Precautionary Procedures

10 C.F.R. Part ..., Subpart J
in effectEffective: 2024-07-01

10 C.F.R. § 20.1901 Caution signs.

(a) Standard radiation symbol. Unless otherwise authorized by the Commission, the symbol prescribed by this part shall use the colors magenta, or purple, or black on yellow background. The symbol prescribed by this part is the three-bladed design: (1) Cross-hatched area is to be magenta, or purple, or black, and (2) The background is to be yellow. (b) Exception to color requirements for standard radiation symbol. Notwithstanding the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section, licensees are authorized to label sources, source holders, or device components containing sources of licensed materials that are subjected to high temperatures, with conspicuously etched or stamped radiation caution symbols and without a color requirement. (c) Additional information on signs and labels. In addition to the contents of signs and labels prescribed in this part, the licensee may provide, on or near the required signs and labels, additional information, as appropriate, to make individuals aware of potential radiation exposures and to minimize the exposures.

10 C.F.R. § 20.1902 Posting requirements.

(a) Posting of radiation areas. The licensee shall post each radiation area with a conspicuous sign or signs bearing the radiation symbol and the words “CAUTION, RADIATION AREA.” (b) Posting of high radiation areas. The licensee shall post each high radiation area with a conspicuous sign or signs bearing the radiation symbol and the words “CAUTION, HIGH RADIATION AREA” or “DANGER, HIGH RADIATION AREA.” (c) Posting of very high radiation areas. The licensee shall post each very high radiation area with a conspicuous sign or signs bearing the radiation symbol and words “GRAVE DANGER, VERY HIGH RADIATION AREA.” (d) Posting of airborne radioactivity areas. The licensee shall post each airborne radioactivity area with a conspicuous sign or signs bearing the radiation symbol and the words “CAUTION, AIRBORNE RADIOACTIVITY AREA” or “DANGER, AIRBORNE RADIOACTIVITY AREA.” (e) Posting of areas or rooms in which licensed material is used or stored. The licensee shall post each area or room in which there is used or stored an amount of licensed material exceeding 10 times the quantity of such material specified in appendix C to part 20 with a conspicuous sign or signs bearing the radiation symbol and the words “CAUTION, RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL(S)” or “DANGER, RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL(S).”

10 C.F.R. § 20.1903 Exceptions to posting requirements.

(a) A licensee is not required to post caution signs in areas or rooms containing radioactive materials for periods of less than 8 hours, if each of the following conditions is met: (1) The materials are constantly attended during these periods by an individual who takes the precautions necessary to prevent the exposure of individuals to radiation or radioactive materials in excess of the limits established in this part; and (2) The area or room is subject to the licensee's control. (b) Rooms or other areas in hospitals that are occupied by patients are not required to be posted with caution signs pursuant to § 20.1902 provided that the patient could be released from licensee control pursuant to § 35.75 of this chapter. (c) A room or area is not required to be posted with a caution sign because of the presence of a sealed source provided the radiation level at 30 centimeters from the surface of the source container or housing does not exceed 0.005 rem (0.05 mSv) per hour. (d) Rooms in hospitals or clinics that are used for teletherapy are exempt from the requirement to post caution signs under § 20.1902 if— (1) Access to the room is controlled pursuant to 10 CFR 35.615; and (2) Personnel in attendance take necessary precautions to prevent the inadvertent exposure of workers, other patients, and members of the public to radiation in excess of the limits established in this part.

10 C.F.R. § 20.1904 Labeling containers.

(a) The licensee shall ensure that each container of licensed material bears a durable, clearly visible label bearing the radiation symbol and the words “CAUTION, RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL” or “DANGER, RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL.” The label must also provide sufficient information (such as the radionuclide(s) present, an estimate of the quantity of radioactivity, the date for which the activity is estimated, radiation levels, kinds of materials, and mass enrichment) to permit individuals handling or using the containers, or working in the vicinity of the containers, to take precautions to avoid or minimize exposures. (b) Each licensee shall, prior to removal or disposal of empty uncontaminated containers to unrestricted areas, remove or deface the radioactive material label or otherwise clearly indicate that the container no longer contains radioactive materials.

10 C.F.R. § 20.1905 Exemptions to labeling requirements.

A licensee is not required to label— (a) Containers holding licensed material in quantities less than the quantities listed in appendix C to part 20; or (b) Containers holding licensed material in concentrations less than those specified in table 3 of appendix B to part 20; or (c) Containers attended by an individual who takes the precautions necessary to prevent the exposure of individuals in excess of the limits established by this part; or (d) Containers when they are in transport and packaged and labeled in accordance with the regulations of the Department of Transportation, 3 or (e) Containers that are accessible only to individuals authorized to handle or use them, or to work in the vicinity of the containers, if the contents are identified to these individuals by a readily available written record (examples of containers of this type are containers in locations such as water-filled canals, storage vaults, or hot cells). The record must be retained as long as the containers are in use for the purpose indicated on the record; or (f) Installed manufacturing or process equipment, such as reactor components, piping, and tanks; or (g) Containers holding licensed material (other than sealed sources that are either specifically or generally licensed) at a facility licensed under Parts 50 or 52 of this chapter, not including non-power reactors, that are within an area posted under the requirements in § 20.1902 if the containers are: (1) Conspicuously marked (such as by providing a system of color coding of containers) commensurate with the radiological hazard; (2) Accessible only to individuals who have sufficient instruction to minimize radiation exposure while handling or working in the vicinity of the containers; and (3) Subject to plant procedures to ensure they are appropriately labeled, as specified at § 20.1904 before being removed from the posted area.

10 C.F.R. § 20.1906 Procedures for receiving and opening packages.

(a) Each licensee who expects to receive a package containing quantities of radioactive material in excess of a Type A quantity, as defined in § 71.4 and appendix A to part 71 of this chapter, shall make arrangements to receive— (1) The package when the carrier offers it for delivery; or (2) Notification of the arrival of the package at the carrier's terminal and to take possession of the package expeditiously. (b) Each licensee shall— (1) Monitor the external surfaces of a labeled 3a package for radioactive contamination unless the package contains only radioactive material in the form of a gas or in special form as defined in 10 CFR 71.4; (2) Monitor the external surfaces of a labeled 3a package for radiation levels unless the package contains quantities of radioactive material that are less than or equal to the Type A quantity, as defined in § 71.4 and appendix A to part 71 of this chapter; and (3) Monitor all packages known to contain radioactive material for radioactive contamination and radiation levels if there is evidence of degradation of package integrity, such as packages that are crushed, wet, or damaged. (c) The licensee shall perform the monitoring required by paragraph (b) of this section as soon as practical after receipt of the package, but not later than 3 hours after the package is received at the licensee's facility if it is received during the licensee's normal working hours, or not later than 3 hours from the beginning of the next working day if it is received after working hours. (d) The licensee shall immediately notify the final delivery carrier and the NRC Headquarters Operations Center by telephone at the numbers specified in appendix A to part 73 of this chapter, when— (1) Removable radioactive surface contamination exceeds the limits of § 71.87(i) of this chapter; or (2) External radiation levels exceed the limits of § 71.47 of this chapter. (e) Each licensee shall— (1) Establish, maintain, and retain written procedures for safely opening packages in which radioactive material is received; and (2) Ensure that the procedures are followed and that due consideration is given to special instructions for the type of package being opened. (f) Licensees transferring special form sources in licensee-owned or licensee-operated vehicles to and from a work site are exempt from the contamination monitoring requirements of paragraph (b) of this section, but are not exempt from the survey requirement in paragraph (b) of this section for measuring radiation levels that is required to ensure that the source is still properly lodged in its shield.

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