The Radioactive Material (Road Transport) (Great Britain) Regulations 1996

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

1.  These Regulations are made under section 2 of the Radioactive Material (Road Transport) Act 1991. They replace the Radioactive Substances (Carriage by Road) (Great Britain) Regulations 1974 and the Radioactive Substances (Carriage by Road) (Great Britain) (Amendment) Regulations 1985 (“the previous regulations”).

2.  They make new provision concerning the transport by road of radioactive material (as defined in section 1(1) of that Act) in Great Britain. They implement the International Atomic Energy Agency Safety Series No. 6 Regulations 1985 Edition as amended and additional requirements contained in the European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR).

3.  The Regulations—

(i) specify the circumstances in which radioactive material can be transported by road (regulations 3, 5 and 6).

(ii) lay down the standards which must be used for the design and testing of packagings used in the transport of radioactive material and specify the maximum amount of radioactive material that may be carried in each package type, or, in certain circumstances, when it can be transported unpackaged (regulations 8 and 13).

(iii) provide for certain types of packaging design to be approved by the Secretary of State (the competent authority) which can only be used by holding such a current approval certificate, and in certain cases for certificates of approval issued by other competent authorities to be valid. They also provide for certain shipments to require approval by the Secretary of State (regulations 15, 17–20 and 23).

(iv) set maximum levels of radioactive contamination that are allowed on the surface of a packaging (regulation 21).

(v) extend the use of quality assurance programmes from the design and manufacture of a packaging to include the roles of consignors and carriers, including the maintenance and use of such packagings (regulation 24).

(vi) the retention of information on the design of a packaging for the life of that packaging, and the information on consignments of radioactive materials for two years (regulation 26).

(vii) introduce consignment documentation for radioactive material transported in excepted packages (regulation 27).

(viii) specify requirements for the labelling of packagings, and the placarding of vehicles, and provide for the use of smaller placards in certain circumstances (regulation 30).

(ix) introduce the requirement for vehicles to carry fire extinguishers and provide for an exemmption where small numbers of packages are transported (regulation 34).

(x) lay down duties of a driver during transport and in the event of an accident, and require the Secretary of State to be informed in the case of undeliverable consignment of radioactive material (regulations 36–38).

(xi) provide for the Secretary of State to be informed of the serial numbers of packagings where the design of such packagings require the approval of the Secretary of State (regulation 39).

(xii) remove exemptions contained in the previous regulations where in certain circumstances the driver or passenger are experienced in the handling of radioactive materials.

4.  Copies of relevant documents may be obtained as follows:—

(a) The European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (“ADR”) [ISBN 0 11 551265-9], (1995 edition), may be obtained from Her Majesty’s Stationery Office;

(b) The United Nations Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (ISBN 92-1-139042-7], (Eighth revised edition), may be obtained from Her Majesty’s Stationery Office;

(c) The Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material, (1985 edition), (as amended 1990) published by the International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna 1990, Safety Series No. 6 [ISBN 92-0-123890-8], may be obtained from Her Majesty’s Stationery Office;

(d) The International Organisation for Standardisation Document, Sealed Radioactive Sources-Classification, (Reference No. ISO 2919-1980 (E)), may be obtained from Her Majesty’s Stationery Office and the British Standards Institution, the Sales Department, 389, Chiswick High Road, London, W4 4AL (Tel: [phone]);

(e) The International Organisation for Standardisation Document, Series 1 Freight Containers-Specifications and Testing-Part 1 General Cargo Containers, (Reference No. ISO 1496/1-1978) may be obtained from Her Majesty’s Stationery Office and the British Standards Institution, the Sales Department, 389, Chiswick High Road, London, W4 4AL (Tel: [phone]);

(f) The International Organisation for Standardisation Document, Sealed Radioactive Sources-Leak Test Methods, (Reference No. ISO/TR 4826-1979 (E)) may be obtained from Her Majesty’s Stationery Office and the British Standards Institution, the Sales Department, 389, Chiswick High Road, London, W4 4AL (Tel: [phone]);

(g) The Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material, (1973 edition) published by the International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna 1973, Safety Series No. 6 [STI/PUB 323] may be obtained from Her Majesty’s Stationery Office;

(h) The Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material, (1973 edition as amended) published by the International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna 1979, Safety Series No. 6 [ISBN 92-0-623179-0] may be obtained from Her Majesty’s Stationery Office.

5.  Compliance costs assessments have been prepared and copies can be obtained from the Department of Transport, Radioactive Materials Transport Division, 2 Marsham Street, London SW1P 3EB (Tel. [phone] and Fax No. 0171-276-5945). Copies are to be placed in the Libraries of each House of Parliament.