DOE-HDBK-1122-99 Module 2.12, Fundamental Academic Training Instructor's Guide Phase I, Module 2.12, Shipment/Receipt of Radioactive Material
Functional areas: Radiological Control, Technician Training, Instructor's Guide, Shipment, Radioactive Material
The basis behind the regulations governing the packaging and shipping of radioactive material is to keep radiation and radioactive material from affecting the environment during transportation and to keep the environment from affecting the integrity of the radioactive material.
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Section 1
DOE-HDBK-1122-99
Module 2.12 Shipment/Receipt of Radioactive Material Instructor’s Guide
2.12-1
Course Title: Radiological Control Technician
Module Title: Shipment/Receipt of Radioactive Material
Module Number: 2.12
Objectives:
2.12.01 List the applicable agencies which have regulations that govern the
transport of radioactive material.
2.12.02 Define terms used in DOT regulations.
2.12.03 Describe methods that may be used to determine the radionuclide contents
of a package.
2.12.04 Describe the necessary radiation and contamination surveys to be
performed on packages and state the applicable limits.
2.12.05 Describe the necessary radiation and contamination surveys to be
performed on exclusive use vehicles and state the applicable limits.
2.12.06 Identify the proper placement of placards on a transport vehicle.
� 2.12.07 Identify inspection criteria that should be checked prior to releasing a
shipment at your site.
� 2.12.08 Describe site procedures for receipt and shipment of radioactive material
shipments.
� 2.12.09 List the actions required at your site if a shipment is received exceeding
radiation or contamination limits.
� 2.12.10 Describe the proper step-by-step method for opening a package containing
radioactive material at your site.
REFERENCES
1. 10 CFR 835 (1998), “Occupational Radiation Protection”
2. 49 CFR, Parts 100-177, “Transportation”
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I. MODULE INTRODUCTION
A. Self-Introduction
1. Name
2. Phone number
3. Background
4. Emergency procedure review
B. Motivation
The basis behind the regulations governing the packaging
and shipping of radioactive material is to keep radiation
and radioactive material from affecting the environment
during transportation and to keep the environment from
affecting the integrity of the radioactive material.
The package itself is to be designed and constructed to be
the effective barrier between the environment and the
radioactive material, thus most of the regulatory
restrictions apply to the package and the method of
shipment used to transport the package.
To reduce any potential hazard, the regulatory
requirements become more restrictive as the quantity,
concentration, and potential hazard of the radioactive
material increases.
C. Overview of Lesson
This unit will present an overview of shipping and
transportation regulations and methods for radioactive
materials.
D. Introduce Objectives O.H.: Objectives
II. MODULE OUTLINE
A. Regulatory Structure Objective 2.12.01
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Numerous governmental agencies have jurisdiction over
the transfer and shipment of radioactive material from
nuclear facilities. The primary organizations are:
• U.S. Department of Energy
• U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
• U.S. Department of Transportation, Hazardous
Material Bureau
• U.S. Coast Guard
• International Civil Aviation Organization or
International Air Transport Association
• State transportation departments or radiation health
bureaus.
B. U.S. Department of Energy
The U.S. DOE establishes regulations to protect the
public health and safety from undue risk from DOE
activities. These regulations are in the form of 10 CFR
835 and DOE Orders. DOE requirements applicable to
packaging and transportation of radioactive material
include:
1. 10 CFR 835
Section 2
The Exclusion section of 10 CFR 835.1 states that
occupational doses received as a result of excluded
activities and radioactive material transportation shall
be considered when determining compliance with the
occupational dose limits in §§835.202 and 835.207.
2. DOE O 460.1
a. Establishes administrative procedures for the
certification and use of radioactive and other
hazardous materials packaging by DOE.
b. Establishes standards and requirements for the
packaging and transportation of hazardous
(including radioactive) materials, substances and
wastes. This Order requires that packages for
radioactive materials meet the NRC standards in
10 CFR 71 and imposes additional restrictions.
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3. DOE Order 460.2
Establishes DOE policies and procedures for the
management of materials transportation activities,
including traffic management, for other than
intrabuilding and intrasite transfers. It contains
general requirements related to all transportation
activities, not just hazardous or radioactive materials.
4. DOE Order 5480.4
Lists laws, regulations, and standards issued by
organizations other than DOE that are either required
or recommended to be followed in conducting DOE
operations. This Order lists the following standards
related to shipment of radioactive materials:
a. Mandatory as a Result of Federal Statutes –
49 CFR 170-179, DOT Hazardous Materials
Regulations 10 CFR 71, NRC Regulations on
Packaging of Radioactive Materials for Transport
b. Mandatory as a Matter of DOE Policy –
International Atomic Energy Agency Safety Series
No. 6, Regulations for the Safe Transport of
Radioactive Material International Air Transport
Association Restricted Article Regulations
The Order also lists several publications from Oak
Ridge National Laboratory, the American National
Standards Institute, and Nuclear Regulatory
Commission Regulatory Guides as non-mandatory
References on Good Practice.
5. DOE Order 5820.2A
Establishes policies, guidelines, and minimum
requirements by which DOE manages its radioactive
wastes.
6. U.S. Department of Transportation
The U.S. DOT regulates transportation by air, water,
rail, and highway. The Materials Transportation
Bureau has established rules governing the packaging
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and transport of hazardous material, including
radioactive material.
These regulations are contained in 49 CFR 170 - 179
and are applicable to any person who transports, or
ships, a hazardous material. Even though most of the
requirements for shipping radioactive material are
located in Part 173, the other sections of DOT
regulations must not be overlooked.
C. Regulatory Compliance
There are many regulations and documents from several
agencies that govern the transfer and transport of
radioactive material. Compliance with all regulations, not
just those from one agency, is required to transfer and
shipment of radioactive material. The number of
regulations involved depends upon the chosen mode of
transport and the quantity of radioactive material. Each
individual or group assigned the responsibility of
transferring and shipping radioactive material must
maintain a complete set of current regulations from all
applicable agencies as well as other supporting regulatory
guides, licenses and clarifying documents.
Section 3
Keep in mind that most regulations usually contain
exemptions and may contain more restrictive clauses. For
example, the DOT may exempt some shipments of low
quantities and types of radioactive material from their
regulations. The DOT exemption, however, does not
automatically exempt the material from DOE
requirements. It is best to be aware of the requirements
from all agencies to avoid citations for using one specific
exemption that is not recognized by the other agencies.
D. Definition of Terms Objective 2.12.02
The following definitions are found in 49 CFR 173.403
(this is not a complete listing of the §173.403 definitions):
1. A1. The maximum activity of special form radioactive
material permitted in a Type A package.
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2. A2. The maximum activity of radioactive material,
other than special form, Low Specific Activity, or
Surface Contaminated Object, permitted in a Type A
package.
3. Radioactive Material. Any material having a specific
activity greater than 70 Bq per gram (0.002 microcurie
per gram). No other U.S. Department or Agency uses
this limit.
4. Exclusive Use (also referred to as “sole use” of “full
load”). Sole use by a single consignor of a
conveyance for which all initial, intermediate, and
final loading and unloading are carried out in
accordance with the direction of the consignor or the
consignee. The consignor and the carrier must ensure
that any loading or unloading is performed by
personnel having radiological training and resources
appropriate for safe handling of the consignment. The
consignor must issue specific instructions in writing,
for maintenance of exclusive use shipment controls,
and include them with the shipping paper information
provided to the carrier by the consignor.
5. Limited Quantity. A quantity of radioactive material
not exceeding the materials packaging limits specified
in §173.425 and conforming with requirements
specified in §173.421.
6. Low Specific Activity (LSA). Radioactive material
with limited specific activity which satisfies the
descriptions and limits set forth below. Shielding
materials surrounding LSA material may not be
considered in determining the estimated average
specific activity of the package contents. LSA
material must be in one of three groups:
1) LSA-I
i) Ores containing only naturally occurring
radionuclides (e.g., uranium, thorium) and
uranium or thorium concentrates of ores; or
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ii) Solid unirradiated natural uranium or depleted
uranium or natural thorium or their solid or
liquid compounds or mixtures; or
iii) Radioactive material, other than fissile
material, for which the A2 value is unlimited;
or
iv) Mill tailings, contaminated earth, concrete,
rubble, other debris, and activated material in
which the radioactive material is essentially
uniformly distributed and the average specific
activity does not exceed 10-6A2/g.
2) LSA-II
i) Water with tritium concentration up to 0.8
Tbq/liter (20 Ci/liter); or
ii) Material in which the radioactive material is
distributed throughout and the average specific
activity does not exceed 10-4A2/g for solids and
gases, and 10-5A2/g for liquids.
3) LSA-III: Solids (e.g., consolidated wastes,
activated materials) that meet the requirements of
§173.468 and which:
Section 4
i) The radioactive material is distributed
throughout a solid or a collection of solid
objects, or is essentially uniformly distributed
in a solid compact binding agent (such as
concrete, bitumin, ceramic, etc.); and
ii) The radioactive material is relatively insoluble,
or it is intrinsically contained in an insoluble
material, so that even under loss of packaging,
the loss of radioactive material per package by
leaching when placed in water for seven days
would not exceed 0.1 A2; and
iii) The average specific activity of the solid does
not exceed 2x10-3A2/g.
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7. Normal Form. Radioactive material which has not
been demonstrated to qualify as Special Form
radioactive material. In other words, this includes
most radioactive material shipped, except
encapsulated sources with the "Special Form"
certification.
8. Package. The packaging together with its
radioactive contents as presented for transport.
1) Excepted Package means a packaging together
with its excepted radioactive materials as
specified in §§173.421-173.426 and 173.428.
2) Type A Package means a packaging that,
together with its radioactive contents limited to
A1 or A2 as appropriate, meets the
requirements of §§173.410 and 173.412 and is
designed to retain the integrity of containment
and shielding required by Part 173 under
normal conditions of transport as demonstrated
by the tests set forth in §173.465 or §173.466,
as appropriate.
3) Type B Package means a packaging that,
together with its radioactive contents, is
designed to retain the integrity of containment
and shielding required by Part 173 when
subjected to the normal conditions of transport
and hypothetical accident test conditions set
forth in 10 CFR 71. There are specific Type B
packages, which include Type B(U) and Type
B(M) packages. Their requirements are
specified in §173.403.
4) Industrial Packaging means a packaging that,
together with its Low Specific Activity
material or Surface Contaminated Object
contents, meets the requirements of §§173.410
and 173.411. Industrial Packaging is further
categorized in §173.411 as Type 1, Type 2, or
Type 3.
9. Packaging. The assembly of components
necessary to ensure compliance with the
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packaging requirements of Part 173, Subpart I. It
may consist of one or more receptacles, absorbent
materials, spacing structures, thermal insulation,
radiation shielding, service equipment for filling,
emptying, venting and pressure relief, and devices
for cooling or absorbing mechanical shocks. The
conveyance, tie-down system, and auxiliary
equipment may sometimes be designated as part of
the packaging.
10. Special Form. Radioactive material which
satisfies the following conditions:
1) It is either a single solid piece or is contained
in a sealed capsule that can be opened only by
destroying the capsule;
2) The piece or capsule has at least one
dimension not less than 5 millimeters (0.2
inch); and
3) It satisfies the test requirements of §173.469.
There are other specific special form
encapsulation design exceptions found
elsewhere in Part 173.
11. Surface Contaminated Object (SCO). A solid
object which is not itself radioactive but which has
radioactive material distributed on any of its
surfaces. SCO must be in one of two groups with
surface activity not exceeding the following limits:
Section 5
1) SCO-I: A solid object on which:
i) The non-fixed contamination on the
accessible surface averaged over 300
cm2 (or the area of the surface if less
than 300 cm2) does not exceed 4
Bq/cm2 (10-4 microcurie/cm2) for beta
and gamma and low toxicity alpha
emitters, or 0.4 Bq/cm2 (10-5
microcurie/cm2) for all other alpha
emitters;
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ii) The fixed contamination on the
accessible surface averaged over 300
cm2 (or the area of the surface if less
than 300 cm2) does not exceed 4x104
Bq/cm2 (1.0 microcurie/cm2) for beta
and gamma and low toxicity alpha
emitters, or 4x103 Bq/cm2 (0.1
microcurie/cm2) for all other alpha
emitters; and
iii) The non-fixed contamination plus the
fixed contamination on the accessible
surface averaged over 300 cm2 (or the
area of the surface if less than 300 cm2)
does not exceed 4x104 Bq/cm2 (1.0
microcurie/cm2) for beta and gamma
and low toxicity alpha emitters, or
4x103 Bq/cm2 (0.1 microcurie/cm2) for
all other alpha emitters.
2) SCO-II: A solid object on which the limits for
SCO-I are exceeded and on which:
i) The non-fixed contamination on the
accessible surface averaged over 300
cm2 (or the area of the surface if less
than 300 cm2) does not exceed 400
Bq/cm2 (10-2 microcurie/cm2) for beta
and gamma and low toxicity alpha
emitters, or 40 Bq/cm2 (10-3
microcurie/cm2) for all other alpha
emitters;
ii) The fixed contamination on the
accessible surface averaged over 300
cm2 (or the area of the surface if less
than 300 cm2) does not exceed 8x105
Bq/cm2 (20 microcurie/cm2) for beta
and gamma and low toxicity alpha
emitters, or 8x104 Bq/cm2 (2
microcurie/cm2) for all other alpha
emitters; and
iii) The non-fixed contamination plus the
fixed contamination on the accessible
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surface averaged over 300 cm2 (or the
area of the surface if less than 300 cm2)
does not exceed 8x105 Bq/cm2 (20
microcurie/cm2) for beta and gamma
and low toxicity alpha emitters, or
8x104 Bq/cm2 (2 microcurie/cm2) for
all other alpha emitters.
12. Transport Index. The dimensionless number
(rounded up to the next tenth) placed on the label
of a package to designate the degree of control to
be exercised by the carrier during transportation.
13. Type A Quantity. A quantity of radioactive
material, the aggregate radioactivity of which does
not exceed A1 for special form radioactive material
or A2 for normal form radioactive material.
14. Type B Quantity. A quantity of radioactive
material greater than a Type A quantity.
E. Application of Regulatory Requirements
1. Radioactive Contents Objective 2.12.03
In order to determine packaging, labeling and
other requirements for shipping radioactive
material, the radionuclide content of the material
must be known. This includes the identity and
quantity of each isotope.
There are four basic methods which are considered
acceptable for radionuclide identification.
a. materials accountability - primarily applicable
to wastes and involves determining the
quantity of radioactive material contained
within a volume by comparing the amount of
radioactive material entering and exiting a
given process.
b. classification by source - determining the
radionuclide content through knowledge and
control of the source of the material.
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c. gross radioactivity measurements - acceptable,
provided that:
i. the gross radioactivity measurements are
correlated to the actual radionuclides in the
material
ii. the gross measurement is initially
correlated to actual radionuclide content
and periodically verified
d. direct measurement of individual radionuclides
- individual gamma emitting radionuclides are
directly measured using gamma spectroscopy.
F. Package Radiation Surveys and Limits Objective 2.12.04
Except as provided in paragraph (b) of §173.441, each
package of radioactive materials offered for
transportation must be designed and prepared for
shipment, so that under conditions normally incident
to transportation, the radiation level does not exceed 2
mSv/hour (200 mrem/hour) at any point on the
external surface of the package, and the transport
index does not exceed 10.
A package which exceeds 2 mSv/hour (200
mrem/hour) or a transport index of 10 must be
transported by exclusive use shipment, and the
radiation levels for such shipment may not exceed the
following during transportation:
1. 2 mSv/h (200 mrem/h) on the external surface of
the package unless the following conditions are
met, in which case the limit is 10 mSv/h (1000
mrem/h):
a. The shipment is made in a closed transport
vehicle;
b. The package is secured within the vehicle so
that its position remains fixed during
transportation; and
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c. There are no loading or unloading operations
between the beginning and end of the
transportation;
2. 2 mSv/h (200 mrem/h) at any point on the outer
surfaces of the vehicle, including the top and
underside of the vehicle; or in the case of a
flat-bed style vehicle, at any point on the vertical
planes projected from the outer edges of the
vehicle, on the upper surface of the load or
enclosure if used, and on the lower external
surface of the vehicle;
3. 0.1 mSv/h (10 mrem/h) at any point 2 meters (6.6
feet) from the outer lateral surfaces of the vehicle
(excluding the top and underside of the vehicle);
or in the case of a flat-bed style vehicle, at any
point 2 meters (6.6 feet) from the vertical planes
projected by the outer edges of the vehicle
(excluding the top and underside of the vehicle);
and
4. 0.02 mSv/h (2mrem/h) in any normally occupied
space, except that this provision does not apply to
carriers if they operate under the provisions of a
State or federally regulated radiation protection
program and if personnel under their control who
are in such an occupied space wear radiation
dosimetry devices.
For shipments made under the exclusive use
provisions, the offer or shall provide specific written
instructions for maintenance of the exclusive use
shipment controls to the carrier. The instructions must
be included with the shipping paper information. The
instructions must be sufficient so that, when followed,
they will cause the carrier to avoid actions that will
unnecessarily delay delivery or unnecessarily result in
increased radiation levels or radiation exposures to
transport workers or members of the general public.
Packages exceeding 2 mSv/hour (200 mrem/hour) or a
transport index of 10 may not be transported by
aircraft.
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G. Contamination Surveys and Limits (Off-site shipments via
non-DOE conveyance)
Section 7
The level of non-fixed (removable) radioactive
contamination on the external surfaces of each package
offered for transport must be kept as low as reasonably
achievable. The level of non-fixed radioactive
contamination may not exceed the limits set forth in Table
11 of §173.443 and must be determined by either:
1. Wiping an area of 300 square centimeters of the
surface concerned with an absorbent material, using
moderate pressure, and measuring the activity on the
wiping material. Sufficient measurements must be
taken in the most appropriate locations to yield a
representative assessment of the non-fixed
contamination levels. The amount of radioactivity
measured on any single wiping material, when
averaged over the surface wiped, may not exceed the
limits set forth in Table 11 of §173.443 at any time
during transport; or
2. Using other methods of assessment of equal or greater
efficiency, in which case the efficiency of the method
used must be taken into account and the non-fixed
contamination on the external surfaces of the package
may not exceed ten times the limits set forth in Table
11 of §173.443, as follows:
Table 1 - DOT Contamination Limits (Table 11 of §173.443)
Contaminant
Maximum Permissible
Limits
Bq/cm2 µCi/cm2 dpm/
cm2
Beta and gamma emitters and low
toxicity alpha emitters 0.4 10-5 22
All other alpha emitting
radionuclides 0.04 10-6 2.2
Objective 2.12.05
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§173.428 states that a packaging which previously
contained radioactive materials and has been emptied
of contents as far as practical, is excepted from the
shipping paper and certification, marking and labeling
requirements of this Part 173, provided that
a. The packaging meets the requirements of Sec.
173.421(a) (2), (3), and (5) of this §173 Subpart I;
b. The packaging is in unimpaired condition and is
securely closed so that there will be no leakage of
radioactive material under conditions normally
incident to transportation;
c. Internal contamination does not exceed 100 times
the limits in §173.443(a);
d. Any labels previously applied in conformance
with Subpart E of §172 are removed, obliterated,
or covered and the ``Empty'' label prescribed in
§172.450 is affixed to the packaging; and
e. The packaging is prepared for shipment as
specified in §173.422.
H. Contamination Surveys and Limits (On-site and off-site
shipments by DOE conveyance)
49 CFR 172 through 173 describe requirements for
inspecting and surveying packages, containers and
transport conveyances prior to off-site transport. The 49
CFR 173 contamination values shall be used as
controlling limits for off-site shipments transported by
DOE and non-DOE conveyances. These limits also apply
to on-site transfers of shipments by non-DOE
conveyances received from or destined to off-site
locations.
On-site shipments by DOE conveyances may use
alternative DOE limits for contamination, radiation,
packaging, etc., provided the alternative is approved.
DOE Radiological Control Standard, Table 2-2,
contamination values may be used as controlling limits for
on-site and off-site transportation when using a DOE
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conveyance. When a shipment is received from an off-
site destination, in or on a non-DOE conveyance, the 49
CFR contamination values shall be used when transfers
are made in a DOE conveyance from the on-site receiving
location to the ultimate on-site destination.
Section 8
I. Package Marking, Sealing and Labeling.
§173.427 states that for LSA material and SCO required
to be consigned as exclusive use for domestic
transportation only, packages are excepted from the
marking and labeling requirements of this subchapter.
However, the exterior of each nonbulk package must be
stenciled or otherwise marked Radioactive--''LSA'' or
Radioactive--''SCO,'' as appropriate, and nonbulk
packages that contain a hazardous substance must also be
stenciled or otherwise marked with the letters ''RQ'' in
association with the above description.
Except as provided above, LSA material and SCO must
be packaged as follows:
1. In an industrial package;
2. For domestic transportation only, in a Type A
package. The requirements of §173.412 (a), (b), (c)
and (k) do not apply;
3. For domestic transportation only, in a strong, tight
package that prevents leakage of the radioactive
content under normal conditions of transport. In
addition to the requirements of paragraph (a) of
§173.427, the following requirements must be met:
a. The shipment must be exclusive use;
b. The quantity of radioactive material in each
packaging may not exceed an A2 quantity;
4. For domestic transportation only, in a packaging that
complies with the provisions of 10 CFR 71.52, and is
transported in exclusive use; or
5. Any Type B, B(U) or B(M) packaging authorized
pursuant to §173.416.
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J. Type A Packages
In addition to meeting the general design requirements
prescribed in §173.410, each Type A packaging must be
designed so that
1. The outside of the packaging incorporates a feature,
such as a seal, that is not readily breakable, and that,
while intact, is evidence that the package has not been
opened. In the case of packages shipped in closed
transport vehicles in exclusive use, the cargo
compartment, instead of the individual packages, may
be sealed.
2. The smallest external dimension of the package is not
less than 10 centimeters (4 inches).
K Type B Packages
Type B package labeling and marking must meet the
following requirements:
1. Follow the same requirements as those described for
Type A packages.
2. Follow any additional sealing, labeling, and marking
requirements contained in the NRC Certificate of
Compliance for the package or site transport plan.
L. Surveys of Transport Vehicle
Radiation and contamination surveys should be performed
when an Exclusive Use transport vehicle arrives at the site
to ensure that the vehicle is not exceeding applicable DOT
limits. If found to be above these limits, the vehicle
should not be loaded until properly decontaminated and
the owner of the transport vehicle and the site packaging
and transportation department informed. During loading,
exclusive use transport vehicles should be frequently
surveyed to avoid the problem of rearranging the load
after it is discovered that the radiation levels are above
limits.
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M. Vehicle Radiation Surveys
Radiation surveys should be performed at the appropriate
locations to ensure that the radiation level limits are not
exceeded.
N Outgoing Vehicle Contamination Surveys
Section 9
DOT regulations do not specify contamination limits for
transport vehicles other than those designated exclusive
use. It is assumed that if packages loaded onto vehicles
are kept within their contamination limits, the vehicle will
be within the package contamination limits.
Contamination surveys of the packages should be
conducted at the time of loading to ensure that they have
not become contaminated in storage or through handling.
Even though DOT regulations do not specifically require
contamination surveys for non-exclusive use vehicles, it is
good radiological control practice to perform such surveys
to ensure that no contamination is spread to off site areas.
Prior to releasing a radioactive material shipment vehicle,
survey the bed of the truck, floor, seat, and door handles
of the cab, controls in cab, tires, and other areas which
could have become contaminated during loading.
O. Proper Placarding of Transport Vehicle
1. Do not over-label or placard a vehicle unnecessarily.
Application of such placard when the hazard does not
exist is a violation of regulations.
2. Description of Placard. The radioactive placard is
diamond shaped with "Radioactive" in black centered
across it on a white background. The upper portion of
the sign has a black radiation symbol on a yellow
background (49 CFR 172.556). The placard must be
fastened to all four sides of the vehicle
(49 CFR 172.504(a)).
3. Location of Placards on Transport Vehicle. Placards
must be on all four sides of the vehicle. If a tractor is
disconnected from the trailer, placards must be on all
four sides of the trailer otherwise the front placard can
be on the tractor. After the shipment has been
Objective 2.12.06
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officially received on the receivers property, it is
usually posted in accordance with regular posting
(Radiation Area, High Radiation Area, Contamination
Area, etc.)
P. Inspection Prior to Release of Shipment
(Insert site specific information here)
Objective 2.12.07
Q. Documentation
For all shipments, the shipping papers must adhere to the
requirements of 49 CFR 172.200 through 172.204.
R. Verification of Receiving Facility's Authorization to
Receive the Material
10 CFR 30.41 and 10 CFR 70.42 require that before
transferring byproduct and/or special nuclear material,
respectively, the shipper must verify that the receiving
facility has a license that authorizes the receipt of the
material being shipped.
Although these restrictions only apply to NRC
licensees, it is good practice to perform the same
verification prior to shipping radioactive material to
other DOE facilities. Some DOE facilities that
normally use only a few isotopes may not have the
proper training or instruments to safely receive and
control the material. It must also not be assumed that
other government agencies are exempt from NRC
regulations and license restrictions.
S. Violations of Regulations
Frequent violations of DOT regulations include:
• Leaking packages
• Contaminated packages and vehicles
• Radiation levels exceeding limits in vehicle cabs,
underneath vehicles, and other limits
• Load not securely fastened
• Mechanical deficiencies in the vehicles
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• Instructions not provided to carrier for maintaining
"exclusive use" of vehicle
Section 10
• Improper package closure
• Improper packagings for the type or quantity of
radioactive material
• Improper or missing markings, labels or placards
• Incomplete and incorrect information on shipping
papers.
T. Receipt of Radioactive Material
10 CFR 835 requires the following:
1. §835.405 Receipt of radioactive packages.
a. If packages containing quantities of radioactive
material in excess of a Type A quantity (as defined
in 10 CFR 71.4) are expected to be received from
radioactive material transportation, arrangements
shall be made to either:
i. Take possession of the package when the
carrier offers it for delivery; or
ii. Receive notification as soon as practicable
after arrival of the package at the carrier’s
terminal and to take possession of the package
expeditiously after receiving such notification.
b. Upon receipt from radioactive material
transportation, external surfaces of packages
known to contain radioactive material shall be
monitored if the package:
i. Is labeled with a Radioactive White I, Yellow
II, or Yellow III label (as specified in 49 CFR
172.403 and 172.436-440); or
ii. Has been transported as low specific activity
material on an exclusive use vehicle (as these
terms are defined in 10 CFR 71.4); or
iii. Has evidence of degradation, such as packages
that are crushed, wet, or damaged.
Objective 2.12.08
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c. The monitoring required by paragraph (b) shall
include:
1. Measurements of removable contamination
levels, unless the package contains only
special form (as defined at 10 CFR 71.4) or
gaseous radioactive material; and
2. Measurements of the radiation levels, unless
the package contains less than a Type A
quantity (as defined in 10 CFR 71.4) of
radioactive material.
d. The monitoring required by paragraph (b) of this
section shall be completed as soon as practicable
following receipt of the package, but not later than
8 hours after the beginning of the working day
following receipt of the package.
(Insert site specific information here)
U. Shipment of Radioactive Material
(Insert site specific information here)
V. Shipment Exceeding Limits
If it is known, assumed, or suspected that the delivering
vehicle or packages are contaminated, the delivering
carrier, all intermediate carriers and the shipper must be
notified immediately so that potentially contaminated
vehicles can be withdrawn from service and checked.
Loading docks and terminals through which the package
passed in transit must also be surveyed. If any
contamination is found on package surfaces, it is
important to check any areas, equipment or personnel who
may have become contaminated handling the package.
Depending on the extent of contamination, the incident
may also require notification to DOE Headquarters under
the Unusual Occurrence Reporting system and could
result in activation of the Radiological Assistance Plan. If
a package was received from an NRC licensee, the
director of the NRC Inspection and Enforcement Regional
Office should also be notified.
Objective 2.12.09
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(Insert site specific information here)
V. OPENING PACKAGES OF RADIOACTIVE
MATERIAL
It is good radiological control practice to establish,
maintain, and follow procedures for opening packages
containing radioactive material.
(Insert site specific information here)
Objective 2.12.10
III. SUMMARY
Radioactive material which is to be transported from one
location to another must be properly packaged, surveyed,
labeled and documented. Currently there are approximately
50,000 weekly shipments of radioactive material in the U.S.
Strict adherence to shipping requirements is requisite to
maintain high levels of safety.
IV. EVALUATION
Evaluation should consist of a written examination comprised
of multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, matching, and/or short
answer questions. 80% should be the minimum passing
criteria for examinations.
Module Number: 2.12