WAC 246-221-160   Procedures for picking up, receiving, and opening packages.  (1)(a) Each licensee who expects to receive a package containing quantities of radioactive material in excess of the Type A₁ or A₂ quantities specified in WAC 246-231-200 shall make arrangements to receive:

     (i) The package when it is offered for delivery by the carrier; or

     (ii) Immediate notification from the carrier of the arrival of the package at the carrier's terminal.

     (b) Each licensee who picks up a package of radioactive material from a carrier's terminal shall pick up the package expeditiously upon receipt of notification from the carrier of its arrival.

     (2) Each licensee shall:

     (a) Monitor for radioactive contamination the external surfaces of any package labeled with a Radioactive White I, Yellow II or Yellow III label unless the package contains only radioactive material in the form of gas or in special form as defined in WAC 246-231-010; and

     (b) Monitor the radiation levels of the external surfaces of any package labeled with a Radioactive White I, Yellow II or Yellow III label unless the package contains quantities of radioactive material that are less than or equal to the Type A quantity, as defined in WAC 246-231-200; and

     (c) Monitor all packages known to contain radioactive material for radioactive contamination and radiation levels if the package has evidence of potential contamination, such as packages that are crushed, wet, or damaged.

     (3) The monitoring shall be performed:

     (a) Immediately upon receipt if there is evidence of package degradation or any other evidence of potential contamination or excessive radiation levels; or

     (b) As soon as practicable after receipt, but no later than three hours after the package is received at the licensee's facility if received during the licensee's normal working hours, or no later than three hours from the beginning of the next working day if received after normal working hours.

     (4) The licensee shall immediately notify the final delivery carrier and, by telephone and telegram, mailgram, or facsimile, the department when:

     (a) For normal shipments, removable radioactive surface contamination exceeds either 22 dpm/cm2 for beta-gamma emitting radionuclides, all radionuclides with half-lives less than ten days, natural uranium, natural thorium, uranium-235, uranium-238, thorium-232, and thorium-228 and thorium 230 when contained in ores or concentrates; or 2.2 dpm/cm2 for all other alpha emitting radionuclides; or

     (b) For exclusive use shipments, removable radioactive surface contamination exceeds either 220 dpm/cm2 for beta-gamma emitting radionuclides, all radionuclides with half-lives less than ten days, natural uranium, natural thorium, uranium-235, uranium-238, thorium-232, and thorium-228 and thorium 230 when contained in ores or concentrates; or 22 dpm/cm2 for all other alpha emitting radionuclides; or

     (c) For normal or exclusive use shipments, external radiation levels exceed two mSv/hour (200 millirem per hour) at any point on the external surface of the package; or

     (d) For exclusive use shipments where the shipment is made in a closed transport vehicle, packages are secured in a fixed position, and no loading or unloading occurs between the beginning and end of transportation, external radiation levels exceed ten mSv/hour (1000 millirem per hour) at any point on the external surface of the package.

     (5) Each licensee shall establish and maintain procedures for safely opening packages in which radioactive material is received, and shall assure that such procedures are followed and that due consideration is given to instructions for the type of package being opened and the monitoring of potentially contaminated packaging material (including packages containing radioactive material in gaseous form) to assure that only background levels of radiation are present prior to disposal of such material as nonradioactive waste.

     (6) Licensees transferring special form sources to and from a work site in vehicles owned or operated by the licensee are exempt from the contamination monitoring requirements of subsection (2)(a) of this section but are not exempt from the monitoring requirement in subsection (2)(b) of this section for measuring radiation levels to ensure that the source is still properly lodged in its shield.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 70.98.050. 99-15-105, § 246-221-160, filed 7/21/99, effective 8/21/99; 94-01-073, § 246-221-160, filed 12/9/93, effective 1/9/94. Statutory Authority: RCW 70.98.050 and 70.98.080. 91-15-112 (Order 184), § 246-221-160, filed 7/24/91, effective 8/24/91. Statutory Authority: RCW 43.70.040. 91-02-049 (Order 121), recodified as § 246-221-160, filed 12/27/90, effective 1/31/91. Statutory Authority: RCW 70.98.080. 87-01-031 (Order 2450), § 402-24-125, filed 12/11/86; 83-19-050 (Order 2026), § 402-24-125, filed 9/16/83. Statutory Authority: RCW 70.98.050. 81-01-011 (Order 1570), § 402-24-125, filed 12/8/80; Order 1095, § 402-24-125, filed 2/6/76.]