NukeWorker Forum
Career Path => Getting in => Topic started by: RCTMan on Feb 26, 2012, 09:00
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It's been a long time since I've been on, so long in fact that I had to make a new profile.
So my question....
I've been qualified SY RADCON (Art. 108) for 10 years, 7 as a RCT and 3 as a SRCT (front-line Supv.). I'm starting to get really frustrated with the Navy program and how it is run across the board. Let me say this, if we were any other business, we would be out of business.
How easy would it be to transition to the commercial world and what if anything would my current qual equate to?
Any help would be great. Thanks.
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If you go direct to a utility ("house" tech. - if you will), you may find a supervisory position. That could include DOE.
If you go the contractor route, you are a Senior Radiation Protection Tech., or Sr. Health Physics Tech.
If you specialize in Instrumentation, Dosimetry, Shipping, etc. that may land you a nice house spot too.
Transition to commercial isn't so hard. Navy ELT's and RCM's do it all the time. You just have to learn to deal with consistently higher levels of radiation and contamination - both are allowed in the commercial world.
You may not find the business of being in business for profit all that much more palatable.
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Thanks.
Do my quals equate to any of the ANSI stuff. Meaning, what tests would I have to take or would I be able to show up day 1 and start protecting people one swipe at a time instead of just Democracy like I do now??
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Based on your first post, I would consider you ANSI 3.1 qualified and as AG stated possibly considered for a line supervisors position, without any major questions! But, and there is always a but, the individual reviewing and making the determination may not understand Art. 108 quals and thus determine NQ, depends on the individual, plant, utility, site, etc., how they make the determination.
Day 1, probably not! You would still have to qualify to the specific program. Given your background as stated, a piece of cake. Depending on the plant, utility, site it could take a week or two before you are good to go and then a while for everyone to get a warm-fuzzy.
Since I don't know which SY program you're talking about, that's the best I can offer. Feel free to PM me though and I might be able to offer more help.
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Let me say this, if we were any other business, we would be out of business.
I like your post. You may find the same sort of thinking still occurring in regulated utilities but not in deregulated sites. Deregulated is profit motivated.
You can transfer your skills easily, you just have to narrow down what location and type of work you want.
Good luck
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It's been a long time since I've been on, so long in fact that I had to make a new profile.
So my question....
I've been qualified SY RADCON (Art. 108) for 10 years, 7 as a RCT and 3 as a SRCT (front-line Supv.). I'm starting to get really frustrated with the Navy program and how it is run across the board. Let me say this, if we were any other business, we would be out of business.
How easy would it be to transition to the commercial world and what if anything would my current qual equate to?
Any help would be great. Thanks.
I did this!!!!!
It was 20+ years ago,....but I did this,....
It was easy, as posted earlier, just accept the notion that higher levels of loose surface contamination in spaces occupied by radworkers is often allowed, that the world is not all Co60 equivalent, and you should do fine,....
And go to the study materials section here at nukeworker.com and study, study, study and do the practice tests over and over,...
And this bunch of guys have pulled together some great light reading,...
http://www.radprocalculator.com/NuclearLinks.aspx
Those things will definitely help with your transition,...
And those were not around 20+ years ago,...
OBTW, never say "In the shipyard we used to do it..........."
Just fight it down anytime you feel that urge,..... 8)
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RCTMan, first, thanks for your service.
I retired from Kings Bay RADCON in 1999 and was picked up immediately by ENERCON Services.
The main thing is realizing that there is a much broader range of isotopes beyond Co-60 and Cr-51.
My first year out was spent at Sandia National Labs.... and I was exposed (as in worked with) the full gambit of the isotopic chart.
Know this though, there is a big difference between shipyard/navy workers and the trades. If you earn the trades respect and do excellent work, then you will never have to worry about work.
Good luck out there - I am off the table (and behind a desk now) and they need some good Techs back in the field.
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Thanks for all the help guys.
I am what they consider the "working Mans friend" at EB, which gets me in trouble... A LOT.
More isotopes are staring to come into play, most of which I can't mention......
I see the biggest problem being re-learning math, meaning units, ect, and the small things.... and oh yeah, working with the Navy for the past 10 years, I can't tell you how many times I've been nut to butt with some of the best people I've EVER met in my life.... And trying to get use to "normal" people........
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Yea, I remember the first time I heard 450 uuCi...I was like what the heck does that mean????????? ;D
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How easy would it be to transition to the commercial world and what if anything would my current qual equate to?
got two define easy. if your talking about work, that'd be a peace of cake. yes, more isotopes, different math, higher levels, et fricken cetera. probably the hardest part would be the work place. different attitudes may well cause differing reactions. which wood depend on where you are now and where you wood go. reach out to sum who have left your program and find out their reaction(s). then, jump! [Flamer]
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Yea, I remember the first time I heard 450 uuCi...I was like what the heck does that mean????????? ;D
1 mr Co-60 right??
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1 mr Co-60 right??
1,000 dpm.
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More like 999 dpm :->
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It has been a while since I had to think about those conversions.... and for that I am glad. ;D
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1,000 dpm.
450 mickeymikes otherwise known as 4.5E-1nCi or 450pCi.
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While at Chem Nuc our site limit was 50k dpm on the inside of the cask. We usually kept them <10k dpm. When we were sending the first one to the Navy in Charleston, they said <450 uu Ci which I had never heard that term. We had to survey and decon each time we sent a cask to them. You all sure was picky!!!!!!!