Radioactive material marking requirements

However, many entities in the United States routinely free release objects with surface contamination above the IAEA s minimum level. The effect is that the US DOT regulations may require radioactive material markings in transportation on items that have been free released in accordance witii the terms of a governing radioactive materials license or DOE policy. The DOT clarified its position in the 2014 revision of 49 CFR 173.443, and in discussion in the Federal Register notice of changes to the HMR 79 FR 40589 0618. 

Additional Marking Requirements for Certain Hazardous Materials The regulations also require certain additional markings for packages containing radioactive materials, Other Regulated Materials (ORM), and hazardous substances and wastes. 

Radiation is ionizing energy spontaneously emitted by a material or combination of materials. A radioactive material, then, is a material that spontaneously emits ionizing radiation. There are three types of DOT labels used to mark radioactive packages. They are Radioactive 1,11, and 111. These radioactive materials are determined by the radiation level at the package surface (see Figure 9.1). Radioactive III materials are the only radioactives that require placarding on a transportation vehicle. 

Many laboratories conduct operations which do not require the use of radioactive materials, in the same space as those in which radioactive materials are employed. In many of these instances, different personnel are employed in the two programs. Nonusers of radioisotopes should be made sufficiently aware of the procedures required for the safe, legal use of radiation so that they will neither inadvertently violate any safety requirements for the use of byproduct radioactive materials, nor misunderstand any actions of the employees involved with radiation. While the licensed users of radioactive materials are present, they can and must take precautions to avoid exposing the other persons in the laboratory unnecessarily to radiation, but when they are not present, the nonusers need to be aware of the areas where radioactive sources and waste are stored and areas they should avoid if there is any possibility of contamination. If proper security procedures are followed, the latter should theoretically not be possible. Any area containing radioactive materials should be clearly marked with signs bearing the radiation symbol and the label ... 

Marking requirements for nonbulk packages are addressed in 49 CFR 172.301, and bulk package marking requirements are found in 49 CFR 172.302. Additional requirements for radioactive materials are found in 49 CFR 172.310. 

For radioactive material, additional marking requirements apply... 

Additional markings may apply (and exceptions may be found) in the specific shipping regulations for the material. For example, LSA and SCO are exempt from many marking requirements in 49 CFR 173.427, but the additional marking "RADIOACTIVE-LSA" or "RADIOACnVE-SCO" is required. 

The competent authority shall establish an approval certificate stating that the approved design meets the requirements for special form radioactive material or low dispersible radioactive material and shall attribute to that design an identification mark. 

C. Normal surgical management of wounds will be more than adequate for removal of radioactive contamination and special procedures are not required. Rinse water or sponges should not be disposed of until expert consultations have been obtained. Material objects from the wounds must be saved and if separable from the rest of the waste, put in specially marked bags. These fragments will be studied by technical experts and require special disposal. Such personnel are usually located at the medical group level (see section 3.1). 

RADIOACTIVE labels are different from the other labels in that they require specific information about the material. This information — the Contents, Activity, and Transport Index — must be printed on the label by the shipper, using a durable weather-resistant means of marking. 

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