulation on nuclear and radioactive facilities)
6 modules · 300 h
1.1What characterises fieldwork involving radiation1.2Sectors: gammagraphy, well logging, civil works and fixed gauges1.3Differences compared with a fixed installation1.4Regulatory framework for mobile installations1.5Authorisations and notification of work1.6Responsibilities of the licence holder and the contracting company1.7The supervisor and the operator: roles and licences1.8Coordination of business activities on site1.9Concurrent non-radiological risks1.10Exercise: analyse a typical job and its actors
2.1Site survey2.2Identification of exposed persons and members of the public2.3Estimation of dose rates and distances2.4Calculation of the work area and the supervised area2.5Selection of technique and minimum necessary activity2.6Optimisation: time, distance and shielding2.7Choice of collimators and portable shielding2.8Work permit and written procedure2.9Specific contingency plan2.10Practice: prior assessment of a field job
3.1Physical delimitation and signposting of zones3.2Perimeter monitoring and access control3.3Operational and alarm dosimetry3.4Checks before, during and after each exposure3.5Communication between operators3.6Night work, working at height and confined spaces3.7Adverse weather conditions3.8Recording of operations carried out3.9Verification that the source has returned to its safe position3.10Practice: zone control drill
4.1Transport of equipment and associated documentation4.2Temporary storage on site4.3Inventory and source check4.4Physical protection against theft or loss4.5Response to loss of control of a source4.6Stuck sources and recovery procedures4.7Leak-tightness and leak tests4.8Removal and management at end of service life4.9Complete documentary traceability4.10Practice: inventory and leak-tightness check
5.1Classification of events in field work5.2First actions and notification to the authority5.3Dose estimation in case of accidental exposure5.4Care of the exposed person5.5Incident investigation and root cause5.6Lessons learned from the sector5.7Training and retraining programme5.8Health surveillance of personnel5.9Audit of the field work programme5.10Practice: analyse a documented real accident
6.1Choosing a realistic field job6.2Complete prior assessment6.3Design of zones and protective measures6.4Written work procedure6.5Dosimetry and monitoring programme6.6Transport and custody plan6.7Emergency and training plan6.8Estimation of planned collective dose6.9Radiation protection plan report6.10Defence of the work
How you'll learn
Training is 100 % online on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the intake, which makes it possible to combine the course with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is MicroShield, RadPro Calculator, advanced Excel, QGIS, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are based on real procedures for zone delimitation in field gammagraphy, source recovery drills and dose-rate measurements on site. Assessment is continuous by module plus the final integrating project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Identify the risks of radiological work outside a facility.
Carry out the prior assessment and planning of a field job.
Delimit and control zones during execution.
Apply requirements for transport, custody and physical security of sources.
Prepare the response to emergencies in the field.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior degree is required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient Spanish to follow technical regulatory texts.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 300 hours spread over 3 to 5 months. That is an average of 10 to 15 hours per week, compatible with a full-time job.
You work with MicroShield, RadPro Calculator, advanced Excel and QGIS. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
An own diploma from SEIUM upon passing continuous assessment and the integrating project. It is in-house training, not an official qualification from the Ministry.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are credited towards the advanced programme. Check the recognition policy when you enrol.
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