§173.427. Transport requirements for low specific activity (LSA) Class 7 (radioactive) material and surface contaminated objects (SCO). — Inbound Citations

(a) Unless excepted from labeling by §§ 173.421 through 173.427 of this subchapter, each package of radioactive material must be labeled as provided in this section.

(5) A cargo tank or a tank car may be used as Type IP-2 or Type IP-3 package for transporting LSA-I and LSA-II liquids and gases as prescribed in Table 6 of § 173.427, provided that:

(i) It meets the requirements for a Type IP-1 package specified in paragraph (b)(1);

(ii) It is capable of withstanding a test pressure of 265 kPa (38.4 psia); and

(iii) It is designed so that any additional shielding which is provided must be capable of withstanding the static and dynamic stresses resulting from handling and routine conditions of transport and of preventing more than a 20% increase in the maximum radiation level at any external surface of the tanks.

(a) Each rail shipment of low specific activity materials or surface contaminated objects as defined in § 173.403 of this subchapter must be loaded so as to avoid spillage and scattering of loose material. Loading restrictions are prescribed in § 173.427 of this subchapter.

(a) The number of packages of Class 7 (radioactive) materials in any transport vehicle or in any single group in any storage location must be limited so that the total transport index number does not exceed 50. The total transport index of a group of packages and overpacks is determined by adding together the transport index number on the labels on the individual packages and overpacks in the group. This provision does not apply to exclusive use shipments described in §§ 173.441(b), 173.457, and 173.427 of this subchapter.

(7) A package of low specific activity radioactive material and surface contaminated objects, when transported under § 173.427(a)(6)(vi) of this subchapter.

(c) Except as provided in paragraphs (a) and (d) of this section, each conveyance, overpack, freight container, tank, or intermediate bulk container used for transporting Class 7 (radioactive) materials as an exclusive use shipment that utilizes the provisions of paragraph (b) of this section, § 173.427(b)(4), or § 173.427(c) must be surveyed with appropriate radiation detection instruments after each exclusive use transport. Except as provided in paragraphs (a) and (d) of this section, these items may not be returned to Class 7 (radioactive) materials exclusive use transport service, and then only for a subsequent exclusive use shipment utilizing one of the above cited provisions, unless the radiation dose rate at each accessible surface is 0.005 mSv per hour (0.5 mrem per hour) or less, and there is no significant non-fixed surface contamination as specified in paragraph (a) of this section. The requirements of this paragraph do not address return to service of items outside of the above cited provisions.

(a) Each transport vehicle used for transporting Class 7 (radioactive) materials under exclusive use conditions (as defined in § 173.403 of this subchapter) in accordance with § 173.427(b)(4), § 173.427(c), or § 173.443(b), must be surveyed with appropriate radiation detection instruments after each use. A transport vehicle may not be returned to Class 7 (radioactive) materials exclusive use transport service, and then only for a subsequent exclusive use shipment utilizing the provisions of any of the paragraphs § 173.427(b)(4), § 173.427(c), or § 173.443(b), until the radiation dose rate at any accessible surface is 0.005 mSv per hour (0.5 mrem per hour) or less, and there is no significant non-fixed contamination, as specified in § 173.443(a) of this subchapter.

Each hold, compartment, or deck area used for the transportation of low specific activity or surface contaminated object Class 7 (radioactive) materials under exclusive use conditions in accordance with § 173.427(b)(4), or § 173.427(c) must be surveyed with appropriate radiation detection instruments after each use. Such holds, compartments, and deck areas may not be used again for Class 7 (radioactive) materials exclusive use transport service, and then only for a subsequent exclusive use shipment utilizing the provisions of § 173.427(b)(4), or § 173.427(c) until the radiation dose rate at every accessible surface is less than 0.005 mSv/h (0.5 mrem/h), and the non-fixed contamination is not greater than the limits prescribed in § 173.443(a) of this subchapter.

(a) Each motor vehicle used for transporting Class 7 (radioactive) materials under exclusive use conditions in accordance with § 173.427(b)(4), § 173.427(c), or § 173.443(b) of this subchapter must be surveyed with radiation detection instruments after each use. A vehicle may not be returned to Class 7 (radioactive) materials exclusive use transport service, and then only for a subsequent exclusive use shipment utilizing the provisions of any of the paragraphs § 173.427(b)(4), § 173.427(c), or § 173.443(b), until the radiation dose rate at every accessible surface is 0.005 mSv/h (0.5 mrem/h) or less and the non-fixed contamination is not greater than the level prescribed in § 173.443(a) of this subchapter.

(1) Excluding the interior surfaces of the containment system of packages and the internal surfaces of a conveyance, freight container, tank, or intermediate bulk container dedicated to the transport of unpackaged radioactive material in accordance with § 173.427(c) and remaining under that specific exclusive use, the level of non-fixed contamination may not exceed the limits set forth in Table 9 and must be determined by either:

(i) Wiping an area of 300 cm 2 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, divided by the surface area wiped and divided by the efficiency of the wipe procedure (the fraction of non-fixed contamination transferred from the surface to the absorbent material), may not exceed the limits set forth in Table 9 at any time during transport. For this purpose the actual wipe efficiency may be used, or the wipe efficiency may be assumed to be 0.10; or

(ii) Alternatively, the level of non-fixed contamination may be determined by using other methods of equal or greater efficiency.

(a) Each transport vehicle used for transporting Class 7 (radioactive) materials under exclusive use conditions (as defined in § 173.403 of this subchapter) in accordance with § 173.427(b)(4), § 173.427(c), or § 173.443(b), must be surveyed with appropriate radiation detection instruments after each use. A transport vehicle may not be returned to Class 7 (radioactive) materials exclusive use transport service, and then only for a subsequent exclusive use shipment utilizing the provisions of any of the paragraphs § 173.427(b)(4), § 173.427(c), or § 173.443(b), until the radiation dose rate at any accessible surface is 0.005 mSv per hour (0.5 mrem per hour) or less, and there is no significant non-fixed contamination, as specified in § 173.443(a) of this subchapter.

Each hold, compartment, or deck area used for the transportation of low specific activity or surface contaminated object Class 7 (radioactive) materials under exclusive use conditions in accordance with § 173.427(b)(4), or § 173.427(c) must be surveyed with appropriate radiation detection instruments after each use. Such holds, compartments, and deck areas may not be used again for Class 7 (radioactive) materials exclusive use transport service, and then only for a subsequent exclusive use shipment utilizing the provisions of § 173.427(b)(4), or § 173.427(c) until the radiation dose rate at every accessible surface is less than 0.005 mSv/h (0.5 mrem/h), and the non-fixed contamination is not greater than the limits prescribed in § 173.443(a) of this subchapter.

(a) Each motor vehicle used for transporting Class 7 (radioactive) materials under exclusive use conditions in accordance with § 173.427(b)(4), § 173.427(c), or § 173.443(b) of this subchapter must be surveyed with radiation detection instruments after each use. A vehicle may not be returned to Class 7 (radioactive) materials exclusive use transport service, and then only for a subsequent exclusive use shipment utilizing the provisions of any of the paragraphs § 173.427(b)(4), § 173.427(c), or § 173.443(b), until the radiation dose rate at every accessible surface is 0.005 mSv/h (0.5 mrem/h) or less and the non-fixed contamination is not greater than the level prescribed in § 173.443(a) of this subchapter.