Training activity information
Details
Record, store and dispose of radioactive waste
Type
Entrustable training activity (ETA)
Evidence requirements
Evidence the activity has been undertaken by the trainee repeatedly, consistently, and effectively over time, in a range of situations. This may include occasions where the trainee has not successfully achieved the outcome of the activity themselves. For example, because it was not appropriate to undertake the task in the circumstances or the trainees recognised their own limitations and sought help or advice to ensure the activity reached an appropriate conclusion.
Reflection at multiple timepoints on the trainee learning journey for this activity.
Considerations
- Local procedures for dealing with long- and short-lived radiation waste
- Requirements under EPR
- BAT statements
Reflective practice guidance
The guidance below is provided to support reflection at different time points, providing you with questions to aid you to reflect for this training activity. They are provided for guidance and should not be considered as a mandatory checklist. Trainees should not be expected to provide answers to each of the guidance questions listed.
Before action
- What constitutes success for this activity, specifically regarding the accurate recording of radioactive waste movements and ensuring storage adheres to departmental procedures and the Environmental Permitting Regulations (EPR)?
- Have you discussed the specific departmental procedures with your training officer to gain a clarity of understanding regarding the level of detail required for records, security requirements, and approved disposal routes?
- Thinking about what you already know, how familiar are you with the departmental waste streams, storage locations, and the basic requirements of the EPR related to radioactive waste?
- What specific challenges might you face – such as identifying waste types, calculating decay times, or ensuring correct segregation – and how have you planned to handle these potential issues?
- Do you clearly understand your scope of practice for this task, specifically identifying what you can do independently and when you must seek advice from a supervisor or the Radiation Waste Adviser (RWA)?
- How do you feel about embarking on this activity, and do you feel prepared to handle these materials safely while following all regulations?
- What specific skills do you want to develop and what specific insights do you hope to gain regarding the practical application of ALARP/ALARA principles to waste handling?
- Have you consulted the actions identified from previous experiences to see if there are specific areas, such as attention to detail in logging, that you need to focus on for improvement?
- Before embarking on this activity, have you confirmed essential information such as the local rules for waste management, current RWA contact details, and the status of relevant permits or authorisations?
In action
- Think about the process of recording, storing, or disposing of radioactive waste.
- Is anything happening that is different from what you expected or from previous experiences you might have observed or been involved with? Consider situations such as:
- A waste container is fuller than anticipated, making handling difficult or preventing correct segregation.
- The waste documentation (e.g., logbook, electronic record) has errors or is missing information.
- Monitoring a waste item gives an unexpected reading (dose rate or contamination).
- The designated storage location is inaccessible or seems insecure.
- The waste type doesn’t fit neatly into the established disposal routes or categories.
- A piece of equipment used in waste handling (e.g., lifting aid, monitor) malfunctions.
- What actions are you taking in the moment to address the unexpected situation.
- Are you pausing the activity?
- Are you consulting local rules or procedures?
- Are you seeking advice from a supervisor, colleague, or potentially the Radiation Waste Adviser (RWA)?
- Are you adapting your approach to handle the waste or documentation?
- Consider how the unexpected event is affecting your actions or your ability to undertake the activity independently.
- Is the unexpected event affecting your confidence? Do you feel prepared to handle it, or do you find it challenging to adapt?
- Identify how the unexpected development is being resolved
- Are you successfully adapting and completing the specific task within your scope of practice? Or are you needing support or intervention from someone else (e.g., supervisor, RWA) because the situation is beyond your current scope?
- What are you learning as a direct result of dealing with this specific unexpected development in the moment. For example, are you learning the correct procedure for handling a specific discrepancy, the importance of checking documentation before starting, or who the correct person is to escalate an issue to?
On action
- Begin by summarising the key points of the experience of recording, storing, and/or disposing of radioactive waste. Describe the specific steps you undertook.
- Consider specific events, actions, or interactions that felt important during the activity, including your own feelings during the experience.
- Include any ‘reflect-in-action’ moments, where you adapted to the situation as it unfolded.
- Recall anything that felt surprising or different from what you anticipated, and how you reacted to that unexpected development in the moment.
- Identify what learning you can take from this experience. For example, what did you learn about EPR requirements, waste management procedures, documentation, security, or the role of the RWA?
- What strengths did you demonstrate during the activity? Were there specific skills or knowledge you applied effectively?
- What skills and/or knowledge gaps were evident? Was there anything you were unsure about or struggled with?
- Compare this experience against previous engagement with similar activities (if any). Have any previously identified actions for development been achieved? Has your practice improved?
- Identify any challenges you experienced and how you reacted to these. Did these challenges affect your ability to deal with the situation? Were you able to overcome the challenges?
- Identify anything significant about the activity. Did you need to seek advice or clarification from a supervisor, colleague, or the RWA? Or did you need to escalate something to ensure you were working within your scope of practice?
- Identify the actions / ‘next steps’ you will now take to support the assimilation of what you have learnt.
- What will you do differently next time you record, store, or dispose of radioactive waste?
- Has anything changed in terms of what you would do if you were faced with a similar situation again, particularly regarding handling unexpected developments?
- Do you need to practise any aspect of the activity further? Are there specific skills you want to develop further, drawing upon this experience?
Beyond action
- Have you revisited your previous reflections for this specific activity (recording, storing, and disposing of radioactive waste)?
- When reviewing these past reflections, what actions for improvement did you previously identify you would need to take to improve your practice related to EPR compliance, waste procedures, documentation, or security?
- Have you completed these previously identified actions? If not, what are the barriers? If so, how did completing them impact your subsequent performance of this activity?
- Are you ready to demonstrate this new learning confidently and consistently when performing this task?
- Have you engaged in professional storytelling or discussed your experiences of recording, storing, and disposing of radioactive waste with peers, near peers, or colleagues? Has discussing these experiences with others changed your view or understanding of managing radioactive waste under EPR?
- Considering your cumulative experiences and reflections on this activity, how will the learning you have gained support you in preparing for relevant observed ‘in-person’ assessments for the module? For example, how does your improved understanding of EPR and waste management prepare you for a Case-based Discussion about a waste-related incident or a DOP on contamination monitoring?
- How has your practice related to recording, storing, and disposing of radioactive waste developed and evolved over time across multiple instances of undertaking this training activity? Can you identify specific examples of improvement or increased confidence?
- Based on your experiences, how has your ability to recognise when something related to radioactive waste management is beyond your scope of practice improved? Do you have a clearer understanding of when and from whom (e.g., RWA, supervisor) you need to seek advice or clarification?
Relevant learning outcomes
| # | Outcome |
|---|---|
| # 3 |
Outcome
Interpret, apply and audit adherence to the Environmental Permitting Regulations (EPR) in the Nuclear Medicine environment. |