Who does the RSO report to?

[radgal]

Who at your facility does the RSO directly report to?  I'm looking into this to compare with another facility.

[MrHazmat]

Here at SRS, RCO management reports to the area operations manager.
Bad in some ways, good in other ways.

[radgal]

Who else out there knows the answer to this at their site?

[raymcginnis]

Who else out there knows the answer to this at their site?

I know exactly what you asking and your concern Rad Gal.  This has bugged me and many people in our field for years.  Our RSO reports to our manager, the same person that I report to.  He is a very educated nuclear engineer and is very experienced with the politics of our company.  He also is a very caring person and care much about the safety of all of our employees, so it works out OK for us.  Because the operations managers report to the same director, I have concerns ocaaisinally, but we are a seasoned group who consider safety all of the time, so I am OK with it.

I have been to many places where this is not true.  I don't know if this is still true or not, but when I was in school, the RSO at this one place that we visited reported to a corporate RSO and that seemed better to me.  Alot of places, the RSO reports to the Site Manager, who has profit in mind.  At this site, the RSO was separated from the site manager and could override his decisions if it were better for the saftety of the workers.  That to this day seems better to me.  Of course, inspectors, INPO, etc, oversee these sites where there is no separation, but front line separation seems better to me.

I hope that this helped.

I liked that concept.  Safety over profit.  Good idea!

[radgal]

I originally wanted just a line management answer but Ray you bring in a good point.  I'll modify my question to two parts.
1) Who does the RSO at your facility report to? (for my own info)
2) Who should they report to and who should have final radiological say? (discussion question)

[Melissa White]

Our RSO reports to the Sr. VP for administration.  Of the 18,000 employees of our Hospital, his is the only job discription that cannot be changed.  It is mandated by federal law.

He reports,to but is not subservient to, the Radiation Safety Committee on a monthly basis, although the license and law only say quarterly meetings are required.  This is due to the large nature of our broad scope license.  If the meeting were held only quarterly, they would last all day long, and it would stifle the operations of the hospital.  The committee is something like the interaction of the president and the congress.  The RSO's responsibilities are broad and here, in regards to licensing issues and radiological protocols, his word is law.  Of course he could always be fired by the administration, BUT, that would effectively shut down, Radiology, Nuclear Medicine, and all research involving radioisotopes.
It's good to be the king.
Melissa

[alphadude]

RSO are responsible to the building owners and managers- budget people.

[feathersmoke]

Every DOE site I have worked at, the RCO or RSO reports to the ES&H Manager.

[spentfuel]

here's a twist our RSO reports to the corporate RPO.  Because I work at an aggrement state licensed facility and the corporate RPO is responsible for all the licensed facilities we have.  I is common practice for the RSO to be a member of and like ceo of the Radiation Protection/control committee at medical facilities.

[RDTroja]

I was RSO at a very large construction company (built big power plants) that had a radioactive materials license for radiography sources. I reported to the Senior Vice President of the company and was considered a corporate officer. When it came to the license, I was on the top of the food chain (my name was on the license). I know this is not the application you are looking for, but it is a different perspective on the same issue.

[radgal]

Thanks all!

Radgal

[Dave Warren]

On the subject of RSO's, and I didn't want to start another thread, I have a question for y'all.

Does anyone have information on the best 40-Hour Radiation Safety Officer course?
I Googled it and found 4 places that offer it.
Radiation Safety Academy, New World Environmental, Nevada Technical Associates, and RONAN.
Any info on other ones, or one you may have attended would be helpful. Thanks in advance.

[alphadude]

RSCS and ARS are other providers.. if you can get one in the state of interest it will best serve you

[Dave Warren]

Yes, there is one in Columbus, near "The" Ohio State University.

[cincinnatinuke]

On the subject of RSO's, and I didn't want to start another thread, I have a question for y'all.

Does anyone have information on the best 40-Hour Radiation Safety Officer course?
I Googled it and found 4 places that offer it.
Radiation Safety Academy, New World Environmental, Nevada Technical Associates, and RONAN.
Any info on other ones, or one you may have attended would be helpful. Thanks in advance.

I would avoid the RONAN one unless you are looking for something geared towards users of fixed industrial nuclear gauges.  But if you are I would then recommend a company just across the river from RONAN in Cincinnati, Ohmart/VEGA.  I used to work there and actually taught the 40 hour course.  The facilities were great and it was all you can eat while you were there.  Thursdays nights were a treat since the company took the class out to a local joint called the Montgomery Inn.  If you know anyone that has worked Fernald, then they probably know of it.

This time of year you can get the company tickets to the Reds.  Basically, this course is very customer/student oriented and from my personal experience I highly recommend it.

Also try TN, texas nuclear, thermo measuretech, or what ever it is they call themselves.

Lastly try Berthold.  A gal by the name of Sue Engelhardt (sp?) does these for them both locally in TN and on the road.  I think her Orlando one is pretty popular and she and her associates are probably broad range enough to encompass more than  just industrial radiation safety.

Hope this helps.

BTW I was really hoping the Bears would pick up Culpepper.  I actually saw him play in college against Auburn for homecoming.  If not for some late game heroics he might have won.

[Dave Warren]

Actually, that was very helpful. Thank you.
RONAN is the cheapest, and I used to live in Lawrenceburg, IN., so I was leaning that way.
Alot of my old Fernaldian buddies may have some info on the other one you mentioned.

Culpepper would have loved to beat the Vikings twice in a year, but I guess we're stuck with "Gross"man...

Thanks again, cincy....

[cincinnatinuke]

Actually, that was very helpful. Thank you.
RONAN is the cheapest, and I used to live in Lawrenceburg, IN., so I was leaning that way.
Alot of my old Fernaldian buddies may have some info on the other one you mentioned.

Culpepper would have loved to beat the Vikings twice in a year, but I guess we're stuck with "Gross"man...

Thanks again, cincy....

No S***!  I used to live in Bright about 10 minutes away!  Small world.

Give O/V a call.  Or you can PM me and I will tell you exactly who to call if you want.

[SloGlo]

surprising dat no won mentioned that da rso reports to da nrc and applicable state, county, local radiological departments as deemed appropriate by governing bodies as well as corporate reporting responsibilities.  lotsa times the most reporting done in da corporate venue is the legal department.