ISO 17874-5:2007

Overview

ISO 17874-5:2007 - Remote handling devices for radioactive materials - Part 5: Remote handling tongs provides guidance for the selection, installation and use of manually‑operated remote handling tongs in nuclear installations. The standard addresses the specific engineering aspects of tongs and their interfaces with containment and shielding structures (hot cells, gloveboxes and pool installations). It applies only to manually actuated tongs (not powered devices) and does not prescribe process choices or general maintenance policies that might determine device selection.

Key topics

• Classification and kinematics
  • Distinguishes horizontal and vertical tongs and describes allowed motions (positioning and orientation motions such as tilt, twist and swivel).
• Components and interfaces
  • Definition and guidance for parts such as rod, handle, tongs unit, jaws, sphere units and leak‑tight couplings.
• Gaiters and containment continuity
  • Requirements for gaiters (flexible sleeves) and gaiter assemblies to maintain leak‑tightness and protect mechanical parts from contamination.
• Selection and installation criteria
  • General and particular criteria for choosing tongs, mounting on shielding or containment walls, and ensuring shielding integrity.
• Maintenance and replaceability
  • Procedures and design considerations for removal, replacement and storage of tongs elements (e.g., gaiters, interchangeable end‑effectors).
• Shielding and operating volume
  • Relationship between tongs characteristics and the accessible operating volume inside the enclosure.
• Accessories and special designs
  • Examples of specialized tongs (repetitive motion tools, articulated units for delicate work) and accessory recommendations.
• Normative and informative annexes
  • Annexes cover sphere units, jaws, accessories, gaiter details, replacement procedures and operating‑volume relationships.

Applications and users

Practical applications include handling tasks in nuclear hot cells and pools: fuel element examination, radioisotope manipulation, reprocessing steps, waste treatment and radiochemical analysis. Typical users and stakeholders:

• Nuclear engineers and hot‑cell designers
• Equipment manufacturers and suppliers of remote handling tongs
• Health physics and radiation protection specialists
• Maintenance and operations teams in nuclear facilities
• Procurement and specification writers for containment hardware

Related standards

Relevant ISO documents referenced by ISO 17874-5:2007 include:

• ISO 17874-1 (General requirements) and ISO 17874-2 (Mechanical master‑slave manipulators)
• ISO 11933-1 / -2 (Containment components, gloves and gaiters)
• ISO 7212, ISO 9404-1 (lead shielding units)
• ISO 10648-2 (containment leak‑tightness classification)

ISO 17874-5:2007 is a practical engineering guide for specifying and integrating manual remote handling tongs into nuclear containment systems while maintaining contamination control and shielding integrity. Keywords: ISO 17874-5:2007, remote handling tongs, hot cells, gaiter, leak‑tight coupling, nuclear installations.