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Type A Containers
- To: BlindCopyReceiver:;@compuserve.com
- Subject: Type A Containers
- From: "Roy A. Parker" <70472.711@CompuServe.COM>
- Date: 12 Feb 97 19:32:08 EST
Don,
Please see my e-mail of 5-Feb-97 21:27:00 to RADSAFE.
I concur with your Items 1 and 2 below.
In Item 3 the old Don Edling, Mound Laboratory Report, subsequently
became the "Westinghouse Report," and that has now become the "Rust
Laboratories Report." See "Test and Evaluation Document for DOT
Specification 7A Type A Packaging" at
http://www.hanford.gov/pss/t&p/dot7a/pdot7a.htm
(Note: This web address is case sensitive.)
Concerning Item 4 I can not speak directly concerning the two testing
laboratories that you reference in your e-mail, but I have not found to
date any testing laboratory that provides complete certification for
Type A packaging. There are two criteria for Type A packaging: (1) The
packaging will prevent loss or dispersal of the radioactive contents;
and (2) The packaging will prevent a significant increase in the
radiation levels recorded or calculated at the external surfaces for the
condition before the test. Most testing laboratories do an excellent
job on the loss or dispersal criteria, but I have not seen a testing
laboratory that satisfactorily addresses the significant increase in the
surface radiation levels. "Significant increase" is interpreted via
IAEA Safety Series 6 to mean no more than a 20 percent increase in the
surface radiation level. The other shortcoming that I have found is
that many testing laboratories only address the testing requirements and
do not include in their certification the remaining requirements for
Type A packaging.
In Item 5 of your e-mail you are correct that 49 CFR 172.700 documented
training is required for shipment of excepted radioactive material
packages.
Roy A. Parker, Ph.D.
Radiation Physics Consultant to
Federal Express Corporation
E-Mail: 70472.711@compuserve.com
Tel: 504-924-1473
Fax: 504-924-4269
------------( Forwarded computer archived letter 1 follows )------------
12-Feb-97 17:16 CST
Sb: Re: Containers for Type A
Fm: "Don_Jordan" > INTERNET:Don_Jordan@fpm.uchicago.edu
It's taken me a while to dig through the email backlog to get to this one
- and I do not believe I've seen anyone else address it.
1. The difference in testing requirements between IP-3 and Type-A
struck me as so minor that many people would simply choose to do the full
Type-A
2. The TYPe-A testing must be done on the proposed packaging with
something that approximates its proposed contents. I.e., you can get
anything certified as Type-A, if it passes all the tests (The general
tests for all packages as well as the specific Type-A tests.)
3. I have been told that DoE had someone do general Type A testing
for DOT-17 (M or H?) steel drums. (Note: this is an essentially obsolete
- but still useful - construction standard; as compared to the new
performance based standards.) The results of these tests (I've been told)
are contained in the "Mound Report". If I get a copy I'll try to make it
available.
4. You can submit your package design and simulated radioactive
contents to any qualified testing laboratory to perform the Type-A tests,
or you can do them yourself (keep very good record of the tests!)
The tests for Type-A liquids include a 30 foot drop, which we did not feel
comfortable doing ourselves. Some testing labs in PA which are IATA/ICAO
certified are:
Propack Inc.
76 Jansen Av
Essington, PA 19029
Tel. 610-521-4050
Professional Service Industries, Inc.
Pittsburgh Testing Laboratory Division
850 Poplar St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15220
Tel. 412-922-4000
412-922-4014
These addresses are from the 1995 IATA Guide and the Zip's are reproduced
correctly. The testing we had done cost us $500 per package design.
5. You definitely do need to be a DoT certified Hazmat Shipper to
ship Type A quantities (and probably to ship Excepted Packages too.)
Training for this should cost something in the range of 500-1000.
Don Jordan
The University of Chicago
Office of Radiation Safety
Zoology Building Room 11
1101 East 57th Street
Chicago, Illinois 60615
Tel. 773-702-6299
Fax 773-702-4008
email Don_Jordan@fpm.uchicago.edu
------------( Forwarded computer archived letter 2 follows )------------
5-Feb-97 21:27:00
Sb: Containers for Type A
To: INTERNET:radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu;
Eric Boeldt > INTERNET:ejb6@psu.edu
Eric:
> Does anyone know of a company that sells Industrial Packaging-3
> containers?
To my knowledge no company sells IP-3 packaging for the same reason
that no company sells a "complete" DOT 7A Type A packaging. I know
that some companies purport to sell Type A packaging, but those
that have come to my attention have one or more deficiencies in
their documentation; usually the requirement that the surface
radiation level not increase by more than 20% after the required
tests.
Note an IP-3 package must meet all the Type A packaging
requirements except for the liquid absorbent or containment system
requirements and the increased free drop and penetration tests.
> What could I purchase that would come close to the requirements that I
> could then test to get my required Type A container. I need to
> purchase some 55-gallon drums, 30 gallon drums, 5 gallon pails, and
> some boxes.
DOE has done some of your work for you. Your best starting place
is "Test and Evaluation Document for DOT Specification 7A Type A
Packaging" at http://www.hanford.gov/pss/t&p/dot7a/pdot7a.htm.
(Note: This web address is case sensitive.)
Roy A. Parker, Ph.D.
Radiation Physics Consultant
Federal Express Corporation
E-Mail: 70472.711@compuserve.com
Tel: 504-924-1473
Fax: 504-924-4269
-------------( Forwarded computer archived letter 3 follows )-------------
05-Feb-97 19:40 CST
Sb: Containers for Type A
Fm: Eric Boeldt > INTERNET:ejb6@psu.edu
Radsafers,
Does anyone know of a company that sells Industrial Packaging -3
containers?
If nobody sells an IP-3. What could I purchase that would come
close to the requirements that I could then test to get my required Type A
container.
I need to purchase some 55-gallon drums, 30 gallon drums, 5 gallon
pails, and some boxes.
Usual disclaminers apply.
Eric Boeldt Health Physics Office (814)-865-3459
ejb6@psu.edu 228 Academic Projects Building FAX (814)-865-7225
University Park, PA 16802