Incident details
- Incident ID: INF4807
- Site / Consignor: Isospeed Ltd
- Date of Occurrence: 24/01/25
- ONR Incident Category: TS03 / AN01
- Final INES Rating: 1 Anomaly
- ONR Governance Category: 3 Minor shortfall
Incident description
A vehicle belonging to Isospeed Ltd was carrying five Class 7 dangerous goods (radioactive material) Type A packages, which are used to transport smaller quantities of radioactive material. In this instance, three packages with Iodine-131 and two krypton generators with a total Transport Index of 6.2, were travelling from Glasgow to Edinburgh in the early hours of 24/01/25.
This was during Storm Eowyn and a vehicle had been blown over on the A74, which the Isospeed Ltd vehicle collided with. There was minimal damage to one of the Type A packages (tears and crush damage to corners of the outer cardboard packaging and no radiation or contamination detected).
The vehicle was significantly damaged and the driver required hospital treatment.
Dutyholder’s response
Police contacted Isospeed Ltd headquarters and the company enacted its emergency plan for such an occurrence. Isospeed Ltd contacted relevant regulators and liaised with the police and their Radiation Protection Adviser regarding the condition of the packages, which were deemed to be in a safe state at the scene of the incident.
An Isospeed Ltd driver was sent to collect the packages from the damaged vehicle which had been safely transported by emergency services to a nearby service station. The packages were subsequently taken to an in-transit store before onward transport to the original consignee.
ONR’s action
An ONR inspector contacted Isospeed Ltd to confirm our understanding of the incident from the information provided.
The inspector queried why Isospeed Ltd was transporting Class 7 dangerous goods in a location where an Amber/Red weather warning had been issued. Isospeed Ltd stated these were medical packages required for patients and company policy is to attempt all such deliveries.
ONR’s Inspector requested the Risk Assessment/policy in place for travelling in extreme weather conditions. Isospeed Ltd provided further justification, stating:
- Isospeed Ltd’s policy is to transport life-saving treatment;
- Drivers are used to driving in extreme weather conditions;
- It is up to the driver to decide if it is safe to drive;
- Police said the driver could not have avoided the collision.
In response to the incident, and following ONR’s intervention, Isospeed Ltd have introduced a daily go/no-go dashboard with the consignor to identify the importance of package delivery for the next day or where deliveries can be delayed until later. This is used to inform Isospeed Ltd’s risk assessment prior to travelling in extreme weather.