The Risk Assessment Information System

Training Opportunities ~ Spring 2020

**CANCELLED U.S EPA and RAIS Screening Level Calculator Training for Chemical and Radionuclide Risk Analysis CANCELLED**

Location: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

Meeting Dates: April 14-17, 2020

Topics:
human health risk assessment, U.S. EPA guidance, cancer risk, hazard index, exposure assessment, toxicity assessment, risk characterization, regional screening Levels (RSLs), regional removal management levels (RMLs), vapor intrusion screening levels (VISL), radionuclide preliminary remediation goals for radionuclides (PRGSs), radionuclide dose compliance calculators (DCCs), the risk assessment information system (RAIS), RSL/RML app.

Registration is now open. Please click here.

Organizers:

  • Fred Dolislager, The Institute for Environmental Modeling, Univ. of Tenn. and Oak Ridge National Laboratory
  • Leslie Galloway, The Institute for Environmental Modeling, Univ. of Tenn. and Oak Ridge National Laboratory
  • Debra Stewart, The Institute for Environmental Modeling, Univ. of Tenn. and Oak Ridge National Laboratory
  • Karessa Manning, The Institute for Environmental Modeling, Univ. of Tenn. and Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Objectives:
The Institute for Environmental Modeling (TIEM) team has been publishing online "risk" (cancer risk and hazard index) calculators for over twenty years; this training will foremost provide the participant with operational knowledge of key TIEM calculators. Additionally, the training and exercises will delve into the ability of the calculators to address site-specific exposures, unique toxicity assessments, and complex risk characterizations. Comprehensive instruction will demonstrate the ability to provide all the tables necessary for exposure, toxicity, characterization, and uncertainty assessment sections of a risk assessment with the calculators. Instruction into the details of the equations will enlighten users on how the calculators handle the following special cases: mutagens, vinyl chloride, trichloroethylene, arsenic, dioxin-like PCBs, PAHs, skin absorption factors, volatile chemicals in soil, volatile chemicals in tap water, petroleum hydrocarbons, surrogate toxicity values, soil saturation, and soil screening levels protective of contaminant migration to groundwater. Participants will learn to adjust standard chronic land uses to subchronic exposures. Participants will learn to retrieve and analyze the physicochemical properties and evaluate the hierarchy used to assemble the database. Participants will learn to retrieve and analyze the toxicity value hierarchy used in the screening level and risk calculators. In addition to a large focus on developing risk-based screening levels, participants will derive "forward" risk results from the EPA screening calculators and use the RAIS calculators to generate chronic daily intakes and risk results. At the end of each day, several practice sessions will reinforce the use of calculator functions. Practice sessions will become more challenging as the course progresses, helping participants solidify their risk assessment skills. Also presented will be TIEM's release of the RSL/RML app (currently in development).

  • Day 1: Registration at ORNL and half day of tours at ORNL including visiting the Spallation Neutron Source facility and the High Flux Isotope Reactor.
  • Day 2: First day of training on chemical tools and a tour of either the world's fastest supercomputer (Summit) or the Historic Graphite Reactor.
  • Day 3: Second day of training on chemical tools and a tour of either the supercomputer (Summit) or the Historic Graphite Reactor.
  • Day 4: Optional day that covers radiation risk assessment. To attend the fourth day, participants must attend the chemical training or receive prior permission from the training instructors. Day 4 will be fast-paced, and the calculator operational topics from the chemical training days will not be repeated.

This training is primarily intended for fresh and seasoned environmental professionals working on risk assessment projects at the Federal or State level. The risk calculators covered in this training are used by many State government agencies, Federal agencies, and university staff and researchers. Participants, educators, and project managers will also benefit from the training. A very basic knowledge of risk assessment, computer usage, web browsing, and good manners is assumed.

Continuing Education Credit Estimates:
Chemical risk tools = 1.7 credits (Days 1-3); Radionuclide risk tools = 0.7 credits (Day 4)
CEUs are based on the University of Tennessee CEU policy of 1 CEU = 10 hours of classroom instruction.

Previous Course Evaluations:
March 2019 and October 2019

Requirements:
Bring your laptop! This is a hands-on course, and participants will be following the instructors click for click. Don't forget your charger. Instructors will be presenting all calculators using Chrome, so make sure Chrome is available on your laptop. Not required, but useful would be spreadsheet software and a PDF viewer. Wi-Fi will be provided.

Activities:
Social events will be planned for some of the evenings.

Logistics:
It is recommended to reserve one of the many hotels in Oak Ridge. Knoxville may be tempting because it is close and larger, but the morning traffic into Oak Ridge is unpredictable and typically a horrible mess. The closest airport is McGhee Tyson (TYS)
Getting to ORNL
Maps and Directions
Note:There is no public transportation to ORNL because of the guard gates. You will need a vehicle. The visitor parking area, right in front of the training facility, will be reserved for the first 15 participants.

Registration Deadlines*:

  • Final day for Foreign Nationals - March 20, 2020
  • Final day for U.S. Citizens - April 1, 2020

*Minimum number of participants must be met by March 16, 2020.

Registration Fees**:

  • 4-day Training (includes site tours on Day 1, chemical tools and optional radiation risk on Day 4) - $1450
  • 3-day Training (tour day and chemical risk tools) - $1100
  • 2-day Training (chemical tools only) - $750
  • 1-day Training (radiation risk only) - $400

**All fees include light snacks and beverage service throughout the day. Lunch will be at the ORNL cafeteria and payment responsible by the attendee. The cafeteria provides a wide assortment to accomodate any dietary needs. Contact us with any questions.

Schedule of Day 1 Tours

  • 11:00 a.m. Register at Visitor Center
  • 12:00 p.m. Lunch at cafeteria
  • 1:00 p.m. Tour SNS
  • 3:00 p.m. Tour HFIR
  • 4:30 p.m. Dismiss

Schedule of Day 2 Training

  • 8:30 a.m. Welcome and Introductory Remarks
  • 8:45 a.m. Regional Screening Levels Background and Suppo
  • 10:00 a.m. Break (Beverage Service and Snacks)
  • 10:15 a.m. Regional Screening Levels Calculator
  • 12:00 p.m. Lunch
  • 1:00 p.m. Tour of Summit
  • 1:45 p.m. Resume Regional Screening Levels Calculator
  • 2:30 p.m. Break (Beverage Service and Snacks)
  • 2:45 p.m. Resume Regional Screening Levels Calculator
  • 3:30 p.m. Regional Removal Management Levels
  • 3:45 p.m. Q&A with ORNL staff
  • 4:15 p.m. Practice Exercises for RSL and RML
  • 5:00 p.m. Dismiss

Outline of Day 2 Training

  1. Historical Perspective of RSLs
  2. Understanding Changes Over time (What's New)
  3. Getting Support (FAQ, Contact Information)
  4. User Guide Special Cases
    1. Mutagens
    2. Trichloroethylene
    3. Vinyl Chloride
    4. Arsenic
  5. RSL Calculator
    1. Resident, Worker, Construction, Recreator, Migration to Groundwater
    2. Water, Soil, Air, Fish
  6. Historical Perspective of RMLs
  7. Understanding Changes over time (What's New)
  8. Getting Support (FAQ, Contact Information)
  9. RML Calculator
    1. Focus on Resident and Worker
    2. Water and Soil
  10. RSL and RML Practice Sessions

Schedule of Day 3 Training

  • 8:30 a.m. Vapor Intrusion Screening Levels Background and Supporting Documentation
  • 9:15 a.m. Vapor Intrusion Screening Levels Calculator
  • 10:00 a.m. Break (Beverage Service and Snacks)
  • 10:15 a.m. Practice Sessions for Vapor Intrusion Screening Levels Calculator
  • 11:15 a.m. Risk Assessment Information System Overview
  • 12:00 p.m. Lunch
  • 1:00 p.m. Tour of Graphite Reactor
  • 1:45 p.m. Risk Assessment Information System Calculators
  • 2:30 p.m. Break (Beverage Service and Snacks)
  • 2:45 p.m. Practice Sessions for RAIS Calculators
  • 5:00 p.m. Dismiss

Outline of Day 3 Training

  1. Historical Perspective of VISL
  2. Understanding Changes Over time (What's New)
  3. Getting Support (FAQ, Contact Information)
  4. VISL User Guide Special Cases
    1. Mutagens
    2. Trichloroethylene
    3. Vinyl Chloride
    4. Arsenic
  5. VISL Calculator
    1. Resident, Worker
    2. Water, Soil, Air
  6. RAIS Calculators
    1. PRGs
    2. Risk Calculators
    3. Toxicity Search Tools
    4. Chemical Parameter Search Tools
    5. Adult lead model
    6. Applicable or Relevant and Appropriate Requirements (ARARs)
  7. VISL and RAIS Practice Sessions

Schedule of Day 4 Training (Radiation Calculators)

  • 8:30 a.m. Introduction to Radiation
  • 9:00 a.m. PRG Calculator
  • 10:00 a.m. Break (Beverage Service and Snacks)
  • 10:15 a.m. DCC Calculator
  • 11:00 a.m. BRG/BDCC Calculator
  • 12:00 p.m. Lunch
  • 1:00 p.m. SPRG/SDCC
  • 1:45 p.m. Risk Assessment Information System Radiation Calculators
  • 2:30 p.m. Break (Beverage Service and Snacks)
  • 2:45 p.m. Q&A with ORNL staff
  • 3:00 p.m. Practice Sessions for RAIS Radiation Calculators
  • 5:00 p.m. Dismiss

Outline of Day 4 Training

  1. Radiation Risk Assessment
  2. Radiation Risk Assessment Introduction Video
  3. PRG Calculator
    1. Resident, Worker, Construction, Recreator, Farmer
    2. Air, Water, Soil, Food
  4. DCC Calculator
  5. Building PRG and Building DCC Calculators
    1. Dust, Air, Indoor Building
  6. Surfaces PRG and Surfaces DCC Calculators
    1. Dust, Air, Outdoor Surfaces
  7. RAIS Radiation Tools
    1. PRG
    2. Risk
    3. Decay

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