Class 7 is the category many carriers will not deal with. Not because the work is rare, but because the compliance requirements are among the most demanding of all nine ADR classes.

Here is what that involves and why it matters to anyone shipping radioactive goods.

Why Class 7 Is Different

Radioactive materials are governed by two regulatory regimes at the same time. ADR covers the carriage of the goods, while the Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017, known as IRR17, govern the protection of people from radiation.

The competent authority for Class 7 transport is the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), rather than the Department for Transport (DfT). Getting either side wrong does not simply make an operator non-compliant. It can put drivers, the public and the consignment itself at serious risk.

The Foundations You Cannot Skip

Class 7 transport requires specialist advice, formal risk assessment and properly authorised personnel.

• RADIATION PROTECTION ADVISER (RPA). A suitable Radiation Protection Adviser must be consulted before any carriage begins. This is a legal requirement under IRR17. The adviser reviews the proposed operation, potential exposure and transport routes to confirm that the arrangements are compliant.
• RADIATION RISK ASSESSMENT (RRA). A suitable and sufficient Radiation Risk Assessment is also required under Regulation 8 of IRR17. It must consider the risk to drivers and the public and be completed before the work starts, not afterwards. Assessments are based on a van-based bounding case and signed off by a Radiation Protection Adviser.
• DANGEROUS GOODS SAFETY ADVISER (DGSA). Alongside this, businesses carrying dangerous goods must appoint a Dangerous Goods Safety Adviser under ADR. The DGSA oversees procedures, compliance and reporting across every dangerous goods class carried by the business.
• TRAINED AND AUTHORISED DRIVERS. Drivers must also be specifically trained and authorised to carry Class 7 materials. Their competence is recorded through a controlled training matrix and formal authorisation process. It is never assumed.

What Happens at Collection

Collection is where compliance is either proven or lost. Before a package moves, the package type, labelling, dose rate, documentation and condition must all be checked.

• PACKAGE TYPE. The package may be classified as Excepted, Industrial, Type A or Type B, and it must be suitable for the activity and contents being carried. If the package type is wrong, the consignment does not move.
• CATEGORY AND LABELLING. Packages are also assigned to Category I-White, Category II-Yellow or Category III-Yellow according to their surface dose rate and transport index. The label must show the isotope, the activity and, where applicable, the transport index.
• DOSE RATE AND CONTAMINATION. The surface dose rate must remain within the limits for the relevant category, while external surfaces must be checked to confirm that they are within the permitted limits for non-fixed contamination.
• DOCUMENTATION. Documentation is equally important. The consignment must have the correct UN number and proper shipping name, together with a complete transport document. The vehicle must also carry the required written emergency instructions.
• PACKAGE INTEGRITY. Finally, the package itself must be inspected. Seals must be intact, and there must be no damage, leakage or other signs that its integrity has been compromised.

If it is not right, it does not move.

More Than a Placard on a Van

Anyone can put a placard on a vehicle.

Carrying Class 7 materials legally requires an appointed Radiation Protection Adviser, a signed Radiation Risk Assessment, a Dangerous Goods Safety Adviser, trained and authorised drivers, and a collection process that is followed correctly every single time.