Department of Energy (DOE) Radiological Control Manual

Chapter 4 - Radioactive Materials

Part 1 - Radioactive Material Identification, Storage and Control

Table of Contents (Articles 41x)

• Forward
• 411 Requirements
• 412 Radioactive Material Labeling
• 413 Radioactive Material Packaging
• 414 Radioactive Material Storage

Forward

For the purposes of this Manual, radioactive material is any material, equipment or system component determined to be contaminated or suspected of being contaminated. Items located in known or suspected Contamination, High Contamination or Airborne Radioactivity Areas and having the potential to become contaminated are considered radioactive material. Radioactive material also includes activated material, sealed and unsealed sources, and materials that emit radiation. Controls for sealed sources are described in Article 431.

Return to Chapter 4, Part 1 Table of Contents

Article 411 - Requirements

1. Materials in Contamination, High Contamination or Airborne Radioactivity Areas shall be considered contaminated until surveyed and released. Any equipment or system component removed from a process that may have had contact with radioactive material should be considered contaminated until disassembled to the extent required to perform an adequate survey, surveyed, and shown to be free of contamination. These survey and release requirements do not apply to Airborne Radioactivity Areas where only gaseous, short-lived (half-life of 1 hour or less) activation products are present.

2. Except for sealed and unsealed sources, radioactive material located within Contamination, High Contamination or Airborne Radioactivity Areas does not require specific labeling or packaging.

3. Radioactive material may be capable of generating a High Radiation Area. These areas shall have special controls in accordance with Article 334.

4. The Radiological Control Organization shall develop response and notification requirements associated with a loss of radioactive material, including searches, internal investigations, documentation and reporting. The Radiological Control Organization shall be notified in the event of a loss of radioactive material.

Article 412 - Radioactive Material Labeling

1. Radioactive material outside Contamination, High Contamination or Airborne Radioactivity Areas shall be labeled in accordance with Table 4-1.

        Table 4-1  Labeling Requirements for Radioactive Materials




        ITEM/MATERIAL                   REQUIRED LABELING


    Equipment, components and           "CAUTION, RADIOACTIVE
    other items that are                MATERIAL"
    radioactive, potentially
    radioactive or have been
    exposed to radioactive
    contamination or activation
    sources

    Sealed and unsealed                 "CAUTION, RADIOACTIVE
    radioactive sources or              MATERIAL"   or standard
    associated storage containers       radiation symbol

    Equipment, components and           "CAUTION, INTERNAL
    other items with actual or          CONTAMINATION" or "CAUTION,
    potential internal                  POTENTIAL INTERNAL
    contamination                       CONTAMINATION"

    Components, equipment or other      "CAUTION, FIXED CONTAMINATION"
    items with fixed contamination 

• The following are not subject to labeling requirements:

• Radioactive material surveyed and determined to have contamination levels lower than Table 2-2 values
• Radioactive material or containers packaged and labeled for off-site shipment in accordance with Department of Transportation Regulations
• Personal Protective Equipment and Clothing
• Radiological control samples such as air, process and soil samples or swipes that are in the custody of Radiological Control personnel or personnel properly trained in the handling, packaging and transport of these samples
• Equipment or installed system components undergoing maintenance covered by a Radiological Work Permit
• Portable tools and equipment with fixed contamination permanently marked with yellow or magenta and maintained in a contaminated tool crib or storage and distribution area
• Installed system components located within an area, the entrance to which is posted in accordance with Table 2-3
• Nuclear weapon components
• Historical items, such as uranium hexafluoride cylinders and large items used in demonstration projects, located within a Radioactive Material Area; such items shall be properly labeled when they are removed from a Radioactive Material Area
• Short-lived (half-life of 1 hour or less) radioactive material generated during an irradiation (i.e., research samples while an experiment is being conducted, etc.) that is immediately used.

• Labels shall have a yellow background with a magenta or black standard radiation symbol. Lettering shall be magenta or black. Magenta is the preferred color.

• Labels should include contact radiation levels, removable surface contamination levels (specified as alpha or beta- gamma), dates surveyed, surveyor's name and description of items. Items which are too small to be labeled with all of the stated information should be labeled, at a minimum, with the words "CAUTION RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL" and the standard radiation symbol.

• Packaged radioactive material should have the label visible through the package or affixed to the outside. Return to Chapter 4, Part 1 Table of Contents

Article 413 - Radioactive Material Packaging

1. Radioactive material that is outside Contamination, High Contamination or Airborne Radioactivity Areas and is confirmed or suspected of having removable radioactive contamination levels greater than Table 2-2 values shall be securely wrapped in plastic or placed in a container.

2. Radioactive material with sharp edges or projections should be taped or additionally protected to ensure package integrity.

3. Radioactive material with removable or potentially removable contamination levels in excess of 100 times Table 2-2 values should have additional packaging controls such as double- wrapping or the use of plastic bags inside containers.

4. Yellow plastic wrapping material should be used for packaging radioactive material. Yellow plastic sheets or bags should not be used for nonradiological purposes. 5. The amount of combustible material used in packaging should be minimized.

Article 414 - Radioactive Material Storage

1. Radioactive material should be stored in a designated Radioactive Material Area.

2. Long-term (more than 60 days) storage of radioactive material should be in a specially designated Radioactive Material Area.

3. Decontamination or disposal of radioactive material is the preferred alternative to long-term storage.

4. Each Radioactive Material Area should be approved by the Radiological Control Manager.

5. A custodian should be assigned responsibility for each Radioactive Material Area. A custodian may have responsibility for more than one storage area.

6. The custodian should conduct walkthroughs of Radioactive Material Areas to check container integrity.

7. The custodian should conduct annual or more frequent reviews of each Radioactive Material Area, with emphasis on decontamination, movement of material to long-term storage locations and disposal of unneeded material.

8. Storage of nonradioactive material in a Radioactive Material Area is discouraged.

9. Outdoor storage of radioactive material is discouraged. In cases where outdoor storage is necessary, the integrity of containers used shall be ensured to prevent degradation from weathering and subsequent release of radioactive material. The custodian should check container integrity monthly at outdoor Radioactive Material Areas.

10. Radioactive material should be stored in a manner that reduces combustible loading. The use of cardboard containers for storage is discouraged.

11. Flammable or combustible materials should not be stored adjacent to Radioactive Material Areas.

12. Fire protection measures, such as smoke detectors, water sprinklers and fire extinguishers, should be considered when establishing a Radioactive Material Area.