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

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

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.

Materials or Demonstrations Shipping Requirements Topics to Cover 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 Materials or Demonstrations

Regulatory Requirements Where there is a conflict in regulations follow the most restrictive Regulatory Requirements Understand the basic requirements of the regulations 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)

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

There are nine classes of Dangerous Goods Package Type There are nine classes of Dangerous Goods Class 1 – Explosives Class 2 – Gases Class 3 – Flammable Liquids Class 4 – Flammable Solids Class 5 – Oxidizing Substances Class 6 – Poisonous/ Infectious Class 7 – Radioactive Class 8 – Corrosive Class 9 – Miscellaneous

There are no packing groups or risk groups for this classification. Package Type Radioactive Material is Class 7 There are no packing groups or risk groups for this classification.

Class 7 is always a primary class 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.

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.

Exempt amounts (generally < 70 Bq/g) or less than 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]

Do I need to follow the regulations? 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

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.

Excepted or Type A? 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

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.

Package Type Use different activity limits if you are shipping instruments Use different activity limits for solids versus liquids (from IAEA SS TS-R-1)

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 Radionuclide A2 (TBq) Excepted Package Limits Liquid Form 10-4A2 (MBq) Solid Form 10-3A2 (GBq) Type A Package Limits A2 Cs137, F18, Mo99 0.6 60 600 Cobalt 57 10 1000 10,000 C14, Ga67, In111 3 300 3,000 Iodine 123/125 Iodine 131 0.7 70 700 Phosphorous 32 0.5 50 500 Technetium99m 4 400 4,000 Thallium 201 Yttrium 90 0.3 30

∑ Package Type 1 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

‘Radioactive Material, Excepted Package, Empty Packaging’ 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’

then it can go as a regular non TDG package. 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.

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

Need certificate for shipping container 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.

Packaging Key points… Key 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

Radiation Level at Surface and 1 metre Packaging Key points… Key Point 3 Radiation Level at Surface and 1 metre Measure radiation dose rate at the package surface and use correct label I White II Yellow III Yellow <5uSv/hr 5-500uSv/hr 500-2000uSv/hr Measure radiation dose rate at 1 meter for Yellow II and III for transport index (dose at 1 m in uSv/hr÷10)

Packaging Key points… Key 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

Packaging Key points… Key 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

This could be tape seal, packing tape, wire seal or some other device. Packaging Key points… Key Point 6 Tamper Evident Seal Some means of allowing the receiver to know if the package may have been tampered with during transport CDHA Photo This could be tape seal, packing tape, wire seal or some other device.

Packaging Summary Category Excepted <5 Sv/hr none I White Label Required on package 2 on opposite sides not on sides the package rests on or will be stacked on. minimum 100mm per side 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 Excepted None outside Warning inside with word ‘radioactive’ visible when package opened <5 Sv/hr none UN 2910 ERG # 161 I White also nuclide name/symbol or most restrictive of mixture and activity <5 Sv/hr none UN 2915 RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL, TYPE A PACKAGE ERG # 163 II Yellow also nuclide name/symbol or most restrictive of mixture, activity and transport index 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 III Yellow also nuclide name/symbol or most restrictive of mixture, activity and transport index 500 Sv/hr to 2 mSv/hr 1-10 UN 2915 RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL, TYPE A PACKAGE ERG # 163

(placed on all four sides of the vehicle) 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.

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.

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

Documentation Required information 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’)

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

Documentation Required information continued Quantity & units of goods Number, name and category of package Transport index Emergency Response Guide number

Required information continued 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

Documentation 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.

The Final Package Topics to Cover Shippers are required to package and provide the following for each Class 7 shipment. Tamper evident seal Radiation warning Packing documents Shipping address CDHA Photo Package Type UN number Excepted or Type A Materials or Demonstrations Identified Isotopes and Activity Limits Approved Shipping Container

Materials or Demonstrations Record Keeping Topics to Cover 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 Materials or Demonstrations Record Retention: Two years after the date on which the packaging occurs

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

When in doubt call your supervisor CDHA 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 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 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/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.