IR 05000006/1988001

Insp Repts 50-006/88-01 & 70-0008/88-01 on 880404-07.No Violations Noted.Major Areas Inspected:Mgt Organization Controls,Radiation Protection Program,Operations Review, Nuclear Criticality Safety & Waste Generation Requirements

ML20151X292
Person / Time
Site:	Battelle Memorial Institute, 07000008
Issue date:	04/26/1988
From:	Bocanegra R, France G, Schumacher M NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III)
To:
Shared Package
ML20151X008	List: IR 05000006/1988001 ML20151X004
References
50-006-88-01, 50-6-88-1, 70-0008-88-01, 70-8-88-1, NUDOCS 8805040103
Download: ML20151X292 (7)

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U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY C0tHISSION

REGION III

Reports No. 70-008/88001(DRSS); 50-006/88001(DRSS)

Docket Nos. 07000008; 05000006 Licenses No. SNM-7; No. R-4 Licensee Name: Battelle Columbus Division Inspection At: West Jefferson Facilities Inspection Conducted: April 4-7, 1988 Inspector: G. e III M-25 Date

Accompanied By: R. Bocanegra

[ M'88'U Date Approved By

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..M. C. Schumacher, Chief s -u - n Radiological Effluents and Date Chemistry Section Inspection Summary Inspection on April 4-7, 1988 (Reports No. 70-008/88001(DRSS);

No. 50-006/88001(DRSS))

Areas Inspected: Routine unannounced health and safety inspection, including:

management and organization controls (IP 88005); radiation protection program (IP 83882); operations review (IP 88020); nuclear criticality safety (IP 88015);

waste generator requirements (IP 84850); radioactive waste management (IP 88035); and transportation activities (IP 86740).

Results: The licensee was found to be in compliance with NRC requirements within the areas examined. Because of the limited quantity of fissile material onsite, the Radiological Safety Comission may be disbanded and criticality audits may be discontinue M m,3 -

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DETAILS Persons Contacted T. Emswiler, Transportation Specialist (Part-time Employee)

M. Failey, Research Scientist E. Fromm, Supervisor, Quality Assurance

• G. Kirsch, Supervisor, Operational Health Physics

"D. McKown, Radiological Safety Officer (Part-time Employce)

• V Pasupathi, Manager, Nuclear Technology E. Swindall, Master Technician

• H. Toy, Manager, BCL Nuclear Service Group Interviews were also conducted with other members of the licensee's staf * Denotes those present at the exit meeting on April 7, 1988. General This inspection of onsite licensee activities, which began at 1:30 p.m. .

on April 4, 1988, was conducted to examine activities at the West Jefferson site under Materials License No. SNM-7 and Reactor License No. R-4. During this inspection, the licensee discussed the changes in possession limits for Special Nuclear Material and byproduct materials relative to the license renewal applicatio . Management Organization and Controls (IP 88005)

The inspector reviewed the licensee's management organization and controls for radiation protection and operations, including changes in the organizational structur The licensee noted that effective April 1, 1988, the Radiological Safety Officer (RS0) will perform surveillance and auditing of Battelle Columbus Division's (BCD) operations relative to radiological safety matters on a part-time basi During his absence radiological safety matters will be handled by Mr. D. McKown, a retired employee and former RSO for BCD, Meanwhile, the licensee plans to hire a full-time RS The inspector determined that there were no other organizational changes that affected radiological safety at BCD's West Jefferson and King avenue facilitie No violations or deviations were identifie .

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4. Radiation Protection (IP 83822)

The inspector reviewed the licensee's internal and external exposure control programs including the required records, reports, and notifications, Internal Exposure Control The inspector interviewed the Health Physics Operational Supervisor and the Master Technician (health physics activities) concerning whole body count results and bicassay records for the September 1987 through March 1988 operating period. Results of semiannual whole body count for mixed fission, corrosion, and activation. products perfomed on 43 individuals on October 26-28, 1987, indicated six individuals with 18% maximum permissible body burden (MPBB) of cnbalt-60 and three with 3% MPBB of cesium-13 Bioassay records disclosed that the @ MFC-hour intake limit for uranium and plutonium had not been exceede Based on licensee records and interviews with licensee workers, the inspector concluded that there had been no significant internal ,

exposure to workers engaged in hot cell activities, External Exposure The licensee's summary of whole body radiation exposures from external penetrating radiation for 1987 operations disclosed that seven employees received between 1 to 2 rems while one employee received between 2 and 3 rems. These data were similar to 1986 results when two employees accumulated an exposure level of 2 to 3 rem No results exceeded 10 CFR Part 20 limits, Radiological Surveys and Contamination Control Records of radiological surveys conducted for the Septenher 1987 through March 1988 operating period disclosed no signific0nt contamination or exposure problems. The licensee perfoms surveys in accordance with written procedure No. NS-NS-13 Smear Surveys-Collection, Counting and Documentation Instrument Calibration and Leak Detection The licensee's instrument calibration laboratory maintains instruments used in the detection of radioactivity and in criticality ronitorin Instrument laboratory personnel also perform leak detection procedures on radioactive sources and spike film badges and/or TLD's used to evaluate dosimetry dat _____________

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Licensee records of 12 standard radioactive sources indicated that leak tests were performed at six month intervals in accordance with Special Nuclear Materials License No. SNM-7. Records also disclosed that cesium-137 and cobalt-60 sources used in spiking film badges and TLD's were recalibrated with a MDH-ionization chamber showing NBS certification, dated August 18, 198 The criticality monitors were calibrated with a plutonium / beryllium (Pu-Be) neutron source on March 29, 198 The Pu-Be source showed no physical signs of any defect The inspector concluded that the licensee's instrument calibration and dosimetry data collection efforts adequately support the licensee's radiation protection progra No violations or deviations were identifie . Operations Review (IP 88020)

The inspector toured the facility to observe the conduct of operations and discussed the status of the maintenance and surveillance operations with the Manager, Nuclear Technolog Hot Cell Activities During this inspection, the licensee vas decontaminating equipment used to support the fuel storage pool operation. The Manager, Nuclear Technology confirmed that no further shipments of fuel would be received at the BCD facilit The only remaining projects consisted of closing out the activated metals research program and the possible repacheging of 21 resin tanks into shielded casks in preparation for offsite disposa Retired Reactor Facility

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In accordance with Amend int 13 to Reactor License No. R-4, the

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licensee is required to monitor radioactivity in the water released from a basement pump to the storm sewer, conduct periodic radiation surveys, and maintain barriert preventing access to the retired reacto Records reviewed for the last half of 1987 disclosed that exposure levels around the reactor's six beam tube covers were less than 0.2 mR/hr. Survey records also disclosed that the exposure level around the sump pump cover was 0.6 mR/hr. The inspector determined that all of the radiation survey requirements (technical specifications) of Amendment 13, License No. R-4 were satisf actorily me No violations or deviations were identified.

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6. Criticality Safety IP 88015 The inspector reviewed the licensee's documentation of hot cell facility

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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 l During the October 1987 inspection (Inspection Report No. 70-008/87003),

the licensee prepared its last remaining spent fuel assemblies for shipment and interim storage at DOE / Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INTEL). Cattelle audit on December 21, 1987, confirmed that the last remaining nuclear fuel was shipped October 26, 1987. An inventory of fissile material remaining at the West Jefferson site indicated 184 grams

, of Pu-238 and Pu-239, which is less than a critical quantity. In the l absence or any further shipments of fuel to BDC, the BCD Nuclear Safety Subcommittee has recommended disbandment of its organization and discontinuance of criticality safety training. As a safety precaution, the licensee will maintain criticality surveillance by leaving the monitors in place in the high energy /high level hot cells. This change will require license amendment.

> The inspector concluded that management of the licensee's nuclear ,

i criticality program is commensurate with the license applicatio No violations or deviations were identified.

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7. Inspection of Waste Generator Requirements of 10 CFR 20 and 10 CFR 61 j (IR 84850)

I j The inspector reviewed the licensee's program for waste generation in accordance with requirements of a current version of the disposal site

license, and of 10 CFR 20 and 10 CFR 61 applicable to low-level radwaste j form, classification, stabilization, and shipment manifest The inspector reviewed the licensee's written procedure (NS-NS-114.1, l Radioactivity Measurements of Hot Cell Waste With the Drum Scanning i System in Preparation for Package Classification, Shipment and Burial)

prepared in accordance with waste categories defined in 10 CFR Part 61.

i I During a tour of the waste handling operation, the licensee discussed the j methodology of packaging and preparing radioactive waste for offsite i disposal in accordance with the above described written procedur The procedure provides clear delineation of the authorities and responsibilities of the individuals involved in the management of the

! radioactive waste program; namely the Supervisor, Quality Assurance, j the Transportation Specialist and the Research Scientist.

l The inspector concluded that the licensee has established and maintains an adequate QA prog am to assure compliance with the waste classification

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and characterization requirements of 10 CFR 61.55 and 61.5 No violations or deviations were identifie ,,.. *-

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. Radioactive Waste Management (IP 88035)

The inspector reviewed the facility radioactive waste handling program to determine whether the licensee is complying with regulations and license requirements related to the release and disposal of liquid and solid wast Solid Waste Generation Solid waste generated from rnechanical test studies of fuel rods and surveillance tests of activated metals represent the preponderance of contaminated metal generated in the licensee's hot cell-activities. Other solid waste is comprised of dewatered ion exchange resins. Routinely, contaminated paper, glass and plastic material make up an additional solid waste strea .

l Liquid Waste Generation Radioactive liquid waste is comprised mostly of waste water from i

building sumps and laboratory chemical sinks. This waste appears to be low in radioactivity and undergoes volume reduction by evaporation. The residual sludge. collected from evaporator e bottoms is transferred to 55 gallon drums and mixed with cement until the ratio of cement to liquid forms a free standing monolith.

Procedure No. NS-NS-10, Revision 1, describes the minimum requirement for materials used to solidify radioactive waste solutions. Cement is the primary agent used to solidify liquid wast Procedure NS-NS-11 outlines the standard minimum requirements for the (DOT-17H) 55 gallon drum. Most liquid and solid waste generated by the licensee is transferred to offsite disposal packaged in 55 gallon drum Mixed Waste -

Some wastes classified under EPA rules as hazardous and under NRC rules as radioactive are combined as mixed waste. The licensee indicated that at least two drums containing contaminated scintillation visis, foam, vermiculate, PCBs, and dioxins are currently stored onsite while disposal options are being explore The inspector concluded that the licensee is complying with regulations and license requirements related to the packaging of liquid and solid waste for offsite disposa No violations or deviations were identifie . Transportation of Radioactive Materials (Ip 86740)

The inspector reviewed the licensee's transportation of radioactive materials program, including determination of whether shipments are in compliance with NRC and 00T regulations and determination if there were any transportation incidents involving licensee shipment . . . - 0

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On October 26, 1987, the licensee shipped all remaining spent fuel bundles to DOE / Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INTEL). The shipping manifest was prepared in accordance with NRC/ DOT regulations and no incidents occurred during the shipment that resulted in a violation of regulatory requirement The inspector interviewed the Transportation Specialist, and the Supervisor, Quality Assurance and verified that written procedures incorporates the elements of 10 CFR 71 for preparing packages for shipmen No violations or deviations were identifie . Exit Meeting The scope and findings of the inspection were discussed with licensee representatives (Section 1) at the close of the onsite inspection on April 7, 1988. The inspector stated that licensee programs in the areas of exposure control, criticality safety, surveillance, waste generation and classification, and transportation met regulatory requirements and acknowledged the licensee's intent to appoint a full time RSO. He also noted that the Radiological Safety Committee's recommendation for discriminating its role in criticality safety would probably require licensing actio During the course of the inspection and the exit meeting, the licensee did not identify any documents or inspector statements and references to specific processes as proprietary.

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