[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: transportation event



Thanx for the reference.  In this case, the issue isn't the total activity, its the additional, unbalanced weight in the package.

If the lead pig is not properly secured against movement within the package, it can make the package fail, even if the package

passed the drop test without it.  If the lead pig was secured in the test package, then the hold down mechanism would be part of

the package certification.



The opinions expressed are strictly mine.

It's not about dose, it's about trust.

Curies forever.



Bill Lipton

liptonw@dteenergy.com



John Jacobus wrote:



> If you want to see a typical Type A package in which

> nuclear medicine material is shipped, see Figure 11E

> on page 34 of the pdr document located at

> http://hazmat.dot.gov/pubtrain/ramreview.pdf

> On the previous page it says the contents can be up to

> 270 mCi.  They are easy to open by just pulling on the

> handle.

>

> Typical nuclear medicine syringe shields look like

> these

> http://www.harpellassociates.com/b/b-syringe-pigs.asp

> At least they screw together.

>

> --- William V Lipton <liptonw@DTEENERGY.COM> wrote:

> > You bring up an interesting question.  The specified

> > drop test height for a

> > Type A package weighing less than 11,000 pounds is 4

> > feet (49 CFR 173.465), so

> > the package should have easily survived the drop.

> > It's not completely clear

> > from the incident description, but it seems that the

> > package failed BEFORE the

> > syringe was run over. ( The incident describes the

> > syringe being run over, not

> > the package.  Also, if the intact package had been

> > run over, it's unlikely the

> > syringe would have been lost.)

> >

> > The incident description also describes the Tc-99m

> > syringe as being in a lead

> > pig.  The question:  Is an ammo box qualified as a

> > Type A package when it

> > contains a lead pig?  i.e. were the tests performed

> > with a comparable pig in

> > the box?  I would guess not.  My experience is that

> > there seems to be a

> > widespread misuse of  "Type A" packaging, based on

> > the misconception that, if

> > the packaging is qualified as Type A, you can use it

> > for anything.

> >

> > I'm sure there are some Radsafers who use this

> > packaging.  Please look at your

> > test results.  What did the packaging contain when

> > the package (package =

> > packaging + contents) was tested?  My guess:  sand.

> >

> . . .

>

> =====

> +++++++++++++++++++

> "Eternal vigilance by the people is the price of liberty and . . . you must pay the price if you wish to secure the blessing."

> Andrew Jackson

>

> -- John

> John Jacobus, MS

> Certified Health Physicist

> e-mail:  crispy_bird@yahoo.com

>

> __________________________________

> Do you Yahoo!?

> Protect your identity with Yahoo! Mail AddressGuard

> http://antispam.yahoo.com/whatsnewfree





************************************************************************

You are currently subscribed to the Radsafe mailing list. To

unsubscribe, send an e-mail to Majordomo@list.vanderbilt.edu  Put the

text "unsubscribe radsafe" (no quote marks) in the body of the e-mail,

with no subject line. You can view the Radsafe archives at

http://www.vanderbilt.edu/radsafe/