This document specifies gas leakage test criteria and test methods for demonstrating that packages
used to transport radioactive materials comply with the package containment requirements defined
in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive
Material for:
— design verification;
— fabrication verification;
— preshipment verification;
— periodic verification;
— maintenance verification.
This document describes a method for relating permissible activity release of the radioactive contents
carried within a containment system to equivalent gas leakage rates under specified test conditions.
This approach is called gas leakage test methodology. However, in this document it is recognized that
other methodologies might be acceptable, provided that they demonstrate that any release of the
radioactive contents will not exceed the regulatory requirements, and subject to agreement with the
competent authority.
This document provides both overall and detailed guidance on the complex relationships between an
equivalent gas leakage test and a permissible activity release rate. Whereas the overall guidance is
universally agreed upon, the use of the detailed guidance shall be agreed upon with the competent
authority during the Type B(U), Type B(M) or Type C packages certification process.
It should be noted that, for a given package, demonstration of compliance is not limited to a single
methodology.
While this document does not require particular gas leakage test procedures, it does present minimum
requirements for any test that is to be used. It is the responsibility of the package designer or consignor
to estimate or determine the maximum permissible release rate of radioactivity to the environment
and to select appropriate leakage test procedures that have adequate sensitivity.
This document pertains specifically to Type B(U), Type B(M) or Type C packages for which the
regulatory containment requirements are specified explicitly