IR 05000006/1979001
| ML19249F278 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Battelle Memorial Institute, 07000008 |
| Issue date: | 08/24/1979 |
| From: | Greger L, Miller D, Peck C NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19249F269 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-006-79-01, 50-6-79-1, 70-008-79-04, 70-8-79-4, NUDOCS 7910110206 | |
| Download: ML19249F278 (6) | |
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U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT
REGION III
Report No. 50-006/79-01; 70-008/79-04; 30-5728/79-03 Docket No.50-006; 70-008; 30-5728 License No. R-4; SNM-7; 34-06854-05
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Licensee:
Battelle Columbus Laboratories 505 King Avenue Columbus, OH 43201 Facility Name:
Columbus Laboratories Inspection At:
Columbus Laboratories, Columbus, OH
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Inspection Conducted: August 7-10, 1979 7[2/[77 Inspectors:
C. C. Peck g.
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fpz(,}:q c:
F'/2 9/79 D. E. Miller
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Approved By:
L. R. Greger, Acting Chief c9/!
2 Y/ 7f Fuel Facility Projects and Radiation Support Section Inspection Summary Inspection on August 7-10, 1979 (Repor* No. 50-006/79-01; 70-8/79-0.4; 30-5728/79-03
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Areas Inspected: Routine, unannounced health and safety inspection, including:
facility changer and modifications, operations review, internal exposure control, external exposure control, surveys, instru-ment calibrations, and technical specifications for the retired research reactor. The inspection involved 48 inspector-hours on site by two NRC inspectors.
Results: No items of noncompliance were identified in the seven areas inspected.
One deviation was found in one area (failure to meet a commit-ment to complete installation of an instrument monitoring system - Paragraph 4).
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DETAILS 1.
Persons Contacted K. C. Brog, Manager, Physics, Electronics, and Nuclear Technology Department
- W. Madia, Manager, West Jefferson Nuclear Facility H. L. Toy, Licensing Coordinator
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- J. F. Dettorre, Site Manager, West Jefferson Operations
- W. J. Gallagher, Hot Cell Operations Manager J. Wissinger, Plutonium Laboratory Health Physics Technician E. R. Swindall, Hot Cell Laboratory Health Physics Technician T
R. Emsweiler, Radioactive Material Transportation Officer D. F. Lozier, Supervisor, Quality Assurance
- Denotes those present at the exit interview.
2.
Licensee Action on Previous Inspection Findings (Closed) Commitment (70-008/79-03; 30-5728/79-02).
The licensee stated that completion of the installation of the new stack moni-toring system in the Hot Cell Laboratory would be completed by August 1, 1979. This inspection disclosed that the system, although partially installed, was not completed and operable. This failure to meet the stated commitment is considered to be a deviation (Paragraph 4).
3.
General The inspection, which began at 8:30 a.m. on August 7, 1979, was conducted primarily to examine the licensee's radiation protection program.
In addition, compliance with the technical specifications for the retired research reactor was inspected.
4.
Operations Review Tours of the retired research reactor and the Plutonium Laboratory were made on the first day of the inspection.
The decontamination effort, under a DOE contract is continuing in the Plutonium Labora-tory.
It was observed that the majority of glove boxes had been removed. The ventilation system for the rooms and glove boxes remains in operation.
Unused ducts from removed glove boxes have been blanked.
Stack and room air monitoring systems remain in service.
A tour of the Hot Cell Laboratory was conducted on the second day of
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the inspection.
Normal work activities were in progress. The
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inspectors observed that installation of the new stack monitoring 1077 i89-2-
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system to replace the existing temporary system for the JN-1-A cell had begun. The panelboard, instruments, and sampling lines were in place, but the system was not yet in operation.
In a written commit-ment made following the last inspection in May 1979 (Report No.
70-008/79-03), the licensee stated that installation would be completed by August 1, 1979. Failure to complete the work is considered to be a deviation.
During the tour of the Hot Cell, the inspectors observed that stickers
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were affixed to all radiation monitoring instruments indicating that they had been calibrated within the last six months. The licensee has adopted a system whereby Quality Assurance has assumed responsibil-ity for scheduling periodic calibrations and maintaining calibration records.
One deviation and no noncompliance items were identified.
5.
Radiation P_rotection a.
Plutonium Laboratory External Exposure Control - Film badge records for the period since the inspection of May 1979 were examined. The highest recorded dose to any individual for the year to date was 140 mrems. Results obtained by the vendor on badges spiked by the licensee were in general agreement with the applied dose.
Internal Exposure Control - The most recent quarterly urinalyses disclosed no plutonium in any of the samples.
Glove box dismantling is done in plastic tents. Although the box interiors are cleaned before dismantling, air activity, which is continuously monitored, frequently exceeds the MPC of 2 E-12 uCi/ml. Workers must wear supplied air respirators with protection factors of 1000 or 2000 and a plastic hood that covers the head and shoulders. A lapel sempler is positioned inside the hood to provide a continuous sample of the atmosphere inside the hood.
Nasal swabs are obtained from each individual when he exits the tent.
There has been no instance of contami-nation of either lapel samples or nasal swabs.
Licensee represen-tatives acknowledged that fecal samples, taken coon after a worker's exit, would serve as confirmation of the effectiveness of lapel samples and nasal swabs in detecting possible exposures.
Surveys - The routine laboratory air monitoring and smear survey programs continue.
The inspectors found no instances of air activity above MPC or any significant surface contamination
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in a review of the records.
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b.
Het Cell Laboratory External Exposure Control - Examination of film badge records disclosed the highest dose to any worker for the first half of 1979 to be about 2 rems. No quarterly dose exceeded 1.25 rems.
Internal Exposure Control - Quarterly urinalysis results indi-cated no radioactivity in any samples. Whole body counting of Hot Cell workers took place in early June 1979. Results were y,,
not available at the time of the inspection.
Survey Records - The inspectors examined smear survey and air monitoring records generated in the second quarter of 1979.
The records were current and the frequency adequate.
There were no indications of aausual air activity or surface contamination.
No items of noncompliance were identified in either the Hot Cell or Plutonium laboratories.
6.
Instrument Calibrations Stack monitoring instruments, constant air monitors, and survey instruments in both the Hot Cell and Plutonium laboratories were observed to bear evidence of calibration within the established time period, generally six months.
The inspectors examined selected calibration procedures for types of air monitors in general use.
The procedures appeared complete and thorough.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
7.
Retired Research Reactor In the tour of the retircd reactor facility..nd subseqvant exami-nation of racords, the inspectors determined that the i_censee is in compliance with the following technical specifications still applicable to the facility license, R-4:
a.
T.S.3.2.
Gross activity of water discharged from the reactor building.
Activity is measured by a water monitor which monitors the water pumped f rom a collection sump located at the lowest part of the building.
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T.S.4.2.
Annual calibration of the water monitor. The monitor was last calibrated in July 1978. The technical specification
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permits a maximum 14 month interval between calibrations.
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c.
T.S.4.Sa.
Quarterly radiation surveys.
Licensee records indicated that facility surveys have been made at least quarterly to determine that there are no areas above 5 mR/hr.
d.
T.S.4.5c.
Physical barriers to prevent exposure to radiation above 5 mR/hr.
Irspection confirmed that the locked physical barrier was in place.
Records indicated that the barrier is being inspected quarterly.
T Compliance with T.S. 4.5b requiring a semiannual environmental survey was not inspected.
No items of noncompliance with technical specifications for the retired reactor were identified.
8.
Facility Changes and Modifications The licensee stated that the electrical work required to permit use of an existing spare generator has been completed.
This generator will be available as a backup to the existing emergency electrical generators in the Hot Cell and Plutonium Laboratory.
In discussions with licensee representatives and review of Radio-logical Safety Committee cases and safety meeting correspondence, the inspector learned of some changes that are planned or in progress. None of these items, listed below, are completed ci in use.
Construction of a waste storage facility for the Hot Cell a.
Laboratory.
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Construction of a facility for working with small quantities of plutonium in the Hot Cell Laboratory.
Installation of an additional spent fuel storage rack in the c.
Hot Cell pool.
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Possible use of an existing incinerator for volume reduction of low level waste.
9.
Exit Interview One of the inspectors met with the licensee representatives (denoted in Paragraph 1) at the conclusion of the inspection on August 10, 19h. The inspector described the scope of the inspection, and the following matters were discussed.
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a.
Licensee representatives acknowledged the deviation from a
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commitment to complete Hot Cell stack instrumentation by August 1, 1979.
(Paragraph 4)
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b.
The inspector said that it was his uaderstanding, based on his discussions with the Licensing Coordinator who was not present at the meeting, that NMSS would be informed of the planned facility changes itemized in Paragraph 8.
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