Type Testing in Compliance with Dangerous Goods Regulations - Legal Basis

 

The Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) is the German competent authority responsible for performing type testing for different packagings used in the transport of radioactive materials, and performs these within the framework of approval processes. This task has been assigned to the BAM by decree of the Federal Ministry for Transport, Construction and Urban Development (BMVBS).

The tests are performed on the basis of national and international legal regulations for the transport of radioactive materials. They incorporate the assessment and appraisal of the mechanical and thermal properties of the packagings, their release behaviour for radioactive materials as well as the relevant quality assuring measures for their design, production and operation.

The recommendations for the safe transport of radioactive material published by the International Atomic Energy Organisation (IAEO) in Vienna:

• IAEA Safety Standard
  Series No. TS-R-1
  Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material
  IAEO International Atomic Energy Agency
  2009 Edition Safety Requirements
  pdf file
  
  
• Advisory Material for the IAEA Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material
  Safety Guide No. TS-G-1.1
  IAEO International Atomic Energy Agency
  Vienna, 2008
  pdf file
  
  
• Planning and Preparing for Emergency Response to Transport Accidents Involving Radioactive Material
  Safety Guide No. TS-G-1.2 (ST-3)
  IAEO International Atomic Energy Agency
  Vienna, 2002
  pdf file
  
  

These regulations provide a worldwide basis for national and international regulations and laws for the transport of radioactive materials within the framework of traffic regulations. They were first published in 1961, and since then they have been continually developed to reflect scientific and engineering progress as well as practical knowledge and experience.

The legally binding implementation of these IAEO recommendations is accomplished through the dangerous goods regulations for Class 7 - Radioactive Materials - of the individual traffic methods road, rail, sea and air in the following international transport regulations:

• European Agreement dated 30 September 1957 Concerning the International Transport of dangerous Goods by Road (ADR) in the respective valid version (see also Legal Basis and Committees).
  
  
• Regulation for the International Transport of Dangerous Goods by Rail (RID)
  in the respective valid version (see also Legal Basis and Committees).
  
  
• European Agreement on the International Transport of Dangerous Goods on Inland Waterways (ADN / ADNR) in the respective valid version (see also Legal Basis and Committees).
  
  
• International Dangerous Goods Code (IMDG-Code) in the respective valid version (see also Legal Basis).
  
  
• Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air (ICAO-IT) in the respective valid version
  
  
• Dangerous Goods Regulation of the IATA in the respective valid version (see also Legal Basis)

In Germany, the transport of dangerous substances is controlled within the framework of the Dangerous Goods Regulations by the law concerning the transport of dangerous goods:

• Gesetz über die Beförderung gefährlicher Güter (Gefahrgutbeförderungsgesetz - GGBefG)
  in its respective valid version (see also Legal Basis)

as well as the following dangerous goods regulations for Class 7 - Radioactive Materials - on the basis of the implementation of the international regulations for the different modes of transport road, rail, sea and air:

• Regulation concerning the innerstate and cross-border transport of dangerous goods by road and by rail (Gefahrgutverordnung Straße und Eisenbahn - GGVSE) in its respective valid version (see also Legal Basis)
  
  
• Regulation concerning the transport of dangerous goods by marine vessels (Gefahrgutverordnung See - GGVSee) in its respective valid version (see also Legal Basis)
  
  
• Regulation concerning the transport of dangerous goods on inland waterways (Gefahrgutverordnung Binnenschiffahrt - GGVBinSch) in its respective valid version (siehe also Legal Basis)
  
  
• Air transport regulation in its respective valid version (see also Legal Basis)

 

Where the transport of radioactive materials is concerned, additionally the following nuclear energy regulation Atomgesetz AtG applies

• Law concerning the peaceful use of nuclear energy and protection against its hazards (Atomgesetz)
  in its respective valid version (see also Legal Basis)
  

as well as radiation protection regulation Strahlenschutzverordnung StrSchV

• Regulation concerning protection against damage resulting from ionising radiation (Strahlenschutzverordnung - StrSchV) in its respective valid version (see also Legal Basis)
  

These must be examined to determine whether additional permissions or approvals are necessary on this basis.