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Radiation Safety Program

Transportation of Dangerous Goods

Class 7 – Shipping

Radiation Safety Office (Central Zone)QEII Bethune Building Room 2441276 South Park StreetHaifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 2Y9

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Introduction

The following presentation....

• Provides information on packaging and shipping Class 7 Radioactive Material

• Acts as a refresher for staff working in areas where radioactive material is packaged or shipped

• Serves as part of a radiation safety orientation program for new employees

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Key Objectives

• Understand the Transportation of Dangerous Goods requirements for Class 7 Radioactive Packages.

• Identify the requirements for packaging radioactive material for Class 7 shipment.

• Identify the documentation required for Class 7 shipments.

• State the differences between ground and air requirements for Class 7 packages.

• Understand the classification, different package limits and shipping requirements for radioactive packages.

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Correct Labels

radiation warning

shipping address

packing documents

Identified Activity Limits

Correct Package Type

Excepted Package

Type A Package

Tamper proof seal

Shipping Requirements

All shippers are required to meet the following conditions for a package

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Understand the basic requirements of the regulations governing the transport of radioactive

material.

Regulatory Requirements

Transport is Governed by:

Safety Series on the Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material (International Atomic Energy Agency)

Packaging and Transport of Nuclear Substances Regulations(Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission)

TDG Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations (Clear Language)(Transport Canada)

Where there is a conflict in regulations follow the most restrictive

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Training required for people who offer for transport or transport dangerous goods

Training provides information necessary to enable employee to do the job

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Training

CertificateValid 3 years (ground), 2 years

(air)

Signed by employer and

employee

Produced on request by inspector

Note that your certificate must be signed

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There are nine classes of Dangerous Goods

Class 1 – ExplosivesClass 2 – GasesClass 3 – Flammable LiquidsClass 4 – Flammable SolidsClass 5 – Oxidizing SubstancesClass 6 – Poisonous/ InfectiousClass 7 – RadioactiveClass 8 – CorrosiveClass 9 – Miscellaneous

Package Type

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Radioactive Material is

Class 7

There are no packing groups or risk groups for this classification.

Package Type

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Class 7 is always a primary class

Primary Class labels on packages take precedence over all other classes

…except 2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.1, 5.2, 6.2

…but labels for these and Class 7 must be used together as all are considered primary classes

Generally, radioactive packages would not need any other label as the other primary classes are rarely

present in radioactive packages.

Package Type

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The first question to ask, when shipping radioactive material is...

“Do I need to follow the regulations?”

There are few exceptions and virtually all radioactive material used in a hospital setting would fall under the Class 7 Transport of Dangerous Goods Regulations.

Package Type

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You do not need to follow the regulations if you are shipping radioactive material......

Over private roads with controlled access [none shipped at the hospital]

As substance in a human or animal (<10-6A2/kg) [injected patients and animals exempt]

Substance contained in consumer product [none shipped at the hospital]

As Natural ore (<10xA2) [none shipped at the hospital]

Within private property [between buildings at VG exempt .... NOT between sites]

Exempt amounts (generally < 70 Bq/g) or less than 10 MBq (270µCi) of 99mTc!

[thus virtually every radioactive shipment must follow the TDG regulations]

Substance in animal tissue or remains (<10-6A2/kg) [any organ or tissue samples exempt]

Package Type

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Do I need to follow the regulations?

The next thing to check is to see if your package is exempt

by activity levels.

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Package Type

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If your activity is less than TDG or CNSC stated limits then you do not have to follow Class 7 Regulations

Exemption Limits for Selected Radionuclides Used in Medicine For radionuclides not listed consult regulations or contact the radiation safety office

Radionuclide

Transport Canada TDG Clear Language

Limits Material (Bq/g)

CNSC and IAEA Exemption Limits

Material (Bq/g)

CNSC and IAEA Exemption Limits for

a Package (Mq)

Carbon 14 70 10,000 10

Cesium 137 70 10 0.01

Chromium 51 70 1,000 10

Cobalt 57 70 100 1

Cobalt 58 70 10 1

Gallium 67 70 100 1

Indium 111 70 100 1

Iodine 123 70 100 10

Iodine 125 70 1,000 1

Iodine 131 70 100 1

Molybdenum 99 70 100 1

Phosphorous 32 70 1,000 0.1

Phosphorous 33 70 100,000 100

Sulphur 35 70 100,000 100

Technetium99m 70 100 10

Thallium 201 70 100 1

Yttrium 90 70 1,000 0.1

Virtually nothing is less so all hospital shipments must follow TDG Class 7 Regulations.

Package Type

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If it is not exempt....then is it a radioactive package so determine if it should be....

Excepted or Type A?To determine the package type you have to....

Check item activity limits

Differentiate between Liquid or solid

Categorize as Instrument or material

Know the A2 values

Determine if Surface Dose Rate <5 µSv/hr

Package Type

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Example: Activity Limit is 10-4 the A2 Value for liquid. If activity is over this then it has to go as Type A package.

Activity Limit for

Excepted Packages

is:

(from IAEA SS TS-R-1)

Package Type

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Use different activity

limits if you are

shipping instrument

s (from IAEA SS TS-R-1)

Use different activity limits for solids versus liquids

Package Type

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Limited Activity Cutoff

Examples of various Excepted or Type A package limitsRefer to your department reference book for limits.

Cut-off Limits for Selected Radionuclides Used in Medicine

Radionuclide A2(TBq)

Excepted Package Limits

Liquid Form 10-4A2(MBq)

Excepted Package Limits

Solid Form 10-3A2(GBq)

Type A Package Limits A2

(GBq)

Cs137, F18, Mo99 0.6 60 0.6 600

Cobalt 57 10 1000 10 10,000

C14, Ga67, In111 3 300 3 3,000

Iodine 123/125 3 300 3 3,000

Iodine 131 0.7 70 0.7 700

Phosphorous 32 0.5 50 0.5 500

Technetium99m 4 400 4 4,000

Thallium 201 4 400 4 4,000

Yttrium 90 0.3 30 0.3 300

Package Type

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B(i)∑ A1(i)

C(j)

A2(j)∑+ ≤ 1

B = special form activityA1 = special form valueC = other form activityA2 = other form value

Mixtures of Nuclides in same package

Sum of Nuclide Activities/A1 and 2 values should be < 1

Hospital shipments rarely require this calculation

Package Type

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The Empty Package

If the package previously contained radioactivity you can

have

β and residual activity up to 100 x 4Bq/cm2 over 300cm2

[120kBq or 3.2uCi]

You can ship empty without labels but you still need

shipping document, UN identification 2908 and the wording

‘Radioactive Material, Excepted Package, Empty Packaging’

Package Type

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The Empty Package

If nothing is in the package and you document that any β / contamination is below the

limits (4Bq/cm2 over 300cm2)

then it can go as a regular non TDG package.

Package Type

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The Shipping Container

The Shipping Container must follow strict design requirements

AND

Departments must have a copy of the shipping container certificate of testing

Packaging

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Key Point 1Need certificate for shipping container

The certificate verifies the container has met the International Atomic Energy Agency standard to

ensure the container can withstand normal transport conditions.

Examples of the testing includes water spray, free drop, stacking and penetration.

It is the responsibility of the manufacturer of the container to ensure the testing is completed.

Packaging

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Key points…

Label must be on 2 opposite sides of package

Minimum size 100mm

Type of label depends package surface radiation dose rates

Key Point 2Appropriate Labels (Excepted, White I, Yellow II or III)

I White II Yellow III Yellow

Packaging

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Key points…

Measure radiation dose rate at the package surface and

use correct label

Key Point 3Radiation Level at Surface and 1 metre

I White II Yellow III Yellow

<5uSv/hr 5-500uSv/hr500-2000uSv/

hr

Packaging

Measure radiation dose rate at 1 meter for Yellow II and

III for transport index (dose at 1 m in uSv/hr÷10)

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Key points…

The package must state that it is a Type A or Excepted package AND have the correct UN number

assigned from the International Atomic Energy Agency standard

Key Point 4UN identification and Package Type

The most common used are: Empty: UN 2908Excepted: UN 2910Type A: UN 2915

Packaging

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Key points…Key Point 5Emergency Response Guide Number

The emergency response guide number is used by emergency responders to reference the response

required in the event of an accident.

The most common used are:ERG # 161ERG # 163

Packaging

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Key points…

Some means of allowing the receiver to know if the package may have been tampered with during transport

Key Point 6Tamper Evident Seal

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This could be tape seal, packing tape, wire seal or some other device.

Packaging

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UN Identificationnext to package

labelERG # on Package

and Documents

Transport Index at 1

m from surface

(Sv 10)or

(mSv x 100)

Radiation Level at surface

use higher of surface or 1m to determine

label

Label Required on package 2 on opposite sides not on sides the package

rests on or will be stacked on.

minimum 100mm per side

Category

UN 2910 ERG # 161none<5 Sv/hr

None outsideWarning inside with word ‘radioactive’ visible when

package opened

Excepted

UN 2915RADIOACTIVE

MATERIAL, TYPE A PACKAGEERG # 163

none<5 Sv/hralso nuclide name/symbol

or most restrictive of mixture and activity

I White

UN 2915RADIOACTIVE

MATERIAL, TYPE A PACKAGEERG # 163

<1if <0.05 can be

listed as 0

5 Sv/hr to

500 Sv/hr

also nuclide name/symbol or most restrictive of mixture, activity and

transport index

II Yellow

UN 2915RADIOACTIVE

MATERIAL, TYPE A PACKAGEERG # 163

1-10500 Sv/hr

to 2 mSv/hr

also nuclide name/symbol or most restrictive of mixture, activity and transport index

III Yellow

Packaging Summary

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Vehicle Placards(placed on all four sides of the

vehicle)

Only required for Yellow III package shipments but it is the responsibility of the shipper (sender/consignor) to

provide four of them to the transport carrier each time.

Some carriers have a supply so may not request them. You should have a supply just in case if shipping Yellow III

packages.

Packaging

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Special Labels

Packages may require additional labels if they

belong to another dangerous goods category

such as blood products (biohazard) or are liquids

and require a specific package orientation.

Packaging

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Contamination Limits

4 Bq/cm2 for and 0.4 Bq/cm2

for Averaged over 300

cm2

Packaging

So… 4 x 300 = 1200 Bq for efficiency

determinations

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Three Copies of Shipper’s Declaration need to be prepared

Name & address of shipper and receiver

ID number of shipment, number of pages & date

Type & number of placards (or ‘no placards required’)

One for Shipper (consignor), Carrier, Receiver (consignee)

Required information

Documentation

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Description of Dangerous Goods in order of...

Shipping name (upper case listed in regulations)

Primary Class (Class 7)

UN Number

Special Instructions or a statement that none are needed

Required information continued

Documentation

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Quantity & units of goods

Number, name and category of package

Transport index

Emergency Response Guide number

Required information continued

Documentation

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Required information continued….

A 24 hour number that technical information can be obtained without breaking the telephone connection of the

caller.

Signature of Shipper

Required information continued

Documentation

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Required information continued….

Declaration: As defined in Transport of Dangerous Goods Regulations

Required information continued

I hereby declare that the contents of this consignment are fully and accurately described above by the proper shipping name and are classified, packed, marked and labeled, and are in all respects in proper condition for transport according to applicable international and national governmental regulations.

Documentation

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Shippers are required to package and provide the following for each Class 7 shipment.

Package Type UN numberExcepted

or Type A

Approved Shipping Container

Identified Isotopes and Activity Limits

Tamper evident seal

Radiation warningPacking

documents

Shipping address

The Final Package

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Requirements of Receiving RecordDate Packaged Received

Name of Supplier

Name of Shipper

Shipping Document Number

Inventory EntryIsotope Name, Activity, Chemical Form, Lot Number.

Results of Receiving Inspection

Requirements of Shipping RecordCopy of Shippers Declaration

Record Retention: Two years after the date on which the packaging occurs

Record Keeping

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Emergency Response Assistance Plan (ERAP)..only if index number is listed in schedule 1 TDG regs

24 hour contact number during shipment…and

unbroken contact to person calling

Reports to CNSC (tampering, leaking, damaged, lost, stolen)

Immediate preliminary & full within 21 days

Emergencies

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We all have responsibility for safety in the workplace and saying it’s not my job

doesn’t cut it when it comes to safety.

The end.....now you can do the quiz

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When in doubt call your supervisorYou will never be in trouble for asking questions or asking for help when it comes to radiation safety.

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Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. Citing Websites. Packaging and Transport Regulations . In Acts and Regulations. Retrieved September 1, 2011 from http://nuclearsafety.gc.ca/eng/lawsregs/actsregulations/index.cfm

Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. INFO Document 0426 rev1 Identifying and Opening Radioactive Packages: Ottawa: Author.

International Atomic Energy Agency. (2009). Regulations for the Safety Transport of Radioactive Material No. TS-R-1. Vienna: Author.

References