Public Concerns About Radioactive Material Transportation Can be Reduced by Effective Communication of Engineering Data

This paper presents information concerning the safety of transporting radioactive materials (RAM). This evaluation is supported by an examination of data for actual accidents and incidents that have occurred with RAM transport, a study of the regulatory test procedures used to certify RAM packagings and the comparison of RAM transport with that of other hazardous materials. A number of studies are summarized that show that RAM transportation has been a low risk operation for approximately four decades. Where appropriate, RAM transport statistics are compared with with the statistics of other hazardous materials. This engineering information can be used by federal, state and local officials and public interest groups to assess the relative risk of RAM transportation on a national scale and in their local jurisdictions. The organization of engineering data in an orderly and logical fashion and the presentation of this data to government agencies and members of the public can be used in an attempt to allay fears about the safety of RAM transportation.