Yes! Since the EPA is discontinuing its listing service as of September 30, 1999, and has not accepted any new listings since August 31st, 1998, the National Radon Safety Board has offered NRSB certification to all people listed with EPA as of August 31st, 1998 and will send out renewal information based upon EPA renewal dates.

What will NRSB Certification cost?

The cost of certification is $75/year (or $130 for two years). The costs for laboratory and chamber accreditation, and measurement device approvals, will be determined during the course of the coming year.

Will the NRSB offer training?

No. The NRSB will not offer any training, but will certify training courses and provide lists of approved course providers to applicants. All EPA recognized training courses will be recognized for the purpose of NRSB certification and new courses by qualified trainers will be encouraged. Fees will be set by the training providers.

As part of its privatization program, EPA agreed in June of 1998 to release its exam data base for continuation of radon certification, and the National Radon Safety Board had made plans for the continued administration of these exams. As of this writing (June, 1999), EPA has still not released the data base.

Yes! In the absence of the EPA exam database, the National Radon Safety Board has developed exams for technicians, specialists, and mitigators.

What are the costs of NRSB exams?

Because the National Radon Safety Board offers exams compiled by radon professionals on a volunteer basis, there are no charges or royalties paid for the exams themselves. A nominal processing fee is charged for administration of the exam, and a proctoring fee may be required by the exam proctor (which would be set by the proctor and would vary in cost).

The National Radon Safety Board is a bona fide non-profit organization run entirely by volunteers. It maintains no office, has no office overhead, pays no staff salaries, and receives no commissions for its exams or training. The NRSB contracts with an independent administrative service provider (i.e., a service provider with no ties to the NRSB or any of its Directors) for the processing of inquiries, certification applications and the oversight or exams. This assures applicants of prompt and professional service.

The administrative service provider receives 85% of all certification fees. The NRSB retains 15% of the fees for necessary expenses such as corporate fees, accounting, and insurance.

The NRSB certifies individuals as either measurement technicians (RMT) or specialists (RMS), based upon their training and knowledge. To be certified as an RMS an individual must have the knowledge or testing procedures that was required for EPA’s analytic service providers. However, this is appropriate only for an individual providing analytic services, such as the use of continuous radon monitors. If a laboratory is providing these services, or if an individual is acting as a laboratory by analyzing devices for a third party, they should be accredited as a laboratory.

Yes. The National Radon Safety Board will post sample quality assurance programs on its website for public use. All information on the website can be downloaded at no expense. Paper copies of documents will be offered at a nominal cost.

Photo identification cards will be provided to applicants who request them.

Of course. The purpose of the National Radon Safety Board is to provide an assurance to the public that it can trust its radon service providers. The NRSB logo is free for use by anyone certified, accredited, or approved by the National Radon Safety Board.

The NRSB is neither a trade association for the radon industry nor a constituent outreach group for health policy. Those functions are performed by AARST -- the American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists -- and by EPA’s Cooperative Partners. The National Radon Safety Board provides public assurance that radon service providers meet high standards of technical expertise and professionalism.

How do I contact the NRSB?