NRSB RMS study plan

Define radon and distinguish it from radon progeny (decay products), stating the units used for each (Bq/m³, pCi/L, working level)

Explain the uranium-238 decay chain from radium-226 to radon-222 and identify which step produces the gas versus the alpha-emitting solids

List the three radon isotopes (Rn-222, Rn-220/thoron, Rn-219/actinon) and state their half-lives and typical sources

Describe how radon enters buildings (soil gas, advective and diffusive entry, water supply, building materials) and rank the pathways by typical contribution

Convert between pCi/L and Bq/m³ accurately and state the US action level and WHO reference level with their units

Compare passive and active measurement devices and state which device types suit short-term versus long-term testing

Explain the operating principle of an electret ion chamber, alpha track detector, charcoal canister, and continuous radon monitor

Identify the closed-building conditions required before and during a short-term test and justify each condition physically

Describe proper device placement by room type, height, distance from walls and openings, and number of devices per floor area

List common interferences and error sources (humidity, drafts, HVAC operation, device handling) and describe how each biases results

Walk through the full measurement workflow from client communication and pre-test checklist to device retrieval and chain of custody

Explain spike, blank, and duplicate measurements and state what each controls for in a QA program

Describe how to document a test so results are defensible (field notes, placement sketches, serial numbers, calibration records)

Identify the situations that require a follow-up or long-term test rather than a single short-term result

Draft a client-facing explanation of what a result above the action level means and what steps come next

Interpret calibration certificates: identify reference value, uncertainty, traceability, and calibration due date

Compute a device correction factor from a known-exposure calibration result and apply it to a field reading

Explain the difference between precision and bias and give one measurement example of each

Describe the role of a reference/quality-assurance laboratory and when cross-checks are required

List the elements of a measurement quality assurance plan and map each to the measurement step it controls

State the certification and proficiency requirements that apply to radon measurement professionals and to the devices they deploy

Explain proficiency testing programs: sample types, scoring, and consequences of a failed round

Describe recordkeeping expectations, including how long measurement and calibration records are retained

Outline the ethical and legal duties when reporting results to a client or a real-estate transaction

Identify common compliance failures found in audits and the control that prevents each

Explain radon mitigation fundamentals well enough to interpret a measurement result: sub-slab depressurization, sub-membrane systems, and sealing

Describe how a mitigation system changes indoor radon concentrations and how soon post-mitigation testing should occur

Explain what a post-mitigation test verifies and how it differs from a pre-mitigation diagnostic test

Interpret a continuous monitor's hourly trace: identify diurnal patterns, weather effects, and equipment faults

Recognize the limits of a measurement professional's scope and when to refer to a mitigation specialist

Answer mixed-format practice questions across all measurement subtopics, timing each set to exam pace

Diagnose weak subtopics from practice results and rank them by error rate

Re-derive the unit conversions and correction-factor calculations from memory without notes

Explain in writing the rationale for the most commonly confused distinctions (short- vs long-term, active vs passive, precision vs bias)

Build a personal error log categorizing each mistake as knowledge gap, misread question, or calculation slip

Re-study only the top three weak subtopics from the error log and re-test each to mastery

Complete a full-length timed mock exam under exam conditions with no references

Review every missed item and state the correct reasoning in your own words

Recite the key numbers (half-lives, action levels, conversion factor, closed-building period, placement rules) from memory

Finalize a one-page pre-exam summary sheet limited to facts you personally got wrong during the plan