15. Transport and movement of radioactive substances
Contents
15.2 Movement of Radioactive Substances
15.3 Transport of Radioactive Substances
15.4 General Packaging Requirements for Excepted Packages
15.5 Transport Documents/labelling Requirements for Excepted Packages
15.6 Meeting packaging Requirements for Excepted Packages
15.7 Transport of Type A Packages and Other Types
15.1 Definitions
'Movement' shall be taken to mean all movements of radioactive substances by hand inside a University building and outside a University building, so long as the movement is not in a public place.
'Transport' shall be taken to mean all movements of radioactive substances through a public place, whether on a conveyance or not. This, therefore, includes movements by hand through a public place.
'Radioactive Substance' in relation to movement is covered by the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1999.
'Radioactive Substance' in relation to transport is covered by the Radioactive Materials (Road Transport) Act 1991 and regulations enacted under it and means any substance having an activity concentration of more than 70 Bq g -1.
15.2 Movement of Radioactive Substances
It is not permissible to take a vial, flask or sample tube containing radioactive substances from one laboratory to another without first putting it in a suitable receptacle.
A suitable receptacle must provide adequate shielding for the person carrying it, and be robust enough not to break on being dropped. If there is the possibility of a spill, then sufficient absorbent material should be enclosed in the receptacle to contain it, or the receptacle should be adequately sealed to prevent leakage.
The following containers, or combinations of them, could be considered suitable:-
(a) a screw top plastic or metal container - Amersham cans ideal;
(b) a plastic snap top container;
(c) a push fit plastic or metal container adequately taped up;
(d) a lead pot adequately taped up (would require absorbent packing for liquids in glass vials if used on its own); and
(e) for sealed sources, the lockable money boxes already in use would be suitable.
Although the radioactive substance itself should be adequately labelled, no additional information or specific labelling of the receptacle is required for the movement of radioactive substances. However, if the material is likely to remain in its receptacle for some time, or left unattended, then some indication of its contents would be advisable.
Any packaging/receptacle used for the transport of excepted or Type A packages in line with IAEA Regulations 1996 can be taken to be suitable for the movement of a radioactive substance.
15.3 Transport of Radioactive Substances
These guidelines are intended for the transport of limited quantities of radioactive materials by road or by hand when in a public place. For transport by air or post, special authorisation may be required, and you should contact Radiation Protection Services well in advance so that the necessary arrangements can be made.
Radioactive material in liquid or solid form with an activity not exceeding that specified in Table 15.1 may be transported as an excepted package, providing the packaging and documentation requirements are met in full. When the amount of radioactive material exceeds the figures in Table 15.1, or the dose rate at the surface of the package exceeds 5µSvh-1 then the material must be transported in a Type A package.
You should find that the vast majority of radioactive substances that need to be transported around the University or to another establishment can be transported as excepted packages.
TABLE 15.1 - Activity Limits for Excepted Packages
| Radionuclide | Ordinary Solid Form* | Liquid Form |
| Am-241 |
0.2 MBq |
20 kBq |
| C-14 |
2 GBq |
200 MBq |
| Ca-45 |
0.9 GBq | 90 MBq |
| Cl-36 |
0.5 GBq | 50 MBq |
| Co-57 |
8 GBq | 800 MBq |
| Co-60 |
0.4 GBq | 40 MBq |
| Cr-51 |
30 GBq | 3 GBq |
| Cs-137 |
0.5 GBq | 50 MBq |
| Fe-55 |
40 GBq | 4 GBq |
| Fe-59 |
0.8 GBq | 80 MBq |
| H-3 |
40 GBq | 4 GBq |
| In-111 |
2 GBq | 200 MBq |
| I-125 |
2 GBq | 200 MBq |
| I-129 |
- Unlimited - |
- Unlimited - |
| I-131 |
0.5 GBq | 50 MBq |
| K-42 |
0.2 GBq | 20 MBq |
| Kr-85 |
10 GBq | 1 GBq |
| Na-22 |
0.5 GBq | 50 MBq |
| Na-24 |
0.2 GBq | 20 MBq |
| Ni-63 |
30 GBq | 3 GBq |
| P-32 |
0.3 GBq | 30 MBq |
| Pb-210 |
9 MBq |
0.9 MBq |
| Ra-226 |
20 MBq |
2 MBq |
| Rb-86 |
0.3 GBq | 30 MBq |
| S-35 |
2 GBq | 200 MBq |
| Sc-46 |
0.5 GBq | 50 MBq |
| Se-75 |
3 GBq | 300 MBq |
| Sn-119 m |
40 GBq | 4 GBq |
| Sr-90 |
100 MBq |
10 MBq |
| Tc-99m |
8 GBq | 800 MBq |
| Th(natural) | - Unlimited - | - Unlimited - |
| U-238 | - Unlimited - | - Unlimited - |
| U(natural) | - Unlimited - | - Unlimited - |
| Zn-65 | 2 GBq | 200 MBq |
* For transport of special form solid radioactive materials, there are higher limits. Contact URPA if you require further information on other excepted package limits.
For transport of instruments containing radioactive sources, the limits are x 10 the above limits for solid and liquid forms. For gases the limits are the same as those specified for ordinary solid form.
15.4 General Packaging Requirements for Excepted Packages
(a) When necessary, shielding should be provided to ensure that the dose rate at the surface of the excepted package does not exceed 5µSvh-1
For instruments or articles, there is the additional restriction that the dose rate 10 cm from any point on the external surface of any unpackaged instrument or article is not greater than 0.1mSv h-1
(b) Non-fixed contamination on the external surface of the excepted package shall not exceed:-
- 0.4 Bq cm-2 for beta, gamma and low toxicity alpha emitters, e.g. natural Uranium and thorium; and
- 0.04 Bq cm-2 for all other alpha emitters.
(c) The package shall bear the marking "Radioactive" on an internal surface in such a manner that a warning of the presence of radioactive material is visible on opening the package.
(d) The package shall be so designed in relation to its mass, volume and shape that it can be easily and safely handled and retain its contents under conditions likely to be encountered in routine transport (e.g. taking into account acceleration, vibration, braking etc.)
(e) As far as practicable, the packaging shall be so designed and finished that the external surfaces are free from protruding features and can be easily decontaminated.
(f) As far as practicable, the outer layer of the package shall be so designed as to prevent the collection and retention of water.
(g) Any features added to the package at the time of transport, which are not part of the package, shall not reduce its safety.
(h) The materials of the packaging and any components or structures shall be physically and chemically compatible with each other and with the radioactive contents. Account shall be taken of their behaviour under irradiation, when applicable.
(i) In addition to the radioactive properties, any other dangerous properties of the contents, such as explosiveness, flammability, pyrophoricity, chemical toxicity and corrosiveness, shall be taken into account in the packing. (Also note any additional labelling requirements etc. that might be required by the relevant Transport Regulations for dangerous goods).
(j) A written record of the transport of radioactive waste should be kept on the form in Appendix 34
15.5 Transport Documents/Labelling Requirements for Excepted Packages
(a) All items and materials transported as excepted packages shall be described in the transport documents as "RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL, EXCEPTED PACKAGE", and shall include the United Nations Number "2910" and the proper shipping name of the substance, as appropriate, e.g. LIMITED QUANTITY OF MATERIAL, INSTRUMENTS OR ARTICLES.
(b) There should be details of the consignor and consignee, the date of shipment and a signed declaration by the consignor .
(c) The information that should accompany an excepted package being transported should include:-
- a description of the radioactive substance, e.g. the radioisotope, its quantity and physical form etc.; and
- any additional information which would be required to enable the person opening it to do so safely.
It is recommended that an appropriate label be used (see Appendix 33 - samples available from Environmental, Health and Safety Services), appropriately filled in, attached to the external surface of the excepted package. Any additional information that is required could be in an accompanying letter, or as a technical note to be found immediately on opening the package (i.e. before gaining access to any containment system inside the package).
If you are taking an isotope to use at another establishment, please ensure that the transfer is recorded on the isotope record form and that you give details of the transfer to the person responsible for record keeping at that establishment (See form in Appendix 34).
For shipping to another establishment via an authorised transport company, the excepted package may itself be packed in a cardboard box for ease of handling and addressing etc. In this case, there will be no mention of the contents on the outside of the final package.
There is no requirement for the placarding of vehicles, either internally or externally, when transporting excepted amounts of radioactive material.
Before transporting any radioactive material by car, you should check to see that this does not invalidate your car insurance policy.
15.6 Meeting the Packaging Requirements for Excepted Packages
The screw top cans now used by Amersham are ideal for re-use, as are some of the moulded polystyrene blocks used by other manufacturers. Alternatively, polythene/polypropylene bottles or jars with screw fitting or other tight fitting lids, might prove useful.
15.7 Transport of Type A Packages and other types
If there is a need to transport packages which exceed the excepted package limits then further guidance can be found by contacting Radiation Protection Services.
15.8 Driver Training
The Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (Driver Training) Regulations 1996 contain special provisions relating to the carriage of radioactive material.
Those people who are only involved in the transport of excepted packages are not affected as there is no legal requirement for training - it is at the discretion of the employer.
Those people transporting excepted packages and up to 10 Type A packages at any one time require training and must hold a certificate provided by the employer confirming that they have received suitable instruction and training.
Such driver training will be provided to all those who require it.