(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 labeled3a 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.
[56 FR 23401, May 21, 1991, as amended at 57 FR 39357, Aug. 31, 1992; 60 FR 20185, Apr. 25, 1995; 63 FR 39482, July 23, 1998; 85 FR 65661, Oct. 16, 2020; 85 FR 68243, Oct. 28, 2020]