Mexico’s Secretary of Energy published two Official Mexican Standards related to the transportation and labeling of radioactive materials: NOM-009-NUCL-2017, “Determination and application of the transport index (TI) for radioactive materials and the Criticality Safety Index (CSI) for the transport of fissile substances” and NOM-014-NUCL-2017, “Categories of packages, overpacks and cargo containers containing radioactive material: Marking, labeling and signing”.
NOM-009-NUCL-2017
NOM-009-NUCL-2017 aims to define the methods to determine the transport index (TI) and Criticality Safety Index (CSI), as well as the safety requirements for the transportation and storage in transit of radioactive materials, in regards to the TI and CSI. The standard applies to transport units, packages and overpacks, containers and tanks, in which radioactive material is to be transported, as well as to unpackaged Low Specific Activity-I (LSA-I) materials and Surface Contaminated Objects-I (SCO-I), including storage in transit.
The standard specifies the method to determine the transport index (TI) as well as the method to determine the Criticality Safety Index (CSI). It additionally specifies maintenance of records requirements and includes compliance assessment procedures.
NOM-014-NUCL-2017
NOM-014-NUCL-2017 aims to define criteria in order to categorize packages, overpacks and cargo containers for radioactive material, as well as the marking, labeling and signing requirements that must be met for the transport of radioactive material.
The standard applies to any package, overpack, tank and cargo container used to transport radioactive material within Mexico, including storage in transit. It defines categories according to TI and surface level radiation and describes marking, labeling and signing requirements.
Enforcement and Entry into Force
Enforcement corresponds to the Energy Secretariat, through the National Commission on Nuclear Safety and Safeguards and the Standards will enter into force on June 7th, 2019.
The original text of the Standards (in Spanish) may be found in the following links: