Radioactive material transport Flashcards
What are the requirements under IIR17 for the transport of radioactive materials?
- Transport is deemed as a ‘practice’ under IRR17 and, therefore, requires notification/registration/consent depending on the activity being transported.
- Risk assessment.
- Management system.
- Emergency arrangements.
Who regulates the Carriage of Dangerous Good Regulations 2019 (CDG)?
Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR).
What is ADR?
European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Good by Road 2023.
Which duty holders are defined in CDG regulations?
- Consignor: Sender of radioactive materials.
- Carrier: Transporter of radioactive materials.
- Consignee: Receiver of radioactive material.
- Driver transporting radioactive material.
- Packer: Packages radioactive material.
- Dangerous Good Safety Advisor (DGSA): Advises on how to comply with regulations.
Which regulations require a management system for the transport of radioactive materials? What should these cover?
IRR17 and CDG require a management system. It should cover all operations associated with the movement of radioactive materials:
- Inspection and maintenance of packaging.
- Certificate of packaging design spec.
- Documentation used for radioactive material transport.
- Vehicle equipment and placarding.
- Emergency planning (e.g. for accident, loss, theft etc.).
- Driver training.
- Radiation protection programme.
Which regulations require emergency arrangements to be made? When should they be made? What should happen annually after they have been made?
- IRR17.
- Should be made before any transport occurs.
- They should be reviewed, revised and tested.
What must be provided to any employee involved with an emergency plan?
- Suitable and sufficient information, instruction and training.
- Equipment necessary to restrict exposure.
What are the driver’s responsibilities with regards to emergency arrangements?
- Carry out the emergency plan.
- Notify the emergency services, relevant local authority, consignor and consignee.
- Assist in the handling of a radiation emergency.
What are the carrier and consignors responsibilities with regards to emergency arrangements?
- Make a provisional assessment of the emergency.
- Consult/notify: Emergency services, relevant local authority (council), health authority (NHS), National Health Commissioning Board, UKHSA and competent authority (ONR).
- Assist in the handling of a radiation emergency.
- Consignor must notify ONR if emergency plan is initiated, even if no action is taken thereafter.
- Carrier must arrange for examination of the load if contamination expected. If contamination has occurred, they must arrange for safe disposal/contamination.
Which duty holders are typically trained in relation to the transport of radioactive materials? Who delivers the training? What does it include? What happens at the end of training?
- Drivers/carriers and sometimes packers?
- The clinical scientist will typically deliver the training.
- Include: General requirements of ADR for dangerous goods, safe handling of different packages, how to restrict exposure (e.g. time/distance/shielding/PPE), emergency response etc.
- Training record and certificate of training provided.
What are the main package types for radioactive materials and how do these depend on activity?
In order of increasing activity:
- Exempt.
- Excepted.
- Type A.
How is an exempt package type determined? What are the requirements of exempt packages?
- Tables in ADR recommendations provide activity limits for different materials.
- Exempt materials are not covered by ADR/CDG and can be transported however.
How is an excepted package type determined?
- Surface dose rate must be less than 5 microSv/hr.
- Tables in ADR recommendations provide activity limits for different materials and these depend on the form of the material.
- 400 MBq excepted package limit for liquid etc.
What is the activity range and surface dose rate for a type A package of liquid form? What does this mean for most nuclear medicine packages?
- 400 MBq - 4 TBq.
- < 10mSv/hr surface dose rate.
- Most nuclear medicine packages are type A packages.
What are the requirements of a type A package? What tests do they have to undergo and how often?
- Type A packages should be: Hard wearing, easily carried and secured, easily decontaminated, no collection/retention of liquid, physically and chemically compatible with radioactive content etc.
- Annual tests include: Water spray for one hour to simulate rainfall, freefall from 9 m on to flat surface, stacked with at least 5x the weight of the package and penetration test by dropping metal bar vertically onto package.
