James Cairns

Position

Radiation Protection Adviser

Qualifications

BSc (Hons) Marine Biology – University of St. Andrews
MSc. Radiation in Industry, the Environment and Medicine – University of St. Andrews
MSc. Radiation and Environmental Protection - University of Surrey
Holder of RPA Certificate of Competence issued under the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1999
Chartered Radiation Protection Professional
Member of the Society for Radiological Protection

Experience

After graduating from the University of St. Andrews, James joined Suffolk College on a 2 year BNFL funded contract to develop training materials for their radiation protection scheme. Upon completion of the contract, James joined the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston and over the next 5 years was the operational health physicist for both the commissioning and decommissioning of various radiological facilities at the Aldermaston site. In 1998 he moved to the off-site response division at AWE, later to become the National Nuclear Security Division where he provided safety and radiological support to the Nuclear Accident Response Organisation. In 2000, he became focused on radiological terrorism and was appointed the first Radiation Protection Adviser for the UK police service in 2003.

Whilst in this position James provided radiological support and advice at a number of high profile public events and incidents. In 2006, he identified with a colleague the presence of Polonium-210 in the body of Alexander Litvinenko and as the police Radiation Protection Adviser was at the forefront of the ensuing investigation including briefings to senior police officers and civil servants. James has presented at a number of national and international conferences on radiological terrorism and radiological search including the University of St Andrews, the National Police Search Centre and the National Police CBRN Centre.

Key Skills

Experienced Radiation Protection Adviser (RPA)
Nuclear Security and Radiological Terrorism
Search and Detection of Radiological Material
Delivery of radiation training including the development of training methodologies