The American Portable Nuclear Gauge Association (APNGA) was established to serve portable nuclear gauge (moisture density gauge) owners and users. This web based association is designed to assist members on regulatory and industry issues and training. It also strives to strengthen the communications bridge between regulatory agencies and licensees and to liaise with the media and federal and state officials (politicians) to provide a better understanding of the benefits of moisture density gauges.

Goals of the association are to provide information, resources, communications, guidance and clarification to both industry and non-industry interested parties. There are sections available on the APNGA website designed to educate the media, the public, Emergency Response and Law Enforcement. For industry, information on gauge product and service options will help guide buying decisions.

The depth and breadth of regulations and information related to portable nuclear gauges renders it virtually impossible to gather everything that could be covered. One must realize that there are too many variations of regulations between federal and state regulations to offer one definitive version. So while we don’t purport to have 100% of the answers we will do our best to cover the main issues. And for those answers we don’t have we offer the “Ask A Question” contact form as well as links to regulatory agencies and other pertinent providers of portable nuclear gauge related information.

One should not consider the materials on the APNGA website to be definitive or authoritative. This material is intended to be complementary to the regulatory agencies and their regulations. The Gauge Safety Course is fully accepted by all 50 states, along with all other courses and tutorials, including the USDOT HAZMAT Refresher, RSO Class,Annual Employee Refresher and the Do-It-Yourself Annual Audit.  A full list of classes and the states that accept these classes can be viewed on the apnga.com home page or on our course catalog page.

It is also the goal of APNGA is to use this training material and website to better acquaint and direct you to the regulatory agencies and their websites and materials. Remember, your regulatory agency is there to help you. You should never hesitate to contact them. They know the regulatory responsibility can at times be cumbersome and confusing. They will help you.

The APNGA courses, tutorials and materials allow the worker to better prepare, learn, absorb and revisit the materials while the “Ask A Question” contact form and “FAQ’s” sections will serve to clarify or answer additional questions you may have.

Because access is available on any terminal or laptop the viewer can train in their actual work setting and directly relate the training materials to their workplace, including the storage area, security, posters, procedural documents, forms, dosimetry locations and service facilities. They can directly interact with the RSO, senior staff and operators for help in clarifying the materials. This includes direct guidance and observation of the gauge(s) and methodologies in use by the company. APNGA courses require and allow the RSO to be more interactive with their authorized users.

APNGA training materials are more comprehensive than other classes, but that does not mean it is more difficult to understand. The writing is designed to communicate to all viewers and much of the material can be translated into numerous foreign languages with a click of the mouse.

A key goal of APNGA is to help reduce the number of violations associated with the portable nuclear gauge industry. By doing so it may serve to prevent further restrictions on gauge licensing and use.

You can do your part in educating the media and public, especially after an incidence of gauge damage or theft, by directing these individuals to the informative free materials on the website. There are Media Information Sheets available on the website that can be printed for distribution to reporters or the local press. You can likewise notify APNGA so we might respond to any exaggerated coverage of these incidents. Remember, your radiation safety program is only as good as your least trained individual.

George Marshall
APNGA Director