###### Editorial Note on [Part 173](/current/title-49/part-173?toc=1)

#### Editorial Note:

Nomenclature changes to part 173 appear at [70 FR 56098](https://www.federalregister.gov/citation/70-FR-56098), Sept. 23, 2005.

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

(a) In addition to other applicable requirements specified in this subchapter, LSA material and SCO must be transported in accordance with the following conditions:

(1) The external dose rate may not exceed an external radiation level of 10 mSv/h (1 rem/h) at 3 m (10 feet) from the unshielded material;

(2) The quantity of LSA material and SCO transported in any single conveyance may not exceed the limits specified in Table 5;

(3) LSA material and SCO that are or contain fissile material must conform to the applicable requirements of [§ 173.453](/on/2024-09-24/title-49/section-173.453);

(4) Packaged and unpackaged Class 7 (radioactive) materials must conform to the contamination control limits specified in [§ 173.443](/on/2024-09-24/title-49/section-173.443);

(5) External radiation levels may not exceed those specified in [§ 173.441](/on/2024-09-24/title-49/section-173.441); and

(6) For LSA material and SCO consigned as exclusive use:

(i) Shipments must be loaded by the consignor and unloaded by the consignee from the conveyance or freight container in which originally loaded;

(ii) There may be no loose radioactive material in the conveyance; however, when the conveyance is the packaging, there may not be any leakage of radioactive material from the conveyance;

(iii) Packaged and unpackaged Class 7 (radioactive) material must be braced so as to prevent shifting of lading under conditions normally incident to transportation;

(iv) Specific instructions for maintenance of exclusive use shipment controls shall be provided by the offeror to the carrier. Such instructions must be included with the shipping paper information;

(v) The shipment must be placarded in accordance with [subpart F of part 172 of this subchapter](/on/2024-09-24/title-49/part-172/subpart-F);

(vi) For domestic transportation only, packaged and unpackaged Class 7 (radioactive) material containing less than an A2 quantity are excepted from the marking and labeling requirements of this subchapter, other than the subsidiary hazard labeling required in [§ 172.402(d)](/on/2024-09-24/title-49/section-172.402#p-172.402(d)). However, the exterior of each package or unpackaged Class 7 (radioactive) material must be stenciled or otherwise marked “RADIOACTIVE—LSA” or “RADIOACTIVE—SCO”, as appropriate, and packages or unpackaged Class 7 (radioactive) material that contain a hazardous substance must be stenciled or otherwise marked with the letters “RQ” in association with the description in this [paragraph (a)(6)(vi)](/on/2024-09-24/title-49/section-173.427#p-173.427(a)(6)(vi)); and

(vii) Transportation by aircraft is prohibited except when transported in an industrial package in accordance with Table 6 of this section, or in an authorized Type A or Type B package.

(b) Except as provided in [paragraph (c)](/on/2024-09-24/title-49/section-173.427#p-173.427(c)) or [(d)](/on/2024-09-24/title-49/section-173.427#p-173.427(d)) of this section, LSA material and SCO must be packaged as follows:

(1) In an industrial package (Type IP-1, Type IP-2 or Type IP-3; [§ 173.411](/on/2024-09-24/title-49/section-173.411)), subject to the limitations of Table 6;

(2) In a DOT Specification 7A ([§ 178.350 of this subchapter](/on/2024-09-24/title-49/section-178.350)) Type A package;

(3) In any Type B(U) or B(M) packaging authorized pursuant to [§ 173.416](/on/2024-09-24/title-49/section-173.416);

(4) For domestic transportation of an exclusive use shipment that is less than an A2 quantity, in a packaging which meets the requirements of [§ 173.410](/on/2024-09-24/title-49/section-173.410); or

(5) In portable tanks, cargo tanks and tank cars, as provided in [§ 173.411(b)(4)](/on/2024-09-24/title-49/section-173.411#p-173.411(b)(4)) and [(5)](/on/2024-09-24/title-49/section-173.411#p-173.411(b)(5)), respectively.

(c) LSA-I material and SCO-I may be transported unpackaged under the following conditions:

(1) All unpackaged material, other than ores containing only naturally occurring radionuclides, must be transported in such a manner that under routine conditions of transport there will be no escape of the radioactive contents from the conveyance nor will there be any loss of shielding;

(2) Each conveyance must be under exclusive use, except when only transporting SCO-I on which the contamination on the accessible and the inaccessible surfaces is not greater than 4.0 Bq/cm2 for beta and gamma emitters and low toxicity alpha emitters and 0.4 Bq/cm2 for all other alpha emitters;

(3) For SCO-I where it is reasonable to suspect that non-fixed contamination may exist on inaccessible surfaces in excess of the values specified in [paragraph (c)(2)](/on/2024-09-24/title-49/section-173.427#p-173.427(c)(2)) of this section, measures shall be taken to ensure that the radioactive material is not released into the conveyance or to the environment; and

(4) The highway or rail conveyance must be placarded in accordance with [subpart F of part 172 of this subchapter](/on/2024-09-24/title-49/part-172/subpart-F).

(d) LSA material and SCO that exceed the packaging limits in this section must be packaged in accordance with [10 CFR part 71](/on/2024-09-24/title-10/part-71).

(e) Tables 5 and 6 are as follows:

Table 5—Conveyance Activity Limits for LSA Material and SCO

| Nature of material | Activity limit for conveyances other than by inland waterway | Activity limit for hold or compartment of an inland waterway conveyance |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1. LSA-I | No limit | No limit. |
| 2. LSA-II and LSA-III; Non-combustible solids | No limit | 100 A2. |
| 3. LSA-II and LSA-III; Combustible solids and all liquids and gases | 100 A2 | 10 A2. |
| 4. SCO | 100 A2 | 10 A2. |

Table 6—Industrial Package Integrity Requirements for LSA Material and SCO

| Contents | Industrial packaging type | |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Exclusive use shipment | Non exclusive use shipment |
| 1. LSA-I: | | |
| Solid | Type IP-1 | Type IP-1. |
| Liquid | Type IP-1 | Type IP-2. |
| 2. LSA-II: | | |
| Solid | Type IP-2 | Type IP-2. |
| Liquid and gas | Type IP-2 | Type IP-3. |
| 3. LSA-III | Type IP-2 | Type IP-3. |
| 4. SCO-I | Type IP-1 | Type IP-1. |
| 5. SCO-II | Type IP-2 | Type IP-2. |

[[79 FR 40613](https://www.federalregister.gov/citation/79-FR-40613), July 11, 2014]