Section IV, Subsection H - Radioactive Material Posting and Labeling
H. Radioactive Material Posting and Labeling
The following sections contain requirements and recommendations for the
posting and labeling of radioactive material.
1. Radioactive Material Area
Radioactive material located outside Contamination, High Contamination,
or Airborne Radioactivity Areas should be stored in Radioactive Material
Areas (RCM 236.1). Areas required to be posted as a Contamination, High
Contamination, or Airborne Radioactivity Area need not be posted as a
Radioactive Material Area.
Radioactive Material Areas shall be posted (RCM 236.1). Each
Radioactive Material Area should be approved by the radiation protection
manager (RCM 414.4). The sign used shall contain the radiation symbol,
a "CAUTION" heading, and the words "RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL" (RCM 236.1).
Cabinets, drawers, or containers with greater than 10 times the
quantities listed in Table 1 of the Department of Energy Notice DOE N
5400.9, "Sealed Radioactive Source Accountability" , as amended (DOE,
1991) should be posted as Radioactive Material Areas.
2. Underground Radioactive Material Area
Areas identified as having underground items containing radioactive
material that have not been released for unrestricted use according to
the requirements of DOE Order 5400.5 shall be posted as Underground
Radioactive Material Areas (RCM 237.1).
Each outdoor area with underground radioactive material, including
inactive radioactive waste burial grounds, radiological piping, covered
ponds, or covered ditches shall be posted to show the type of hazard
present (RCM 237.1). Underground Radioactive Material Areas may be
located within or outside of Controlled Areas.
The signs used shall include the radiation symbol and the words
"UNDERGROUND RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL" (RCM 237.2). It is not necessary to
place a physical barrier around the boundary of Underground Radioactive
Material Areas if appropriate signs are placed along the boundaries of
the area.
3. Radioactive Material Labeling
When located outside a Contamination, High Contamination, or an Airborne
Radioactivity Area, the following items require labeling (RCM 412.1)
(except as otherwise noted):
-- Equipment, components, and other items that are radioactive or have
been exposed to radioactive material contamination or activation
sources and not released for unrestricted use;
-- equipment, components, or other items that are contaminated or are
potentially contaminated with radioactive material on internal
surfaces; and
-- components, equipment, or other items that have fixed radioactive
material contamination.
a. Sealed and Unsealed Sources
Sealed and unsealed sources or their associated storage containers shall
be labeled as radioactive material (RCM 412.1 and 431). Storage
containers and devices containing a sealed source shall be clearly
marked. The label used to identify radioactive sources shall contain
either the radiation symbol or a "CAUTION" heading with the words
"RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL" (RCM 412.4). The design of labels and the
radiation symbol should conform to the general criteria described in
this guide. The following information should be included on the labels
for radioactive sources: a description of the source, contact radiation
levels, removable contamination levels, dates surveyed, and the
surveyor's name (RCM 412.4). In addition to the above, a sealed
radioactive source label shall identify the source's radionuclide(s),
activity, date of assay, source model, source serial number, and the
source custodian (RCM 431).
b. Other Radioactive Material
Other than sealed or unsealed sources, radioactive material or its
container shall be individually labeled when outside Contamination, High
Contamination, or Airborne Radioactivity Areas (RCM 412) except for the
following:
-- Surveyed material with contamination levels less than the Table 2-2
values of the RCM;
-- radioactive material that is packaged and labeled according to DOT
regulations;
-- protective clothing and equipment (except when potentially
contaminated and packaged for shipment to laundry facilities);
-- radiological control samples that are in the custody of trained
radiation protection personnel;
-- equipment or installed system components undergoing maintenance
according to approved radiological work permits (RWPs);
-- color-coded portable tools maintained in a designated "hot" tool
storage or distribution area;
-- installed system components located in an area posted as a
Radiation, High Radiation, or Very High Radiation Area;
-- nuclear weapon components;
-- historical items (e.g., uranium hexaflouride cylinders and large
items used in demonstration projects) that are located in a
Radioactive Material Area; and
-- 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 used immediately.
Radiological-use vacuum cleaners shall be uniquely marked and labeled to
identify both their internal and external contamination characteristics
(RCM 464.3).
Labels shall contain a "CAUTION" heading and the words "RADIOACTIVE
MATERIAL" (RCM 412.4). The labeling should be placed on the exterior of
containers holding the radioactive material(s) when the labeling applied
to the radioactive material itself is not visible through the container
(RCM 412.5). The following information should be included on the labels
for radioactive materials: a description of the source; contact
radiation levels; removable contamination levels; dates surveyed; and
the surveyor's name (RCM 412.4).
Yellow plastic or similar material should be used for wrapping
radioactive material (RCM 413.4). Yellow-colored wrappings should be
reserved for radiological control use.
4. Internally Contaminated Items
Materials or equipment that are internally contaminated or potentially
internally contaminated shall be individually labeled when outside
Contamination, High Contamination, or Airborne Radioactivity Areas (RCM
412.1) except for those items listed in IV. H. 3. b.
Labels used to identify internally contaminated items shall have a
"CAUTION" heading, and the words "INTERNAL CONTAMINATION" or "POTENTIAL
INTERNAL CONTAMINATION," as applicable (RCM 412).
5. Internally Contaminated Systems
Installed radiological system components (e.g., pipes, ducts, or hoses
located outside Contamination, High Contamination, or Airborne
Radioactivity Areas) that are, or are potentially, internally
contaminated shall be labeled (RCM 412), except those items listed in
IV. H. 3. b.
Labels used to identify internally contaminated systems shall have a
"CAUTION" heading, and the words "INTERNAL CONTAMINATION" or "POTENTIAL
INTERNAL CONTAMINATION" as appropriate (RCM 412).
It is acceptable to post the entrances to a single area containing
installed radiological systems with a sign stating the radiological
status of the area instead of posting each pipe or duct. The signs
should contain the radiation symbol, a "CAUTION" heading, and the
wording "INTERNAL CONTAMINATION" or "POTENTIAL INTERNAL CONTAMINATION,"
as appropriate.
It is acceptable to post the entrance of rooms instead of labeling each
system item. In such cases, the sign should contain the radiation
symbol, a "CAUTION" heading, and wording equivalent to "INTERNALLY
CONTAMINATED SYSTEMS LOCATED WITHIN - CONTACT RADIATION PROTECTION PRIOR
TO WORKING ON SYSTEMS" or "POTENTIAL INTERNALLY CONTAMINATED SYSTEMS
LOCATED WITHIN - CONTACT RADIATION PROTECTION PRIOR TO WORKING ON
SYSTEMS."
6. Protective Clothing and Equipment
Personal protective clothing and equipment shall be specifically
identified by a color, symbol, or appropriate labeling that is unique to
clothing to be used for radiation protection purposes (RCM 461.1). Hard
hats and other personal protective equipment dedicated for use in
Contamination, High Contamination, or Airborne Radioactivity Areas
should be specifically identified by a unique color or marking.
The type of identification used for individual types of protective
clothing and equipment should be uniform. Color coding is the preferred
method of identifying personal protective clothing and equipment used
for radiation protection purposes. In any case the type of
identification used should be distinct enough so that radiological
control protective clothing can be easily distinguished from other
company-issued protective clothing and equipment.
7. Posting of Exclusive Radiological Use Vehicles and Equipment
All vehicles and equipment used exclusively for handling or transporting
radioactive material and radioactive wastes should be clearly and
permanently identified with appropriate labeling.
Exclusive use vehicles and equipment should not be used to transport
nonradioactive material unless formally surveyed and released from
radiological controls.
It may occasionally be necessary to use normally nonradiological use
vehicles and equipment to transport radioactive material onsite. These
vehicles and equipment should be temporarily labeled and, upon
completion of temporary use, the vehicle or equipment should be
monitored to ensure that there is no contamination, and the temporary
identification removed.
When exclusive use vehicles or equipment are no longer required for
radiological service, an extensive survey should be performed and any
contaminated areas should be decontaminated to acceptable release
levels. When the vehicle or equipment is cleared for removal from
radiological service, all radiological service identification shall be
removed or defaced (RCM 422.5).
All vehicles and equipment used for handling or transporting radioactive
materials or radioactive wastes shall be clearly identified to meet the
requirements of Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations in 49 CFR
172, Subpart F, when used on portions of the site accessible to the
public. The wording and the symbol on the placard required by 49 CFR
should be used. The placard "shall" have a yellow background (10 CFR
835.601(c) and RCM 231); and the color of the symbol shall be black (49
CFR). Placards should be easily attached and removed from the vehicles
and equipment, as necessary.
A placard should be attached to the front, back, and each side of the
vehicles or equipment. The required placarding of the front of a motor
vehicle may be on the front of a truck-tractor instead of, or in
addition to, the placards on the front of the cargo body that is
attached to the truck-tractor.
I. Special Use Posting and Labeling
The following sections contain requirements and recommendations for the
use of special purpose posting and labeling.
1. Temporary Shielding
Installed temporary shielding should be clearly marked to prevent
unintentional removal or modification (RCM 314.5). All movement of
temporary shielding should be strictly controlled.
Temporary radiological shielding should be labeled (RCM 314.5) and
should not use the radiological color scheme. Labeling for temporary
shielding should contain wording equivalent to "TEMPORARY SHIELDING - DO
NOT REMOVE WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM RADIOLOGICAL CONTROL" (RCM 314).
2. Other Radiological Posting
There are several special-use radiological signs that may be
advantageous to use in a radiological posting program, e.g.,
"RADIOLOGICAL CONTROLS REQUIRED FOR WORKING ON SURFACE," "RADIATION
PROTECTION PERMISSION REQUIRED FOR ENTRY," "NOTIFY RADIATION PROTECTION
PRIOR TO WORK ON THIS SYSTEM." However, the total number of different
signs in use by a radiation protection program should be minimized to
avoid confusion.
The Fissile Material symbol should be displayed as prominently as
practical when used to identify materials or areas involving the control
of fissile materials. The symbol should be removed or covered when the
fissile material is not present.
Signs or labels describing the actual or potential presence of ionizing
radiation should include the radiation symbol and appropriate wording
showing the actual or potential radiological conditions. Other signs or
labels that provide information, such as entry requirements, should
include appropriate descriptive wording, but should not include the
radiation symbol unless such information is also included on an
appropriate radiological area sign or label.