Class 7 rules under review

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has published its proposals to revise the Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Materials (TS-R-1) in 2012. A 120-day period is currently under way, during which time IAEA member states have the opportunity to comment.

In the US, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) have established a rulemaking docket, PHMSA-2010-0130, to give industry and the public the opportunity to comment on the proposals. This docket also contains some useful files, including a comparison of the existing and proposed texts of TS-R-1.

Among the major changes being proposed by IAEA are the following.

1. The concept of ‘Quality Assurance’ will be dropped in favour of ‘Management System’. This will be defined as follows: Management system shall mean a set of interrelated or interacting elements (system) for establishing policies and objectives and enabling the objectives to be achieved in an efficient and effective manner.

This change will lead to a number of consequential amendments throughout the Regulations.

2. Some of the definitions of low specific activity (LSA) material will change.

3. There is a proposed additional UN entry for radioactive material in an excepted package and packages containing less than 0.1 kg of uranium hexafluoride will be able to use this relief.

4. The classification of fissile material has been considerably clarified and the new provisions will be more prescriptive. This has also entailed a new section on packages for fissile material.

5. There are new requirements for the marking of packagings, with allowances for small packages.

6. The obligations of the consignor to check the packagings being used have been extended and clarified. Consignors will also be required to retain copies of dangerous goods transport information.

7. New provisions applicable when overpacks are being used have been introduced, similar to those that have been added to the transport provisions for dangerous goods of other classes.

The proposals are quite wide-ranging and those involved in the transport of radioactive materials are urged to inspect them closely. The table of proposed changes can be accessed via the US Federal Regulations website at http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/contentStreamer?objectId=0900006480b138cc& disposition=attachment&contentType=pdf.