Summary of Radiation Protection (Transport of Radioactive Materials)
The complete text of these radiation regulations may be viewed here, or purchased from:
Toppan Leefung Pte Ltd (formerly known as SNP Corporation Ltd)
Legal Publications Retail Outlet
1 Kim Seng Promenade, #18-01/06
Great World City East Tower
Singapore 237994
Telephone: 68269691
Introduction
These Regulations, first implemented in 1974, were amended in 2000. They are based on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Safety Standards Series No. ST-1, 1996 Edition - Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material.
Objective
These Regulations aim to provide a uniform and adequate level of safety which is commensurate with the inherent hazard presented by the transportation of radioactive material by land, sea and air. Primary consideration is placed on:
- The safety features which are required to be built into the design of the package and requirements for testing the package design, thus minimising the need for any special actions during carriage; and
- Operational requirements for the implementation of, and compliance with the requirements of the Regulations for testing the package design, thus minimising the need for any special actions during carriage
Scope
Transport means to move from any place, vehicle, vessel or aircraft to another place, vehicle, vessel or aircraft by road, rail, water or air and includes transport which is incidental to the use of the radioactive materials, such as carrying radiography devices to and from the operations site by the radiographer or carrying density measuring gauges to and from the construction site.
The Regulations are not intended to be applied to movements of radioactive material that forms an integral part of a means of transport, such as depleted uranium counterweights or tritium exit signs used in aircraft.
Any conveyance used for the transport of consumer products to the point of retail sale to a member of the public as an end user must meet the applicable requirements of the Regulations. This is to reduce the possibility that the transport of large quantities of individually exempted consumer products might fall outside the scope of these radiation regulations.
Natural radioactive materials or ores which form part of the nuclear fuel cycle or which will be processed to use their radioactive properties need to comply with the radiation regulations.
To minimise the possibility of radioactive material packages losing their containment integrity owing to the interaction of the package with other dangerous goods, they should be kept segregated from other dangerous cargo during transport or storage.
The package design requirements for the various quantities and types of radionuclides are all given in these radiation regulations.