100+ Free NRSB RMS Practice Questions

Basic Concepts: Radiation and Radon Sources

Uranium-238 decay chain and radon-222 (3.82-day half-life), radium-226 parent, short-lived progeny polonium-218 through polonium-214, measurement units (pCi/L, Bq/m3, Working Level), equilibrium ratio near 50%, indoor 1.3 pCi/L vs outdoor 0.4 pCi/L averages, soil-gas entry routes, and stack-effect building dynamics

Health Effects

Alpha radiation dose to the bronchial epithelium from inhaled progeny, BEIR VI miner cohorts and pooled residential studies, EPA's ~21,000 annual lung cancer death estimate, synergistic smoking interaction (62 vs 7 per 1,000 lifetime risk at 4 pCi/L), and waterborne radon's 10,000:1 air transfer ratio

Radon Test Methods and Devices

Test purposes (screening, follow-up, diagnostic, post-mitigation, maintenance), short-term vs long-term durations, charcoal canisters and liquid scintillation vials, CR-39 alpha track detectors, electret ion chambers with gamma and elevation corrections, continuous radon and working level monitors, grab sampling with Lucas cells, the modified Kusnetz method, LLD, and the 25% individual relative error accuracy criterion

Test Placement, Protocols and Conditions

Closed-building conditions beginning 12 hours before tests shorter than 4 days, placement at 20 inches height, 3 feet from doors/windows and 1 foot from exterior walls, prohibited rooms, lowest-occupiable-level selection, seasonal and diurnal variation, severe-weather restrictions, real estate simultaneous and sequential test averaging, CRM 48-hour minimums, interference controls, ANSI/AARST MAH-2023 and MA-MFLB-2023 requirements, and interpretation against the 4 pCi/L action level

Mitigation Basics

Active soil depressurization as the primary technique, sealing as an adjunct only, discharge-point rules above the roof eave, aeration vs granular activated carbon for waterborne radon, post-mitigation verification no sooner than 24 hours of operation and within 30 days, and 2-year retest recommendations

Quality Assurance and Laboratory Relations

Designing a written QAP with calibration, duplicates (10%, RPD tracking), field blanks (5%), and spikes (3%, minimum 3 per year), annual CRM calibration, chain-of-custody documentation, charcoal decay corrections using the 3.82-day half-life, laboratory accreditation, and corrective action procedures

Professional Practice, Clients and Government Role

Risk communication using EPA comparative-risk framing, conflict-of-interest disclosure, client confidentiality, the NRSB code of ethics and data integrity, the Indoor Radon Abatement Act of 1988, the EPA Map of Radon Zones, state licensing requirements, worker protection plans with WLM exposure tracking, and the scope distinction between RMS and RMT credentials