IAEA Draft Safe Transport of Radioactive Material 20xx Edition

Overview

ARPANSA is engaging in public consultation on revisions to the IAEA Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material 20xx Edition.

The draft document is viewable below or can be downloaded here.

Purpose

The draft text for review, entitled Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material, 20xx Edition, was prepared as a draft Safety Requirements publication to be issued in the IAEA Safety Standards Series. The Review Cycle for 2018 edition of the Transport Regulations (IAEA Safety Standards Series No. SSR-6 (Rev. 1)) was initiated with the issuance of a Note Verbale on 5 November 2021, which invited all Member States to submit proposals for changes to SSR-6 (Rev. 1). In response, over 300 proposals were submitted. At its meeting in November/December 2022, the Transport Safety Standards Committee (TRANSSC) decided that, based on the proposals that were submitted, there was sufficient justification for revising SSR-6 (Rev. 1), and a Revision Cycle was initiated. In accordance with the 2021 Transport Regulations Revision Quality Plan, only proposals that were submitted in response to the 5 November 2021 Note Verbale before the deadline of 18 March 2022 would be considered in the Revision Cycle. Proposals submitted after this deadline may be considered in a future Review/Revision Cycle.

The proposals for changes to SSR-6 (Rev. 1) have been reviewed and developed by TRANSSC at three of its regular meetings. The draft text has been reviewed by the Emergency Preparedness and Response Standards Committee (EPReSC), the Nuclear Safety Standards Committee (NUSSC), the Radiation Safety Standards Committee (RASSC), TRANSSC, the Waste Safety Standards Committee (WASSC), and the Nuclear Security Guidance Committee (NSGC).

Table 2 of the draft SSR-6 (Rev. 2) includes proposed changes to approximately 64% of the A1 values and 45% of the A2 values. These revised values are based on the work of TRANSSC’s A1/A2 Working Group, which conducted a review of the calculations on which the current A1 and A2 values are based and recommended revised values that take account of current dose coefficients and modelling techniques, as well as updated radiological data. The details of the calculation methods and findings of the A1/A2 Working Group are provided in the most recent report of its activities that is available in the Revision Cycle of SSR-6 (Rev. 1) web folder. As a result of discussions held during the meeting of RASSC in November 2023, a joint RASSC/TRANSSC Working Group was initiated which will consider the details of the calculation methods of the A1/A2 Working Group, the justification for the proposed changes to the A1 and A2 values and the potential impact of revised A1 and A2 values on other IAEA safety standards. The conclusions reached by the joint RASSC/TRANSSC Working Group will be considered during the development of the draft SSR-6 (Rev. 2).

Objective

The objective of this draft text is to establish requirements for the protection of persons, property and the environment from harmful effects of radiation during the transport of radioactive material.

This protection is achieved by requiring:

• (a) containment of the radioactive contents;
• (b) control of external radiation levels;
• (c) prevention of criticality; and
• (d) prevention of damage caused by heat.

These requirements are satisfied firstly by applying a graded approach to contents limits for packages and conveyances and to performance standards applied to package designs depending upon the hazard of the radioactive contents. Secondly, they are satisfied by imposing requirements on the design and operation of packages and on the maintenance of packaging, including consideration of the nature of the radioactive contents. Finally, they are satisfied by establishing administrative controls, including, where appropriate, approval by competent authorities.

How to make a comment 

You can provide your feedback by either completing the online survey available by clicking on the Submit your feedback link under the Have your say section of this page. 

Comments are requested in relation to:  

• Relevance and usefulness: Are the stated objectives appropriate and are they met by the draft text? 
• Scope and completeness: Is the scope appropriate and is it adequately covered by the draft text?  
• Quality and clarity: Does the guidance in the draft text represent the current consensus among specialists in the field and is this guidance expressed clearly and coherently?  
• Safety and business impacy: Does the draft text appropriately address nuclear safety and any business impacts resulting from the proposed changes?

Comments of an editorial nature will be considered; however, it should be noted that the draft text will be comprehensively edited. Any comments should be made in English, should refer to the relevant paragraph number in the draft text being reviewed, and should propose alternative text where appropriate.  

Comments can also be submitted by completing the feedback form and returning it to public.submissions@arpansa.gov.au

The responsible IAEA officer is Mr Eric Reber of the Department of Nuclear Safety and Security, who may be contacted for further information in connection with this subject by telephone at: +43 1 2600 24486 or via email at: E.Reber@iaea.org 

Why your views matter

Your voice matters. 

Your feedback can provide valuable insight and shape decision-making that impacts nuclear and radiation regulations, standards and codes.