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.
 

ADR applies to the carriage of radioactive material by road including carriage which is incidental to 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 in- transit 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.
 

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.

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.

1.7.4.1    Special arrangement shall mean those provisions, approved by the competent authority, under which consignments which do not satisfy all the requirements of ADR applicable to radioactive material may be transported.

NOTE: Special arrangement is not considered to be a temporary derogation in accordance with  1.5.1.