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.