Excepted Packages

["Roy A. Parker" <70472.711@CompuServe.COM>]

Al,
 
Excepted  packages   must  now   meet  the   General  Design
Requirements 49 CFR 173.410:
 
(a) Easily handles and properly secured
(b) Lifting attachment requirements, if present
(c) External surface no protrusion and easily decontaminated
(d) Outer layer  when practicable no pockets or crevices for
    water accumulation
(e) Any added features will not reduce safety
(f) Acceleration and  vibration during normal transport will
    not reduce package effectiveness
(g) Materials physically and chemically compatible
(h) Valves if any protected against unauthorized operation
(i) Air Transport
    (1) Temperature will  not  exceed  50 deg C  at  ambient
        38 deg C.
    (2) Integrity of containment not impaired from -40 deg C
        to 55 deg C
    (3) Liquid contents  will not  leak at internal pressure
        differential of 95 kPa
 
Your inquiry about documentation could refer to two items:
1. If you  mean  shipping  paper  documentation.  No  formal
   shipping   paper    or   declaration   required.      The
   49 CFR 173.422(a) is  required.   In addition IATA policy
   requires the following statement on the airbill:
     Radioactive  material,  excepted  package  -  limited
     quantity of  material (or  the other excepted package
     classification descriptions)
 
2. If you  mean documentation  on the 49 CFR 173.410 General
   Package  Design   Requirements  the  regulations  do  not
   specify that  documentation  or  retention  is  required.
   Therefore, if  there is  a question  then the  burden  of
   proof is  on the shipper to demonstrate that the excepted
   package meets the General Package Design Requirements.
 
Proper shipping name and UN number for the excepted package
group has not changed it remains:
     Radioactive material, excepted package - limited
        quantity of material, UN2910
     Radioactive material, excepted package -
        instruments, UN2910
     Radioactive material, excepted package - articles,
        UN2910
     Radioactive material, excepted package - articles,
        UN2910
     Radioactive material, excepted package - articles
        manufactured from natural uranium, UN2910
     Radioactive material, excepted package - articles
        manufactured from depleted uranium, UN2910
     Radioactive material, excepted package - articles
        manufactured from natural thorium, UN2910
     Radioactive material, excepted package - empty
        packaging, UN2910
 
Roy A. Parker, Ph.D.
Radiation Physics Consultant
Federal Express Corporation
70472.711@compuserve.com
504-924-1473