Safety of the Transport of Radioactive Material

Reviewing and revising the international regulations for the safe transport of radioactive materials and associated guidance

Rationale - The transport of radioactive material is an essential activity worldwide. Both safety and security during transport are matters of international importance. Consequently, it is important for the Agency to continue to preserve a pre-eminent role in the international approach to the regulation of the transport of radioactive material. The Transport Regulations are generally recognized as the international authoritative standards for both the national and the international transport of radioactive material as well as regional and local agreements like ADR (European Agreement Concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road), RID (Regulations Concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail) and MERCOSUR/MERCOSUL (Agreement of Partial Reach to Facilitate the Transport of Dangerous Goods between Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela). Additional guidance needs to be developed for security during the transport of radioactive material. The review and, as necessary, revision of safety standards requirements and guidance documents for the safe transport of radioactive material and the development of guidance on security are therefore of high priority. Consideration will also be given to the publication of transport regulations in all United Nations official languages.

Objective

To achieve international consensus on standards for the safe transport of radioactive material by all modes of transport.

Major Tasks for 2008-2009

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Incorporating regulations

Incorporating regulations for the safe transport of radioactive material into the UN Recommendations for Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods and the Modal Regulatory Requirements of ICAO and IMO

Rationale - In 1997, the Diplomatic Conference on the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management adopted a resolution relating to the safe transport of radioactive material. This resolution, inter alia, invited the Agency, in consultation with and, where appropriate, in collaboration with the competent organs of the United Nations and with the specialized organizations concerned, “to keep under review the existing rules and regulations with respect to the safety of transboundary movement of spent fuel and radioactive waste”.

This request for continued review involving relevant organizations has been further elaborated upon in General Conference resolutions including, inter alia, GC(44)/RES/17 and GC(45)/RES/10 which requested the Secretariat to continue its work of reviewing and revising the Agency’s Transport Regulations, on the basis of a schedule consistent with the regulation revision process of the international modal organizations. This project is concerned with coordinating and cooperating with the other relevant international organizations over the incorporation of the Transport Regulations into the international modal regulations.

Objective

To achieve harmonization of the Agency’s transport safety requirements and the regulations of the other UN Organizations.

Major tasks for 2008-2009

Provide continued radioactive material transport safety inputs to the UN transport regulatory bodies’ dangerous goods meetings (UN Committee of Experts, ICAO, IMO, UN/ECE/ITC, UPU)

Coordinate and provide inputs to non-UN organizations (IATA, IFALPA, ISO, RTSG and WNTI meetings on regulatory matters)

Conduct cross-mapping of IAEA requirements to UN model and international modal regulatory documents

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Appraising compliance with the safety standards for the transport of radioactive materials

Rationale - The Agency has been encouraged by the General Conference to provide appraisal services for the safety of the transport of radioactive material and Member States have been encouraged to avail themselves of the Transport Safety Appraisal Service (TranSAS). This service is aimed at enhancing Member State capabilities and infrastructure in both safety and security, and at providing support to the harmonized implementation of the Transport Regulations throughout the world. The Board-approved Action Plan addresses training, denial of shipments, transport emergency response and communication of complex technical issues, all of which will be covered in this project..

Objective

To achieve global acceptance of the Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material through changes in the regulatory regime and practices

Major Tasks for 2008-2009

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Documents and Publications

General Conference Documents

Resolutions

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