Zurich at Night

Transportation and Packaging of Radioactive Materials

Zurich, Switzerland ($950 USD)

The course will be conducted in English.

This course is designed for radiation safety officers, safety officers, technicians, managers and others who may be involved in transportation of radioactive materials or in preparing radioactive materials for transport. [Because there is considerable uniformity of regulations on a worldwide basis, this course be useful regardless of the area in the world in which you live.]

This course will cover the applicable International Air Transport Association (IATA) Dangerous Goods Regulations(DGR) regarding the safe transport of Radioactive material. These regulations are based on the model International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) TS-R-1 "Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material." In addition the course will cover the variations applicable to the transport of radiactive materials to and from the USA. (49 CFR DOT and 10 CFR NRC transportation of radioactive materials regulations.) The course will cover hazardous material classification, labeling, types of packaging and containers, packaging and container limits, radiation level standards, and reporting and record keeping requirements. Fissile and Type B materials are not covered in detail.

The course includes package and shipping document preparation exercises. Students who complete the course and pass an examination will receive a certificate. This certificate, along with the training manual, should be used by the employer to document the training including the requirements of 49 CFR 172.

Upon passing a required examination, students are provided a certificate showing they successfully completed the course. This certificate, along with the training manual, may be used to document the training for employer certification, as required by 49 CFR 172.704(d). It is important to note that the requirements for documentation of training are very specific and detailed. The exact details of those requirements can be found at this link.

There is no deadline for course registrations but we suggest that you register at least 30 days in advance in order to get the best rates on travel and hotel rooms. The instructor will also discuss recent revisions in the regulations. The emphasis of the course will be on international regulations for shipping and packaging radioactive materials.

This course is also offered in Las Vegas, Nevada and Orlando, Florida. See other locations.

REGISTRATION - You may register by any of several methods. The preferred method is online registration which you can do by clicking on the link beside the course date. You may also call us to register.

LOCATION - The course will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel at Badenerstrasse 420, Zurich, Switzerland 8040. Here is a link to the hotel website. For those who wish to stay at the hotel; we have arranged a special rate of 225 CHF per night. Breakfast and free parking are included with this rate. The VAT tax is also included but not the city tax. Rooms have Internet access. To get the special rate, you will need to mention that you are attending this course.

C.E.U. Credits - This course on the Transportation of Radioactive Materials has been approved for 16 Continuing Education Credits by the American Academy of Health Physics.

Background Information

Roles of NRC and DOT

The transportation of radioactive materials in the United States is regulated jointly by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the Department of Transportation (DOT). The responsibilities of the two agencies are generally divided as follows:

* DOT - Regulates shippers and carriers of hazardous materials, including radioactive material. It is responsible for such items as vehicle safety, routing, shipping papers, and emergency response information and shipper/carrier training requirements.

* NRC - Regulates users of radioactive material in 17 states (33 states regulate material within their borders) and approves the design, fabrication, use and maintenance of shipping containers for more hazardous radioactive material shipments. It also regulates the physical protection of commercial spent fuel in transit against sabotage or other malicious acts.

Internationally, most states have adopted regulations based on the model regulations proposed in TS-R-1 Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material. In addition most states allow a shipper to offer for transport radioactive material that is prepared and packaged in conformance with a recognized international safety standard such as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) or International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code. This course will instruct the student on how to apply these regulations to a shipment of radioactive material. Transportation of Radioactive Materials

The NRC requires radioactive materials to be shipped in accordance with the hazardous materials transportation safety regulations of DOT. Millions of “packages” of radioactive material are shipped throughout the United States annually by rail, air, sea, and over roads. They contain small quantities of radioactive material that are typically used in industry and medicine.

These packages are intended to provide a safe and economical means of transporting relatively small quantities of radioactive material. It is assumed that these packages could be damaged in an accident and that a portion of the contents could be released. The DOT regulations, therefore, prescribe limits on the maximum amounts of radioactivity that can be transported in these packages, such that doses from any accidents involving these packages will have no substantial health risks. Examples could include transport of smoke detectors, watch dials, radiopharmaceuticals, and slightly contaminated equipment such as syringes used to administer radiopharmaceuticals.

Nevada Technical Associates, Inc.

Phone 702-564-2798
P.O. Box 93355, Las Vegas, NV 89193