OVERVIEW OF IAEA MODIFICATIONS FOR EXCEPTIONS TO THE REQUIREMENTS FOR TRANSPORT OF FISSILE MATERIAL

In 2012 the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) published a revision to the IAEA Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material [1]. This 2012 Edition of the Regulations, referred to as Specific Safety Requirement No. 6 (SSR-6), includes major revisions to the provisions that address the requirements for transport of fissile material. Identified safety concerns associated with provisions that allowed exceptions to the use of packages designed for transport of fissile material, as provided in the 1996 Edition of the Regulations [2] (and promulgated with minor changes thereafter), were the prime motivation for revisions that were under consideration by the IAEA and its Member States for over a decade. The revisions adopted by the IAEA in the 2012 Edition of the Regulations address the identified safety concerns by providing a graded approach with consistent assurance of criticality safety. Where possible, practical needs identified by industry as beneficial to efficiency and clarity in applying the regulations were addressed.