IR 05000006/1987002
| ML20214X404 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Battelle Memorial Institute, 07000008 |
| Issue date: | 06/09/1987 |
| From: | France G, Greger L NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20214X379 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-006-87-02, 50-6-87-2, 70-0008-87-02, 70-8-87-2, NUDOCS 8706160458 | |
| Download: ML20214X404 (8) | |
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I U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COPESSION- I REGICN III I Reports No. 70-008/87002(DRSS);50-006/87002(DRSS)
Docket-Nos.70-008; 50-006> Licenses No. SNM-7; R-4
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Licensee: Battelle Columbus Division 505 King Aveune Columbus .OH 43201-
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Facility Name: Battelle Columbus Division Inspection At: West Jefferson Facilities
' Inspection Condu d- ,ay 18-22, 1987 Inspector: ra ce, II 4-/-87-Date
. Approved By: . ege , Chief.. . /-9-87 Facilities Radiation Protection Date Section.
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Inspection Sunmary i
!' Inspection on May 18-22, 1987 (Reports No. 70-008/87002(DRSS);
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No. 50-006/87002 DR55))
Areas Inspected: Routine unannounced health and safety inspection, including:
Nuclear Criticality Safety; Radiation Protection, including Training, Exposure-Control, Surveys, and Reports; Radioactive Waste Management, including-Transportation Activities; Panagement Organization and Control; and Discussions l_ with licensee representatives concerned with the status of operation ,
Results: The licensee was found-to be in compliance with NRC requirements +
within the areas examined.
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DETAILS Persons Contacted
.T. Emswiler, Transportation Specialist E. Fromm, Supervisor, Quality Assurance
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- G. Kirsch, Supervisor, Operational Health Physics
- V. Pasupathi, Manager, Nuclear Technology
- J. W. Ray, Manager, Nuclear Operations
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E. Roe, Radiological Safety Officer D.~ Stewart, Research Technician L. Stickel, Master Technician
- E. Swindall, Master Technician
- H.. Toy, Manager, BCL Nuclear Services Group The inspector also interviewed other members of the licensee's staf * Denotes those present at the exit meetin . General This inspection of cnsite licensee activities, which began at 2:00 p.m. on May 18, 1987, was conducted to examine activities at the West Jefferson .
-site under Materials License No. SNM-7. The inspector toured the Hot Cell Laboratory and JN-4 Retired Reactor Building and reviewed the radiation protection program, transportation, training and emergency preparedness activities at the licensee's West Jefferson site. The licensee's plans concerning decontamination /decomissioning of the West Jefferson site were also discusse ?. Management Organization and Controls The inspector reviewed the licensee's management organization and controls for radiation protection and operation, including changes in the organizational structure and safety committee activitie Organization l There were no new assignments of personnel to the licensee's radiation
! protection department. However, a Master Technician was trained via
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on-the-job training to perform hot cell laboratory health and safety routines. These routines include reviews-of radiation. work pennits, radiation surveillance through smear surveys, and radiometric counting
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of air sampling filters, Safety Comittee Activities An audit conducted by the Radioactive Materials Subcommittee (RSC-1)
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(of the Battelle Columbus Division Radiological Safety Comittee)
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disclosed that calibration was completed on all backlogged radioactive detection instrumentation. The inspector noted that current and future calibration dates were posted on individual instrument No violations or deviations were identifie . Radiation Protection The inspector reviewed the licensee's internal and external exposure control programs including the required records, reports, and notification Internal Exposure Control Whole body count results for hot cell workers continue to be below the maximum permissible body burden for mixed fission products, and isotopes of cesium, cobalt, plutonium and uranium. Bio-assay records for the first quarter 1987 disclosed that the 40 MPC-hour intake limit for uranium and plutonium had not been exceeded. The records also disclosed that the licensee's control samples examined by the contractor were in excellent agreement for Sr-90 and CS-137 levels used in urinalysis spike External Exposure Because of limited programs in the hot cell labcratory, the highest exposure level to any one employee was less than 1.0 rem for current (1987) operation Surveys ano Contamination Control Records of surveys conducted for the January through April 1987 operating period disclosed that there have been no significant contamination or exposure problems, Instrument Calibrations As noted in Section 3 (Management, Organization and Controls) all past due instruments have been calibrated. Records disclosed that neutron counters were calibrated in accordance with manufacturer specifications and periodically checked with a plutonium-beryllium sourc Airborne Releases The inspector reviewed the licensee's records of air sample analyse No MPC-hour assignment exceeding regulatory requirements was note No violations or deviations were identified in this program are r L
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T Criticality Safety The inspector reviewed the licensee's documentation of facility changes requiring criticality considerations, including determination of whether the licensee has positive management controls to ensure that facility operations are conducted within nuclear criticality safety limit The licensee noted that during the current (February 1987 to date) operating period West Jefferson Operations have changed to a surveillance and maintenance mode. During the February to April 1987 operating period there were no facility modifications involving SNM material that required the licensee to perform nuclear criticality safety analyses. In response to the inspector's inquiry, the licensee noted that the bulk of the remaining SNM material is contained in four assemblies stored in the hot cell poo A lesser amount of SNM material is distributed among 121 loose rods or stored as standards in the facility vault. The licensee noted that the amount of SNM material equivalent to a critical mass is not contained or stored outside of fuel rod configuration. The inspector concluded that any remaining or
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ongoing projects could be completed under existing criticality safety limit No violations or deviations were identified within this program are . Transportation and Rad Waste Generation The inspector reviewed the licensee's transportation activities to determine whether the licensee is maintaining an adequate program to assure radiologi. cal safety in the receipt, packaging, and delivery of licensed radioactive materials. No discrepancies were found in the licensee's shipping records. About 104 drums containing nontransuranic low-level waste >(combustible and noncombustible) have been packaged and shipped to a waste disposal site during the February through April 1987 operating perio In addition, sladge and liquid waste containing low-levels of radioactive contamination were removed from the sanitary / septic tank, solidified with cement, and shipped to waste disposa The inspector noten that the waste disposal site representative certified
.by signature that all shipments received from the licensee (February through April 1987) were received in acceptable condition. No problems were reporte No violations or deviations were identifie . Radio Frequency Effect on Harshaw Model 2271 TLD Reader i On February 2,1987, Region III received a memorandum from Harshaw/Filtrol Partnership concerning possible dosimetry errors in their Model 2271 TLD reader due to radio frequency interference. Battelle Columbus Division
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.(BCD) was included on-the master mailing list as a userlof the TLD reade '
The inspector determined by examination that BCD's. instrument did not have the same model nu9 b ers as shown on the mailing list.- The licensee has
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'not used the TLD reader in'recent months and does not recall any e
. interference from radio frequencies. Nevertheless, the . licensee plans to I s take proper measures -to reduce the potential for dosimetry errors by using additional-cable shielding. The. inspector also discussed this item during -
the exit meetin '
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- Operations Review- $
The~ inspector toured the Hot Cell Laboratory and the Retired Reactor-
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Facility and reviewed with the licensee the status of operations at the West Jefferson s V , ,
" . Hot Cell Laboratory Upon tenninating/ completing existing projects, the nuclear services i
function will enter a surveillance and maintenance (S/M) mode. The licensee wi11 ' maintain the S/M mode until decontamination and
, , decommissioning (D/0)" activities are implemente Retired Reactor Facility
OnTdech6,1987,thelicenseesubmittedanapplicationtoNMSSfora
.-license amendment to authorize.the possession of about 15 curies of
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. fission and activation products that remain in the' retired Battelle
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" ResearchReactor(BRR). NX3S has indicated that the license amendment
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application will be granted authorizing the licensee to possess radioactive material (contained in the BRR) under existing license
. f-No. SNM-7.
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The inspector revie.ved the requirements of the Reactor License and the licensee's records for the February through April 1987.
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- '~ surveillance period. In accordance with Amendment 13 to Reactor License ~No. R-4, the licensee is-required to monitor radioactivity in the water released from a basement sump to the storm sewer, conduct period.ic radiaticn surveys, and maintain barriers preventing access to the retired reacto In the areas with unrestricted access, removable beta contamination did not er.ceed 100 dpm/100 cm2 and
. radiation levels were.less than 2 mR/hr.
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The inspector concluded that all the above requirements (technical 4 specifications) of Amendment 13, License No. R-4 were satisfactorily met.
, 'a West Jefferson Site
- On March 3, 1987, NMSS amended Materials Licensee No. SNM-7 and authorized the licensee to operate the Volume Reduction Demonstration ,
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Facility. The licensee noted that there are no current plans to undertake any new nuclear activity at the West Jefferson sit , No violations or deviations were identifie . Environmental Protection c In accordance with SNM-7, License Condition No. 19, on May 13, 1987, the licensee submitted the annual environmental report to HQ NRC, with a copy to Region III. This report will be reviewed during a future inspection (0 pen Item No. 07-008/87002-01(DRSS)).
10. Emergency Preparedness An update of the licensee's Emergency Team Assignments was issued on March 19, 1987. A new team leader, assistant team leader, and an advisor were appointed to the Fire Control Grou During the course of this inspection, emergency team personnel were being trained in respiratory protection. Quiz results and course sumary will be reviewed during a future inspection. (0 pen Item No.07-008/87002-02(DRSS))
In response to concerns recently raised by a representative of American Nuclear Insurers, the licensee increased the frequency of patrols by the security department to an hourly schedule in order to improve their capability of detecting possible fires and or leaks in valves that control the flow of fire protection water. The licensee has inspected and tested the fire protection systems and equipment in accordance with NFPA guidelines. The inspector noted during the course of this inspection that scheduled exchar.ge of fire extinguishers was being conducte During an emergency drill a technician was transpcrted to offsite emergency facilities at Ohio State University (OSU) simulating an injured victim contaminated with radioactivity. 05U personnel participated in the drill. The licensee observed how the patient was received and how the patient was released. The licer.see noted that OSU had the necessary
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equipment to handle an injured victim contaminated with radioactivit The inspector concluded that the licensee adequately responds to offsite auditors (ANI) in order to improve health and safety for onsite personnel. In addition, it was noted that emergency drills are conducted using offsite artrcies as an integral part of the exercis No problems were note No violations or deviations were identified in this program are L
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11. Training In accordance with Materials License No. SNM-7, License Condition No. 20, and during the course of this inspection, the licensee's-corporate safety specialist conducted a three hour block of instruction (via film and demonstration) in respiratory protection. The inspector concluded that the topic was appropriate to employee work assignments and that the training sessions were properly documente .The licensee noted that during the surveillance and maintenance operating mode se.lected West Jefferson site employees will undergo additional radiation protection training. ' Employees trained at this level of rad protection will provide-radiological health and safety support to decontamination teams during decontamination and decommissioning activite No violations or deviations were identifie . Decontamination /Deconsissionino (D/D) of Nuclear Service Facilities Battelle Columbus Division (BCD) has decided to terminate nuclear fuel related activities after current projects are completed. Other than contaminated rooms and equipment in 15 buildings, most of the SNM material is contained in fuel assemblies and/or loose rods. BCD indicated that DOE has verbally agreed to furnish financial support for the D/D requirements and become the regulatory agency during the D/D progra The licensee noted that most of the area designated for D/D and most of the remaining SKM. material represents residuals from previous DOE project Meanwhile, the licetsee is waiting for agreement (via memorandum of understanding) between DOE and NRC in order to proceed with the D/D progra The licensee also indicated their desire that the financial arrangements (or set aside funds) required under Materials License No..SNM-7, License Condition No. 23, be released to the licensee-in order to initiate the D/D progra During a discussion concerning D/D activities, the licensee acknowledged-that-onsite capability for emergency-bio-assay analyses and/or whole body activities is desirable. Discussions about D/D activities were continued during the exit meetin . Exit Meeting
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The inspector met with-licensee representatives (denoted in Section 1) at the conclusion of the onsite inspection on May 22, 1987. The inspector summarized the-scope and findings of the inspection. In response to certain items uiscussed by the inspector, the licensee:
1 Acknowledged that the Harshaw TLD Reader will be tested for interference from radio frequencies, and properly shielded if necessary.
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.., _ , Acknowledged that BCD would continue to inform Region III about D/D-
-Concern During the course of the inspection and the exit meeting, the licensee did not identify any documents or inspector comments and references to specific processes as proprietary.
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