Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material

This publication is the latest edition of IAEA Safety Standards Series No. SSR-6, Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material. It is supported by seven IAEA Safety Guides which provide recommendations for meeting the requirements in SSR-6 to facilitate worldwide implementation. The regulations apply to the transport of radioactive material by all modes on land, water or in the air. Transport comprises the design, manufacture, maintenance and repair of packaging, and the preparation, consigning, loading, carriage including in-transit storage, shipment after storage, unloading and receipt at the final destination of loads of radioactive material and packages. These requirements form an integral part of regulations worldwide; therefore, SSR-6 and its associated Safety Guides are aimed at governments, competent authorities, and all organizations and individuals involved in the transport of radioactive material. These requirements are transcribed into the UN Model Regulations, which are subsequently transcribed into the IMDG Code by the International Maritime Organisation for shipment by sea, and into the Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air by the International Civil Aviation Organization. Both the IMDG Code and the ICAO Technical Instructions are globally implemented and mandatory. Land transport is the responsibility of the national government of each Member State, hence the SSR-6 requirements are adopted for national transport safety regulations for shipments on land.