Dangerous Goods by Road
Scope and application
NOTE 1: In the event of accidents or incidents during the carriage of radioactive material,
emergency provisions, as established by relevant national and/or international organizations, shall be
observed to protect persons, property and the environment. Appropriate guidelines for such
provisions are contained in "Planning and Preparing for Emergency Response to Transport Accidents
Involving Radioactive Material", Safety Standard Series No. TS-G-1.2 (ST-3), IAEA, Vienna (2002).
NOTE 2: Emergency procedures shall take into account the formation of other dangerous substances
that may result from the reaction between the contents of a consignment and the environment in the
event of an accident.
ADR establishes standards of safety which provide an acceptable level of control of the radiation,
criticality and thermal hazards to persons, property and the environment that are associated with the
carriage of radioactive material. These standards are based on the IAEA Regulations for the Safe
Transport of Radioactive material, 2012 Edition, IAEA Safety Standards Series No. SSR–6, IAEA,
Vienna (2012). Explanatory material can be found in “Advisory Material for the IAEA Regulations
for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material (2012 Edition)”, IAEA Safety Standards Series No.
SSG-26, IAEA, Vienna (2014).
The objective of ADR is to establish requirements that shall be satisfied to ensure safety and to protect
persons, property and the environment from the effects of radiation in the carriage of radioactive
material. This protection is achieved by requiring:
(a) Containment of the radioactive contents;
(b) Control of external radiation levels;
(c) Prevention of criticality; and
(d) Prevention of damage caused by heat.
These requirements are satisfied firstly by applying a graded approach to contents limits for packages
and vehicles and to performance standards applied to package designs depending upon the hazard of
the radioactive contents. Secondly, they are satisfied by imposing conditions on the design and
operation of packages and on the maintenance of packagings, including a consideration of the nature
of the radioactive contents. Finally, they are satisfied by requiring administrative controls including,
where appropriate, approval by competent authorities.
the use of the radioactive material. Carriage comprises all operations and conditions associated with
and involved in the movement of radioactive material; these include the design, manufacture,
maintenance and repair of packaging, and the preparation, consigning, loading, carriage including intransit
storage, unloading and receipt at the final destination of loads of radioactive material and
packages. A graded approach is applied to the performance standards in ADR that are characterized
by three general severity levels:
(a) Routine conditions of carriage (incident free);
(b) Normal conditions of carriage (minor mishaps);
(c) Accident conditions of carriage.
The provisions laid down in ADR do not apply to any of the following:
(a) Radioactive material that is an integral part of the means of transport;
(b) Radioactive material moved within an establishment which is subject to appropriate safety
regulations in force in the establishment and where the movement does not involve public
roads or railways;
(c) Radioactive material implanted or incorporated into a person or live animal for diagnosis or
treatment;
(d) Radioactive material in or on a person who is to be transported for medical treatment because
the person has been subject to accidental or deliberate intake of radioactive material or to
contamination;
(e) Radioactive material in consumer products which have received regulatory approval, following
their sale to the end user;
(f) Natural material and ores containing naturally occurring radionuclides (which may have been
processed), provided the activity concentration of the material does not exceed 10 times the
values specified in Table 2.2.7.2.2.1, or calculated in accordance with 2.2.7.2.2.2 (a) and
2.2.7.2.2.3 to 2.2.7.2.2.6. For natural materials and ores containing naturally occurring
radionuclides that are not in secular equilibrium the calculation of the activity concentration
shall be performed in accordance with 2.2.7.2.2.4;
(g) Non-radioactive solid objects with radioactive substances present on any surfaces in quantities
not in excess of the limit set out in the definition for "contamination" in 2.2.7.1.2.
Specific provisions for the carriage of excepted packages
Excepted packages which may contain radioactive material in limited quantities, instruments,
manufactured articles or empty packagings as specified in 2.2.7.2.4.1 shall be subject only to the
following provisions of Parts 5 to 7:
(a) The applicable provisions specified in 5.1.2.1, 5.1.3.2, 5.1.5.2.2, 5.1.5.2.3, 5.1.5.4, 5.2.1.10,
7.5.11 CV33 (3.1), (5.1) to (5.4) and (6); and
(b) The requirements for excepted packages specified in 6.4.4.
except when the radioactive material possesses other hazardous properties and has to be classified in a
class other than Class 7 in accordance with special provision 290 or 369 of Chapter 3.3, where the
provisions listed in (a) and (b) above apply only as relevant and in addition to those relating to the
main class.
Excepted packages are subject to the relevant provisions of all other parts of ADR. If the excepted
package contains fissile material, one of the fissile exceptions provided by 2.2.7.2.3.5 shall apply and
the requirements of 7.5.11 CV33 (4.3) shall be met.
Radiation protection programme
The carriage of radioactive material shall be subject to a Radiation protection programme which shall
consist of systematic arrangements aimed at providing adequate consideration of radiation protection
measures.
Doses to persons shall be below the relevant dose limits. Protection and safety shall be optimized in
order that the magnitude of individual doses, the number of persons exposed and the likelihood of
incurring exposure shall be kept as low as reasonably achievable, economic and social factors being
taken into account within the restriction that the doses to individuals be subject to dose constraints. A
structured and systematic approach shall be adopted and shall include consideration of the interfaces
between carriage and other activities.
The nature and extent of the measures to be employed in the programme shall be related to the
magnitude and likelihood of radiation exposures. The programme shall incorporate the requirements
in 1.7.2.2, 1.7.2.4, 1.7.2.5 and 7.5.11 CV33 (1.1). Programme documents shall be available, on
request, for inspection by the relevant competent authority.
For occupational exposures arising from transport activities, where it is assessed that the effective
dose either:
(a) Is likely to be between 1 mSv and 6 mSv in a year, a dose assessment programme via work
place monitoring or individual monitoring shall be conducted; or
(b) Is likely to exceed 6 mSv in a year, individual monitoring shall be conducted.
When individual monitoring or work place monitoring is conducted, appropriate records shall be kept.
NOTE: For occupational exposures arising from transport activities, where it is assessed that the
effective dose is most unlikely to exceed 1 mSv in a year, no special work patterns, detailed
monitoring, dose assessment programmes or individual record keeping need be required.
Workers (see 7.5.11, CV33 Note 3) shall be appropriately trained in radiation protection including the
precautions to be observed in order to restrict their occupational exposure and the exposure of other
persons who might be affected by their actions.
Management system
A management system based on international, national or other standards acceptable to the competent
authority shall be established and implemented for all activities within the scope of ADR, as identified
in 1.7.1.3, to ensure compliance with the relevant provisions of ADR. Certification that the design
specification has been fully implemented shall be available to the competent authority. The
manufacturer, consignor or user shall be prepared:
(a) To provide facilities for inspection during manufacture and use; and
(b) To demonstrate compliance with ADR to the competent authority.
Where competent authority approval is required, such approval shall take into account and be
contingent upon the adequacy of the management system.