Radiation Safety Program
Transportation of Dangerous Goods
Class 7 – Shipping
CDHA -MS Clip Art File
Radiation Safety Office (Central Zone)
QEII Bethune Building Room 244
1276 South Park Street
Haifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 2Y9
1
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
2
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.
3
Shipping Requirements
All shippers are required to meet the following
conditions for a package
Correct Labels
radiation warning
shipping address
packing documents
Identified Activity Limits
Correct Package Type
Excepted Package
Type A Package
Tamper proof seal
4
Regulatory Requirements
Where there is a
conflict in regulations
follow of
the
Understand the basic requirements
themost
regulations
restrictive
governing the transport of radioactive
material.
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)
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Training
Training required for people who offer for transport or
transport dangerous goods
Training provides information necessary to enable
employee to do the job
Note that your certificate must be signed
Certificate
Valid 3 years (ground), 2 years (air)
Signed by employer and employee
Produced on request by inspector
CDHA MS Clip Art File
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Package Type
There are nine classes of Dangerous Goods
Class
Class
Class
Class
Class
Class
Class
Class
Class
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Explosives
Gases
Flammable Liquids
Flammable Solids
Oxidizing Substances
Poisonous/ Infectious
Radioactive
Corrosive
Miscellaneous
7
Package Type
Radioactive Material is
Class 7
There are no packing groups or risk groups for this
classification.
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Package Type
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.
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Package Type
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.
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Package Type
You do not need to follow the regulations if you
are shipping radioactive material......
As Natural ore
(<10xA2) [none shipped at the hospital]
Within private property
[between buildings at VG exempt .... NOT between sites]
As substance in a human or animal
(<10-6A2/kg) [injected patients and animals exempt]
Over private roads with controlled access [none shipped at the hospital]
Substance contained in consumer product [none shipped at the hospital]
Substance in animal tissue or remains
(<10-6A2/kg) [any organ or tissue samples exempt]
Exempt amounts (generally < 70 Bq/g) or less than
10 MBq (270µCi) of 99mTc!
[thus virtually every radioactive shipment must follow the TDG regulations]
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Package Type
Do I need to follow the regulations?
The next thing to check is to
see if your package is exempt
by activity levels.
CDHA MS Clip Art File
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Package Type
If your activity is
less than TDG or
CNSC stated limits
then you do not
have to follow Class
7 Regulations
Virtually nothing is
less so all hospital
shipments
must
follow TDG Class 7
Regulations.
Exemption Limits for Selected Radionuclides Used in Medicine
For radionuclides not listed consult regulations or contact the radiation safety office
Radionuclide
Carbon 14
Cesium 137
Chromium 51
Cobalt 57
Cobalt 58
Gallium 67
Indium 111
Iodine 123
Iodine 125
Iodine 131
Molybdenum 99
Phosphorous 32
Phosphorous 33
Sulphur 35
Technetium99m
Thallium 201
Yttrium 90
Transport Canada
TDG Clear Language
Limits Material
(Bq/g)
70
70
70
70
70
70
70
70
70
70
70
70
70
70
70
70
70
CNSC and IAEA
Exemption Limits
Material (Bq/g)
CNSC and IAEA
Exemption Limits for
a Package (Mq)
10,000
10
1,000
100
10
100
100
100
1,000
100
100
1,000
100,000
100,000
100
100
1,000
10
0.01
10
1
1
1
1
10
1
1
1
0.1
100
100
10
1
0.1
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Package Type
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
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Package Type
Activity Limit
for
Excepted
Packages
is:
(from IAEA SS TS-R-1)
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.
15
Package Type
Use
different
activity
limits if you
are
shipping
instruments
(from IAEA SS TS-R-1)
Use different activity limits for solids versus liquids
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Package Type
Limited Activity Cutoff
Examples of various Excepted or Type A package limits
Refer to your department reference book for limits.
Cut-off Limits for Selected Radionuclides Used in Medicine
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
0.3
30
0.3
300
Radionuclide
Yttrium 90
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Package Type
Mixtures of Nuclides in same package
Sum of Nuclide Activities/A1 and 2 values should be < 1
∑
B(i)
+
A1(i)
∑
C(j)
A2(j)
≤
1
B = special form activity
A1 = special form value
C = other form activity
A2 = other form value
Hospital shipments rarely require this
calculation
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Package Type
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’
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Package Type
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.
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Packaging
The Shipping Container
The Shipping Container must follow strict design
requirements
AND
Departments must have a copy of the shipping
container certificate of testing
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Packaging
Key Point 1
Need 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.
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Packaging
Key
Keypoints…
Point 2
Appropriate Labels (Excepted, White I, Yellow II or III)
Label must be on 2 opposite sides of package
Minimum size 100mm
Type of label depends package surface
radiation dose rates
I White
II Yellow
III Yellow
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Packaging
Key
Keypoints…
Point 3
Radiation Level at Surface and 1 metre
Measure radiation dose rate at the package surface and
<5uSv/hr
I White
use correct label
5-500uSv/hr
II Yellow
500-2000uSv/hr
III Yellow
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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Packaging
Key
Keypoints…
Point 4
UN identification and Package Type
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
The most common used are:
Empty:
UN 2908
Excepted: UN 2910
Type A:
UN 2915
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Packaging
Key
Keypoints…
Point 5
Emergency 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 # 161
ERG # 163
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Packaging
Key
Keypoints…
Point 6
Tamper Evident Seal
Some means of allowing the receiver to know if the
package may have been tampered with during transport
This could be tape seal,
packing tape, wire seal or
some other device.
CDHA Photo
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Packaging Summary
Category
Excepted
Label Required on package
 2 on opposite sides
 not on sides the package
rests on or will be stacked
on.
 minimum 100mm per side
None outside
Warning inside with word
‘radioactive’ visible when
package opened
I White
also nuclide name/symbol
or most restrictive of
mixture and activity
II Yellow
also nuclide name/symbol
or most restrictive of
mixture, activity and
transport index
III Yellow
also nuclide name/symbol
or most restrictive of
mixture, activity and
transport index
Radiation Level at
surface
use higher of
surface or 1m
to determine
label
Transport
Index at 1 m
from surface
(Sv 10)
or
(mSv x 100)
UN Identification
next to package
label
ERG # on Package
and Documents
none
UN 2910
ERG # 161
<5 Sv/hr
none
UN 2915
RADIOACTIVE
MATERIAL, TYPE
A PACKAGE
ERG # 163
5 Sv/hr
to
500 Sv/hr
<1
if <0.05 can
be listed as
0
UN 2915
RADIOACTIVE
MATERIAL, TYPE
A PACKAGE
ERG # 163
1-10
UN 2915
RADIOACTIVE
MATERIAL, TYPE
A PACKAGE
ERG # 163
<5 Sv/hr
500 Sv/hr
to
2 mSv/hr
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Packaging
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.
29
Packaging
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.
30
Packaging
Contamination Limits
4 Bq/cm2 for  and 
0.4 Bq/cm2 for 
Averaged over 300 cm2
So… 4 x 300 = 1200 Bq for efficiency determinations
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Documentation
Three Copies of Shipper’s Declaration need to be prepared
One for Shipper (consignor), Carrier, Receiver (consignee)
Required information
Name & address of shipper and receiver
ID number of shipment, number of pages & date
Type & number of placards (or ‘no placards required’)
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Documentation
Required information continued
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
33
Documentation
Required information continued
Quantity & units of goods
Number, name and category of package
Transport index
Emergency Response Guide number
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Documentation
Required information
continued….
Required
information continued
A 24 hour number that technical information can be obtained
without breaking the telephone connection of the caller.
Signature of Shipper
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Documentation
Required information
continued….
Required
information continued
Declaration: As defined in Transport of Dangerous
Goods Regulations
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.
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The Final Package
Shippers are required to package and provide the
following for each Class 7 shipment.
Tamper evident seal
Shipping address
Radiation warning
Packing
documents
Package Type
UN number
Excepted
or
Type A
CDHA Photo
Approved Shipping Container
Identified Isotopes and Activity Limits
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Record Keeping
Requirements of Receiving Record
Date Packaged Received
Name of Supplier
Name of Shipper
Shipping Document Number
Inventory Entry
Isotope Name, Activity, Chemical Form, Lot Number.
Results of Receiving Inspection
Requirements of Shipping Record
Copy of Shippers Declaration
Record Retention: Two years after the date on which
the packaging occurs
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Emergencies
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
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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.
CDHA
CDHA PHOTO
When in doubt call your supervisor
You will never be in trouble for asking questions or
asking for help when it comes to radiation safety.
The end.....now you can do the quiz
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CDHA PHOTO
References
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/actsregulation
s/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.
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