Dangerous Goods Class 7 | Radioactive Material

 

Before we start talking about the transport of   class 7 hazardous materials, I will give you a simple overview of some of the daily uses of radioactive materials for those who are less familiar with them. Radioactive materials are used in several fields to improve the quality of life, and they are used by qualified personnel to ensure that radioactive materials are prepared, transported, used and disposed of in a safe manner.

I will give you an example where Dangerous Goods Class 7 is used, radioactive materials are used in nuclear applications in medicine for the purpose of diagnosis, treatment and disease management. They have many uses in animal production such as insect control and animal production enhancement ... etc.

 

Note : By reading this article, we recommend that you read previous Dangerous Goods Class 6. Or click here for all list of dangerous goods articles.

 

What are radioactive materials?

Dangerous goods which are classed as radioactive material are defined by the dangerous goods regulations as any material containing radionuclides where both the activity concentration and the total activity in the consignment exceeds certain pre-defined values.

Note : A radionuclide is an atom with an unstable nucleus and which consequently is subject to radioactive decay.

 

Is Dangerous Goods Class 7 having a packing group?

Before answering this question, I need to give you an idea about the meaning of "packing group", it is an indication of the relative degree of danger presented by various articles and substances within some dangerous goods classes or divisions. Usually, dangerous goods regulations give roman numerals as the following:

I      for high danger

II     for medium danger

III    for low danger

Now, I can answer this question, packing group not apply to this Dangerous Goods Class. There are special packing requirements for class 7 hazardous materials. Packing requirement donate the maximum activity (quantity) limits for these packages types.

 

You may ask!

 Is there division within Dangerous Goods Class 7, Radioactive Materials?

 There are no divisions. However, there are different categories with specific labels which depend on the content and activity of such materials.

 Dangerous Goods Class 7, radioactive materials is divided into three Categories:

●          Radioactive Materials Category I - White [RRW]

●          Radioactive Materials Category II - Yellow [RRY]

●          Radioactive Materials Category III - Yellow [RRY]

 Are you ready to read about each category and identify its hazard placard?

 

Lets start.

Radioactive Material Category I - White  [RRW]

Radioactive material with low radiation level on the package surface. No transport index indicated.

Maximum surface radioactive level in mSv/h (mrem/h)

Not more than 0.005 mSv/h (0.5 mrem/h)

 

Transport index

0  Zero

Category	IATA IMP CODE
Category I - White	RRW

 

Category I - White  [RRW] | Radioactive Placard

Radioactive Material Category II - Yellow [RRY]

 Radioactive material with higher radiation level than Category I  and transport index not exceeding 1.

Maximum surface radioactive level in mSv/h (mrem/h)

more than 0.005 mSv/h (0.5 mrem/h) but not more than 0.05 mSv/h (50 mrem/h)

 

Transport index

More than 0 but not more than 1

Category	IATA IMP CODE
Category II - Yellow	RRY

 

Category II - Yellow [RRY] | Radioactive Placard

 

 Radioactive Material Category III - Yellow  [RRY]

 Radioactive material with higher radiation level than Category II  and/or transport index 

 exceeding 1 but not more than 10. 

Maximum surface radioactive level in mSv/h (mrem/h)

more than 0.05 mSv/h (50 mrem/h) but not more than 2 mSv/h (200 mrem/h)

 

Transport index

More than 1 but not more than 10

 

Category	IATA IMP CODE
Category III - Yellow	RRY

 

Category III - Yellow  [RRY]   | Radioactive Placard

Examples : Radionuclides or isotopes for medical or industrial purposes .

  

Radioactive material fissile Criticality Safety Index  

Criticality safety index labels must be used in addition to the appropriate radioactive labels to provide control over accumulation of packages or overpacks containing fissile material 

 

Fissile material | Radioactive Placard

 

Examples : Fissile material Uranium 233 and 235 , Plutonium 239 and 241.

This video will explain the class 7 hazardous material, radioactive materials in a simple way.

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