Nuclear operative

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This apprenticeship is in revision

This revised version of the apprenticeship is in development and provided for information only until a funding band is agreed.

Key information

  1. Status: Standard in development
  2. Ticked Proposal approved
    Ticked Occupational standard approved
    Ticked End-point assessment plan approved
    Unticked Funding approved
  3. Reference: ST0291
  4. Level: 2
  5. Typical duration to gateway: 24 months
  6. Typical EPA period: 3 months
  7. Route: Engineering and manufacturing
  8. Integration: None
  9. Date updated: 09/01/2025
  10. Lars code: 227
  11. EQA provider: Ofqual
  12. Example progression routes:
  13. Review: this apprenticeship will be reviewed in accordance with our change request policy.

Details of the occupational standard

Occupation summary

Nuclear operatives are found in the nuclear sector, which includes power generation, fuel manufacture and storage, reprocessing of nuclear fuel, decommissioning of facilities and equipment, nuclear waste processing and storage. Nuclear operatives carry out safe operations of nuclear plants or facilities. They are also involved in the removal and disposal of nuclear waste materials for decommissioning of nuclear plants or facilities. Nuclear operatives work with cutting-edge technology and make a positive impact on the environment supporting the production of clean energy. 

The broad purpose of nuclear operatives is to conduct surveillance and decommissioning of plant, including operations, monitoring and adjusting of controls, recording data and performance, taking operational samples. Some facilities are in decommissioning phases where nuclear operatives dismantle, remove and dispose of plant and equipment, using state-of-the-art techniques and equipment. Nuclear operatives will perform size reduction, segregation, and packaging of different categorisations of waste in challenging environments, often in full personal and respiratory protective equipment. They will undertake appropriate disposal procedures, ensuring their safe containment, and minimising any potential harm to the environment. Nuclear operatives necessitate the use of innovative methods and equipment where required, with associated practical skills. The working conditions are varied, working on sites running 365-day operations. Nuclear operatives will be required to work individually and as part of a team. Nuclear facilities are highly regulated providing high levels of security for entry of facilities. 

In their daily work, nuclear operatives interact with colleagues and managers, and a premium is placed on demonstrating an understanding of nuclear, radiological and conventional safety, together with the appropriate attitudes and behaviours to ensure apprentices comply with organisational safety and regulatory requirements at all times. They work to national and industry standards conducting best practice modelling the highest standards of professional conduct, ethics and integrity.  They have a strong commitment to personal safety, set out in nuclear industry requirements, and collaborative team working.

Nuclear operatives are responsible for contributing to the safety of the facility, personnel, public and the environment in energy production and decommissioning. This is achieved through disciplined operations, efficient team working, and contributions to problem solving in the deployment of bespoke equipment. 

 

 

Typical job titles include:

Nuclear decommissioning operative Green leaf Nuclear operative Green leaf Nuclear process operative Green leaf Waste technician

Occupation duties

Duty KSBs

Duty 1 Work to nuclear legislative and regulatory procedures in the nuclear environment.

K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 K8 K10 K11 K12 K13 K14 K15 K17 K25 K27 K28 K29 K30 K31 K32

S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S7 S8 S9 S10 S11 S12 S22 S23 S24 S25 S26 S27 S28 S29 S30

B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 B6 B7

Duty 2 Apply radiological and contamination control measures prior to, during and after commencing work.

K1 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 K8 K10 K11 K12 K13 K14 K25 K26 K27 K29 K30 K31 K32

S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S7 S8 S9 S10 S11 S12 S22 S23 S25 S26 S27 S28 S30

B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 B6 B7

Duty 3 Support facility and site contingency plans in the case of incidents or events.

K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 K8 K10 K11 K12 K13 K27 K28 K29 K30 K31 K32

S1 S2 S3 S5 S7 S8 S9 S11 S24 S25 S26 S28 S29 S30

B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 B6 B7

Duty 4 Complete safe systems of working on plant equipment in a nuclear environment.

K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 K8 K10 K11 K12 K13 K14 K25 K26 K27 K28 K29 K30 K31 K32

S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S7 S8 S9 S10 S11 S12 S22 S23 S24 S25 S26 S27 S28 S29 S30

B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 B6 B7

Duty 5 Undertake radiological protection monitoring duties, monitoring plant equipment.

K1 K3 K4 K5 K7 K8 K10 K11 K13 K14 K25 K26 K27 K28 K29 K30 K32

S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S7 S8 S9 S10 S11 S12 S22 S23 S24 S25 S26 S27 S28 S29 S30

B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 B6 B7

Duty 6 Review technical data and documentation. For example, plant operations drawings, decommissioning phases.

K3 K4 K5 K7 K12 K13 K14 K15 K25 K28 K30 K32

S1 S2 S3 S5 S6 S10 S11 S12 S22 S24 S25 S26 S27 S29

B2 B3 B4 B5 B6 B7

Duty 7 Carry out the safe operations of identified minor maintenance activities.

K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 K8 K10 K11 K12 K13 K14 K25 K26 K27 K28 K29 K30 K31 K32

S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S7 S8 S10 S11 S12 S22 S23 S24 S25 S26 S27 S28 S29 S30

B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 B6 B7

Duty 8 Conduct surveillance activities on plant equipment. For example, take and record samples of processes or equipment.

K9 K15 K16 K17 K18

S7 S15 S26

B7

Duty 9 Respond in the event of abnormalities of plant operations.

K9 K16 K17 K18

S7 S13 S14 S15 S16 S17 S26

B7

Duty 10 Operate equipment to move and lift loads.

K1 K2 K4 K5 K7 K10 K13 K14 K21 K25 K26 K27 K29 K30 K31

S1 S2 S4 S5 S7 S11 S12 S22 S23 S25 S26 S27 S28 S29 S30

B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 B6 B7

Duty 11 Undertake isolation and reinstatement of plant equipment.

K2 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 K8 K10 K11 K12 K13 K14 K15 K21 K23 K25 K26 K27 K28 K29 K30 K31 K32

S1 S2 S4 S5 S6 S7 S8 S9 S10 S11 S12 S22 S23 S24 S25 S27 S28 S29 S30

B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 B6 B7

Duty 12 Deploy bespoke equipment for nuclear operations. For example, decommissioning project.

K19 K21 K22 K23 K24

S7 S18 S19 S20 S21

B7

Duty 13 Prepare nuclear waste for disposal.

K19 K20 K21 K22 K23 K24

S7 S18 S20 S21

B7

Duty 14 Handle, dispose and store radiological and hazardous materials following legislative and regulatory guidance.

K19 K20 K21 K22 K24

S7 S18 S19 S20 S21

B7

Duty 15 Conduct waste categorisation in a nuclear environment.

K19 K20 K21 K24

S7 S18 S20 S21

B7

Duty 16 Resolve and report nuclear facilities and equipment issues in line with operational parameters.

K2 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 K8 K10 K11 K12 K13 K14 K17 K21 K22 K23 K25 K27 K28 K29 K30 K31 K32

S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S7 S9 S11 S12 S22 S24 S25 S26 S27 S28 S29

B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 B6 B7

Duty 17 Report and support the progress of work.

K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 K8 K10 K11 K12 K13 K14 K17 K22 K23 K25 K26 K27 K28 K29 K30 K31 K32

S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S7 S8 S9 S10 S11 S12 S22 S23 S24 S25 S26 S27 S28 S29 S30

B2 B3 B4 B5 B6 B7

Duty 18 Participate in continuous improvement activities.

K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 K8 K10 K11 K12 K13 K14 K17 K25 K26 K27 K28 K29 K30 K31 K32

S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S7 S8 S9 S10 S11 S12 S22 S23 S24 S25 S26 S27 S28 S29 S30

B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 B6 B7

KSBs

Knowledge

K1: The nuclear industry function and role of nuclear operatives. Limits of autonomy and reporting channels. Back to Duty

K2: Security clearances and levels of personnel on nuclear licensed sites: basic clearance (BC), security clearance (SC) and developed vetting (DV) enhanced clearance. Back to Duty

K3: Regulatory and legislative guidance: Nuclear Installations Act (NIA); Ionising Radiation Regulations (IRR); Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations (REPPIR); International Commission of Radiological Protection (ICRP); Approved Code of Practice (ACOP). Back to Duty

K4: Health and safety of those working on nuclear licensed sites: nuclear safety, radiological safety, radiation and contamination, confined spaces, Health and safety at work act. Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH). Manual handling. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Pressurised suits. Respiratory Protection Equipment (RPE). Situational awareness. Slips, trips and falls. Safety equipment: guards, signage, fire extinguishers. Safe systems of working. Working at height. Back to Duty

K5: Awareness of safety management systems: standard operating procedures (SOPs) and risk assessments. Principles of As Low As Reasonably Practicable (ALARP). Best Available Technique (BAT). Back to Duty

K6: Environment and sustainability regulations and guidance. Types of pollution and control measures in the nuclear sector, including spills and waste. Waste reduction and waste streams. Recycling and reuse. Sustainable use of equipment and materials. Back to Duty

K7: Awareness of how human performance and human factors affect nuclear safety culture. Back to Duty

K8: Radiation types: non-ionising and ionising radiation, alpha, beta, gamma, x-ray, and neutron. Atomic structure, criticality, fusion, and fission. Back to Duty

K9: Nuclear plant operations: nuclear fuel manufacture and storage, reprocessing of nuclear fuel, waste processing and storage, plant life cycles, commissioning, operations and decommissioning of plant. Back to Duty

K10: Radiological measurement and protection monitoring instruments, for plant equipment. Back to Duty

K11: Emergency response radiological incident contingency plans: emergency environmental radiological releases; critical incident monitoring; forward control points (FCP) and access control points (ACP). Back to Duty

K12: Methods of interpreting and extracting information from technical drawings, data, and documentation. Back to Duty

K13: Minor maintenance activities for plant equipment: radioactive discharges, waste management, environmental control. Back to Duty

K14: Plant equipment configuration, isolation, and reinstatement techniques. Back to Duty

K15: Start up and shutdown procedures of plant equipment. Sequencing of operations. Back to Duty

K16: Common abnormalities in plant equipment operations and corrective action techniques. Back to Duty

K17: Capturing and recording of data techniques, indicating plant equipment performance. Back to Duty

K18: Sampling processes, analysis and technical logs for nuclear systems. Back to Duty

K19: Methods of minimisation, packaging, removal, and transfer of hazardous materials. Back to Duty

K20: Nuclear waste classification and categorisation techniques. Back to Duty

K21: Operating methods for standard or purpose-built equipment relevant to the nuclear operative's role and responsibilities. Back to Duty

K22: Methods of decontaminating plant equipment. Back to Duty

K23: Methods of dismantling plant equipment. Back to Duty

K24: Nuclear waste management solutions and safe disposal in line with types of radioactive waste. Back to Duty

K25: Problem solving techniques for common role related problems. Back to Duty

K26: Lifting and movement of loads: mechanical lifting equipment. Back to Duty

K27: Procedural documentation and reporting requirements of work in progress. Back to Duty

K28: Information technology and digital systems: cyber security, email, management information systems, word processing, work sharing platforms. General data protection regulation (GDPR). Back to Duty

K29: Principles of team working. Back to Duty

K30: Principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace and the impact on their work. Back to Duty

K31: Verbal communication techniques. Back to Duty

K32: Written communication techniques. Back to Duty

Skills

S1: Comply with health and safety and industry regulations and procedures. Back to Duty

S2: Select and use personal protective equipment (PPE) for nuclear operations. For example, use of respiratory protection equipment (RPE) and pressurised suits. Back to Duty

S3: Respond to changes in radiological conditions. Back to Duty

S4: Sets up and maintains work areas including alpha, beta, or gamma. Back to Duty

S5: Follow safety management systems. For example, standard operating procedures (SOPs), safe systems of working, risk assessments, best available technique (BAT) and, As Low As Reasonably Practicable (ALARP). Back to Duty

S6: Comply with environmental and sustainability regulations and procedures. For example, identify and segregate resources for reuse, recycling, and disposal. Back to Duty

S7: Apply human performance and human factors nuclear culture. Back to Duty

S8: Select and use radiological measurement and protection monitoring instruments: for example, smear paper, handheld radiation, and contamination rate meters, installed and portable air samplers. Back to Duty

S9: Comply with emergency response plans; carry out critical incident monitoring; use forward control points (FCP) and access control points (ACP) to respond and recover from nuclear incidents. Back to Duty

S10: Interpret and use technical documentation. For example, drawings and data. Back to Duty

S11: Conduct minor maintenance activities on plant equipment. For example, safe removal of radioactive discharge, waste management, and spillages. Back to Duty

S12: Configure, isolate, and reinstate plant equipment. Back to Duty

S13: Conduct sequential start up and shutdown of plant equipment. Back to Duty

S14: Monitor and record data for plant indications or conditions of plant equipment. Back to Duty

S15: Carry out surveillance of plant to ensure safety critical operations. Back to Duty

S16: Identify abnormalities in plant equipment operations and conduct corrective actions. Back to Duty

S17: Carry out sampling operations. Back to Duty

S18: Decontaminate radioactive plant or materials in readiness for storage and disposal. Back to Duty

S19: Dismantle plant equipment. Back to Duty

S20: Remove and transfer hazardous materials to designated waste classification and storage locations. Back to Duty

S21: Operate standard, or purpose-built equipment relevant to the nuclear operative's role and responsibilities. Back to Duty

S22: Apply problem-solving techniques to common role related problems. Back to Duty

S23: Operate mechanical lifting equipment for moving loads. Back to Duty

S24: Use information technology and digital systems prioritising cyber security. Comply with GDPR, for example, digital communication. Back to Duty

S25: Apply team working principles. Back to Duty

S26: Follow equity, diversity, and inclusion rules. Back to Duty

S27: Record and document daily operations and work progress. For example, radiological protection monitoring data, isolation and reinstating of plant equipment. Back to Duty

S28: Communicate verbally with colleagues and managers using industry terminology. Back to Duty

S29: Communicate in writing with colleagues and managers. Back to Duty

S30: Carry out and record learning and development activities. Back to Duty

Behaviours

B1: Put health and safety first. Back to Duty

B2: Take ownership of own work and responsibilities. Back to Duty

B3: Respond and adapt to changing work requests. Back to Duty

B4: Demonstrate team focus to meet team goals. Back to Duty

B5: Consider human performance and human factors principles in the workplace. Back to Duty

B6: Support an inclusive workplace, being respectful of different views. Back to Duty

B7: Seek learning and development opportunities, continual professional development (CPD). Back to Duty

Qualifications

English and Maths

English and maths qualifications must be completed in line with the apprenticeship funding rules.

Professional recognition

This standard aligns with the following professional recognition:

  • Nuclear Institute for Associate
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Version log

Version Change detail Earliest start date Latest start date
Revised version awaiting implementation Not set Not set
1.0 Approved for delivery 22/01/2018 Not set
Employers involved in creating the standard: AWE, Cavendish Nuclear, Cogent, EDF Energy, Gen2, LLWR, Magnox Ltd, NNL, NSAN, Nuclear Institute, Sellafield, Westinghouse, Wood plc

Crown copyright © 2025. You may re-use this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. Visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence

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