​​At FANR we follow international regulations and the world's best practices to protect persons, property and the environment from the effects of radiation during the transport of radioactive material.

Our requirements apply to transporting radioactive materials on land and on water including preparing, consigning, loading, conveying (including in-transit storage), unloading and receiving at the final destination.

Our requirements also apply to radioactive materials regulated by FANR when transported outside of a licensee's establishment such as nuclear medicine sources, radiotherapy sources, irradiator sources, industrial radiography sources, well-logging sources and gauges.

Hazard Indicators

FANR regulations establish hazard indicators for packages and they use the values of these indicators to set conditions that must be met when transporting them. These include the Transportation Index and the Package Category.

​​The Package Category is based on the Transportation Index and is used to determine what modes of transport may be used and whether the package may be transported in compartments or vehicles containing passengers.

Package Labelling

Radioactive material shippers must use one of the three labels below on packages, provide shipping requirements to carriers and notify FANR.

Material Classification

Contents of packages are grouped into nine classes depending on their amount and type of radioactivity:

• Low Specific Activity I
• Low Specific Activity II
• Low Specific Activity III
• Surface Contaminated Object I
• Surface Contaminated Object II
• Special form Radioactive Material
• Low Dispersible Radioactive Material
• Fissile Material
• Uranium Hexafluoride

Package Classification

Packages are grouped into eight categories as per their performance under various conditions and the properties of the radioactive materials they may contain:

• Excepted Packages
• Industrial Package Type 1
• Industrial Package Type 2
• Industrial Package Type 3
• Type A
• Type B(U)
• Type B(M)
• Type C
*

Tips

Well-logging sources and fixed and portable gauges are likely to require Type A packages.

Industrial radiography, radiotherapy and irradiator sources are likely to require Type B packages.

Transportation Requirements

Packages must be separated from working areas, public access areas and from dangerous goods.

Loading Instructions

FANR has rules for loading and stowing packages. These rules depend on the Transportation Index.

• Measure the maximum radiation level of the package in millisieverts per hour at one meter from its surface.
• Category II-YELLOW or III-YELLOW packages or over-packs may not be carried in compartments occupied by passengers other than authorised couriers.

Training

We require that workers directly involved in transporting radioactive material are trained to do so safely. Workers who need training include those who:

• classify, pack, mark and label radioactive material
• carry or handle radioactive material in transport
• load or unload packages of radioactive material

For any additional information on the transport of radioactive material, please feel free to contact the FANR licensing section in the Radiation Safety Department on +971 2 651 6644.