Communication and Radioactive Material Transportation

Communication for radioactive material transportation is not simple. Many people consider it a synonym for fear. It is also one of the only nuclear activities done in the public domain. Good communication is thus very important but, it also has limits. Communication must be totally in line with: - regulations - requirements - laws - general organisation of a shipment - rules applied to transport any type of material, particular rules applied to the transport of a particular material - how the type of transport is chosen, In fact, good communication requires all the elements which demonstrate that radioactive material transportation is well managed. We may disclose a lot of information, but we must also keep some of it confidential for very simple and logical reasons. First of all, we are not transporting apples, we are transporting radioactive material, it is a very sensitive activity. Disclosing schedules and routes of a shipment is thus not possible. Two types of communication are pertinent to nuclear material transport: - prepared in advance - crisis intervention Communication prepared in advance is the basis, we have time to analyse the facts, to prepare our communication concerning the material, the transport means and the cask used. Prepared communication builds our library which is essential for crisis communication. Using actual examples, such as MOX shipment to Japan or radioactive material shipments from France to Russia this article will analyse which type of documents are prepared in terms of communication for a transport.