Re: transportation event

["Ed Stroud" <ed.stroud@state.co.us>]

Keep in mind that the type A package is not intended to survive accident

conditions (that's the type B package - which is much more expensive).

Type A packages are only intended to withstand conditions normally

incident to transportation.  I've been told that the drop test is

intended to simulate a fall from a loading dock - not a vehicle moving

in traffic.  Just a thought.



Ed Stroud, Compliance Inspections

Radiation Management Unit

Colorado Department of Public Health

ed.stroud@state.co.us



>>> William V Lipton <liptonw@DTEENERGY.COM> 11/12/03 11:46AM >>>

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 

>

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