Your department must send a sealed Tc-99m radiopharmaceutical vial by ground courier. The shipment is a non-excepted Type A liquid package assigned the RADIOACTIVE YELLOW-II label, and the preparation sits well within its labeled lifetime. Department policy requires absorbent material sufficient to hold any leaked liquid inside the package, and signed shipping papers. Which packaging and labeling actions must be completed before the carton leaves the department?

The required approach addresses each condition in the scenario: use enough absorbent material to contain the vial’s liquid contents, use compliant outer packaging, attach the assigned RADIOACTIVE YELLOW-II label with its transport index, and complete and sign the shipping papers before dispatch. A package with the specified absorbent, outer packaging, and full label but unsigned shipping papers fails the department’s explicit signature requirement; providing the right information does not replace the required signature. A package with adequate absorbent and compliant outer packaging, signed papers, and a RADIOACTIVE YELLOW-II label that omits the transport index has incomplete labeling for this shipment. A package that relies on a sealed, leakproof secondary container instead of absorbent material may manage leakage, but it does not satisfy the stated policy to pack enough absorbent to contain the liquid. Exam caveat: transport category and marking requirements depend on the material, package, and applicable regulations, so do not generalize this label or index requirement to every radioactive shipment. Practical check: before handoff, verify absorbent capacity against the vial’s liquid volume, inspect the package and label, including the transport index, and confirm the shipping papers are signed.