The standard applies to the production and use of sealed radioactive sources. Excluded are sealed radioactive sources which are used in nuclear power plants (for instance fuel elements, neutron sources) and others subject to special regulations. The standard is intended to give standard guidelines and criteria for the assessment of safety in handling sealed radioaktive sources to manufactueres, suppliers, user and authorities. For this purpose these sealed radioaktive sources are classified according to their radioactive substance, their physical and chemical state and the thermal and mechanical stresses to which they are subjected.