Ethics Guidelines
Part B - Guidelines for Projects Involving Ionising Radiation
Section 8 - Transport
8.1 General
8.1.1 All transport shall be fully in accordance with the Code of Practice for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Substances 1990. If assistance is required in the application of this code it may be useful to consult Guidelines to the Code of Practice for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Substances or, failing that, to contact the Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) at the Antarctic Division.
8.1.2 The Code of Practice for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Substances adopts IAEA regulations. Thus, in the alternative, it is permissible to fully comply with whatever is at the time the current version (with any amendments) of the IAEA Safety Series No. 6 Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Materials. The companion IAEA Safety Guide Explanatory Materials for the IAEA Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material may be a useful aid in applying the regulations. Note that particular dangerous goods regulations or codes (e.g. IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations, Australian Code for the Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road and Rail) will generally incorporate the above code of practice/ IAEA regulations in some form or other and a conflict will not normally arise except in relation to the edition in use.
8.1.3 Sea transport to Antarctica shall comply with regulations of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) which adopts the IAEA regulations. It may therefore be prudent to check the edition of the regulations which is currently adopted by IMO.
8.1.4 Researchers should also be aware of transport/storage requirements necessary to minimise the risk of contamination of work areas and other samples (where naturally occurring radioisotopes are being studied). See Section 11.
8.2 Responsibility
8.2.1 It is the responsibility of the project team using the radioisotopes in conjunction with the Site RSO to ensure that all transport requirements are properly met. Direct responsibility for the isotopes should be taken by the Antarctic user, including travelling on the same voyage as the isotopes.
8.2.2 In exceptional circumstances where this is not practical, the user shall ensure that the returned isotopes are correctly packaged and documented for return to Australia.
8.3 Liquid Packaging
Particular attention should be paid to packaging of unsealed sources, particularly liquids to ensure that there can be no ingress of water or egress of radioactive liquid. In particular, sufficient absorbent material should be properly placed so as to be able to soak up and hold the total contents of the package in the event of a major internal leak.
8.4 Transfer to Station
On transporting the radioisotope to the station from the ship the package should be accompanied by the user. The person in charge of the ship, barge or helicopter shall be informed that the package is being transported. During the trip, precautions shall be taken to prevent loss overboard and, if there is any risk of loss overboard, the package shall be attached to flotation devices to aid swift recovery.
8.5 Field Use
Planning for field transportation shall take account of any extra dangers to which the package may be subjected, and the packaging shall be upgraded accordingly. The desirability of having a transport package being able to double as a storage container in the temporary field store for radioisotopes should be considered. Separate emergency response plans shall be prepared for field transport. If transport is by helicopter, the pilot shall be informed and supplied with a copy of the emergency response plan.
(ASP&C)
May 2002
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