Radio Frequency Radiation Safety Officers’ (RFRSO) Course

This course provides RFRSO with an understanding of the principles and practice of radio frequency radiation safety and safety measurement.

Area of Interest: Occupational Health & Safety / Laser Safety

Course Summary

The aim of this course is to provide those who are designated Radio Frequency Radiation Safety Officers (RFRSO) with an understanding of the principles and practice of radio frequency radiation safety and radio frequency radiation safety measurement. The references for the course are ARPANSA Radiation Protection Series Publication S-1 (Rev. 1) and Australian Standard AS 2772.2:2016.

The RFRSO course is now being delivered in three self-contained modules in order to reduce the intensity of the course for participants. The Modules are broken down as follows:

• Module 1: Which will follow the existing RFRSO Level 2 course program
• Module 2: Desktop Assessment Workshop
• Module 3: Measurement and Practical component

Please note the structure of this course for 2025 will run as follows:

• Module 1 RFRSO Level 2: 16 - 18 June - theory component delivered online
• Module 2 RFRSO Level 2+: 25 - 26 June - theory component online
• Module 3 RFRSO Level 1: 26th August – theory component delivered online. 3rd and 4th September practical component face-to-face in Canberra

If you are intending on completing RFRSO Level 1, it is mandatory to complete RFRSO Level 2 and RFRSO Level 2+ first. You will not be able to attend RFRSO Level 1 without completing modules 1 and 2.

Course Content

• Introduction to Radio Frequency (RF) radiation
• Introduction to the health effects of RF and RF radiation safety
• Introduction to the Australian RF Exposure Standard
• RF calculations and the application of the exposure standard to continuous wave and pulsed RF sources.
• RF radiation test and measurement and the computation and measurement standard
• RF radiation survey exercises
• Review and Assessment

Learning Outcomes

• Attendees able to demonstrate an understanding of RF radiation health effects, and RF radiation safety practices and requirements, as specified in the Australian Standard.
• Attendees able to demonstrate competency with calculations involving RF quantities associated with RF sources, and the application of these calculations to RF surveys.
• Attendees able to demonstrate competency with the measurement of RF radiation quantities.
• Attendees able to demonstrate competency with the application of measured RF quantities to establish hazard distances and the associated uncertainty bounds.

Who should attend

• Ideal for: members of the Australian Defence Force, or other organisations, who are designated Radio Frequency Radiation Safety Officers (RFRSO).

• Prerequisite: competency with basic mathematical calculations.

Instructors

Dr Alistair Drake

Alistair has been undertaking radar-based research for over 40 years. Trained as a physicist, his research interests have been primarily biological. In an 18-y career as a UNSW academic, he taught courses in meteorology and general physics. He developed and maintains the health-effects component of the RFRSO course.

Dr Greg Milford

Dr Greg Milford has had a 20 year career working as a Professional Engineer in various industries involved with RF electronic circuit and systems design and measurement, and a similar length career as a university Academic, engaged in research, teaching and course development. He is also a co-developer of the RFRSO course.

Dr Robert Smith

Robert has had 27 years working as a University Academic, teaching Astronomy and Physics, in particular, the Level 3 Electromagnetism component of the Physics Major. Immediately prior to joining UNSW ADFA he worked in Infrared Astronomical Instrumentation development. For the last 11 years he has been involved in RF Radiation as an Amateur Radio Operator. He developed and maintains the Introduction to RF Radiation and Introduction to the Australian RF Exposure Standard components of the RFRSO course.

Dr John Taylor

John lectured in physics at UNSW Canberra for 24 years teaching across a broad range of subject areas including atmospheric physics and meteorology, underwater acoustics and electromagnetism and optics. His research work focussed on acoustic and electromagnetic instruments for remote sensing of the atmospheric boundary layer. He has been the coordinator of the RFRSO course since its inception and contributes to the practical sections of the course.