IR 05000006/1989001
| ML20246P796 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Battelle Memorial Institute, 07000008 |
| Issue date: | 03/16/1989 |
| From: | France G, Sreniawski D NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20246P764 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-006-89-01, 50-6-89-1, 70-0008-89-01, 70-8-89-1, NUDOCS 8903280320 | |
| Download: ML20246P796 (8) | |
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U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
REGION III
Reports No. 70-008/89001(DRSS); No. 50-006/89001(DRSS)-
Docket Nos, 07000008; 05000006 Licenses No. SNM-7; No. R-4 Licensee: Battelle Columbus Division 505 King Avenue Columbus, OH 43201-2693 Inspection At: West Jefferson facilities Inspection Conducted: February 14-16, 1989 sL M /kW }{
Inspectors: 'Georg M. France, III 09-/b '97 x Date
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Approved By: Donald JgS eniawski, Chief Nuclear Ma rials Safety IkM Da t'e *
Section 2 Inspection Summary Inspection on February 14-16, 1989 (Reports No. 70-0008/89001(DRSS);
No. 50-006/89001(DRSS))
Areas Inspected: Routine, unannounced health and safety inspection, including: management and organization controls (IP 88005); waste generator requirements (IP 84850); transportation activities (IP 86740); radiation protection (IP 83822); operations review (IP 88020); criticality safety (IP 88015); radioactive waste management (IP 88035); environmental protection (IP 88045); emergency preparedness (IP 88050); and maintenance surveillance (IP 88025).
Results: The licensee was found to be in compliance with NRC requirements within the areas examined. As discussed in Inspection Report (No. 70-0008/89002) the licensee is conducting a preliminary investigation of disposal requirements in preparation of an offsite shipment of fuel assembly components to a licensed burial site. Operators were alerted to quantify and identify the chemical form of zirconium metal scraps to guard against pyorphoric condition l
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8903280320 890322 PDR ADOCK 05000006 Q PDC
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DETAILS Persons Contacted
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T. Emswiler, Transportation Specialist (Part-time ' Employee):
M. Failey, Research Scientist E. Fromm, Supervisor, Quality Assurance I *C. Jensen, Radiological Safety Officer ,
- G. Kirsch, Supervisor, Health Physics
- V. Pasupathi, Manager, Nuclear Technical Section
- J. Ray, Vice President, Nuclear Operations E. Swindall, Master Technician
- H. Toy, Manager, Nuclear Services
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Interviews were also conducted with other members of the licensee's staf * Denotes those present at the exit meeting on February 16, 1989. General This inspection of onsite licensee ' activities, which began at 08:30 on February 14, 1989, was conducted to examine activities at the West Jefferson site under Materials Licensee No. SNM-7-and Reactor License No. R-4. During this inspection, the inspector reviewed two recent changes to the license, possession of carbon-14 for experiments involving vegetation
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uptake and the designation of new quarters at the King Avenue facility for use of radiography equipment. NMSS amended the license to approve these change . Management Organization and Controls (IP 88005) j
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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 June 1988, Mr'. Craig E. Jensen was I hired as the Radiological Safety Officer. Selected radiological safety support is handled by consultant Mr. Donald McKown a Certified Health Physicist and former employee. NMSS approved the license amendment application concerning staff alignment and license renewal in September 198 Other changes that impact upon the radiation protection section include the reassignment of a Master Technician (HP Tech) from hot cell operation to devote full time to site environmental matters. This assignment'
leaves two technicians assigned to operations full time. A fourth
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technician was detailed to work on decontamination / decommissioning:
planning. The Health Physics Supervisor is still responsible for providing radiation protection services to the West Jefferson sit The inspector concluded that the acquisition of a full time RSO coupled with reassignments among the technicians strengthens the licensee's health and safety progra No violations or deviations were identifie . Radiation protection (IP 83822).
The inspect'or reviewed the licensee's internal-and external exposure control programs including the required records, reports, and notification Internal Exposure Control Whole-body count results are provided periodically by a vendo Measurements are' conducted onsite. During the last vendor visit (October 27 and 28, 1988),.the maximum observed reading to an ind;vidual was 14nci for cesium-137 which is based on a minimum sensitivity of 1.8nci and a maximum permissible body burden (MpBB)
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of 3E+04nCi. The inspector reviewed data stated in a previous inspection report (see Inspection Report no. 70-0008/88001(DRSS)
, in comparison with the vendor's measurement. The' inspection report incorrectly reported the whole-body. measurement (for one individual)
as 18% for cobalt-60 results. The value should be-corrected to read 18nCi (cobalt-60) as the maximum value detected for mixed fission, corrosion, and activation products. The reported value of 18nC1.of cobalt-60 is approximately 1.6% MPBB and significantly less than a 40 MPC-hour intake.
l Bioassay records disclosed that the 40 MPC-hour intake limit-for uranium and plutonium had not been exceede The inspector concluded that there had been no significant internal exposure to workers assigned to the West Jefferson site during the l April 1988 through January 1989 operating perio External Exposures The licensee's summary of whole body radiation exposures' from external penetrating radiation for 1988 operations disclosed that five of the forty-four employees received between 1 and 2 rem Total. exposure to the staff was 8 man rem which is down from 13 man-rem reported for 1987 operation. Changing project activities involving less radiation have contributed to the reductio In previous (1987, 1986) operating years higher exposures ranged from 2 to 3 rem )
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.. 1 l ALARA Activities The licensee indicated-that exposure levels'had dropped because of the cessation of project activities, judicious use of remote control units for hot cell clean out, and the shipment of previously stored wast I The inspector observed that a significant amount of radioactive i waste had been classified by radionuclides concentration and
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i removed from the hot cells for ultimate offsite disposal, j l 1 Neutron Shielding (NMSS Concerns)
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In response to the following NMSS inquiry about neutron exposure, 1 l the inspector contacted the licensee by telephone on March 6, 198 The licensee maintains the capability of measuring neutron' flux in both the basin and hot cell locations. The licensee indicated that f i-the hot cells are constructed out of high density and. neutron l absorbant material Neutron monitors are strategically placed in the vicinity of the hot cell The 10 veiwing ports are constructed of five inches, thick and six inches thick lead bearing glass which has a density of'
6.2 gms/c i
The cell face (wall) is constructed of four feet thick high' 1 density concrete (Barytes Material, 205 pounds / cubic feet);
(back wall, six feet normal density concrete,150 pounds /
cubic feet); and the ceiling is constructed of four feet thick normal density concret Attenuation measurements indicate that gamma radiation based on 2000 Ci in the cell is designed to be approximately l
l two millirem / hour outside of the cel The neutron flux external to the cell is also measured by hand held surveys when fuel assemblies'are admitted to the cel These measurement systems (neutron monitors) are scheduled to remain in place during decontamination / decommission of the hot cell '
No problems were note I i Retired Reactor Facility In accordance with Amendment 13 to Reactor License No. R-4, the licensee is required to monitor radioactivity in the water released i
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from a basement pump to the storm sewer, conduct' periodic' radiation surveys, and maintain barriers preventing access to the retired reacto The radiation survey requirements (technical specifications) of Amendment 13. License No. R-4 were satisfactorily met for the April 1988 through January 1989 operating perio No violations or deviations were identifie . Operations Review (IP 88020)
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, In preparation for decontamination and decommissioning operations data
is being developed to determine which materials (selected equipment and furniture) can be easily removed and radiologically surveye The Nuclear Services Manager indicated that recent license amendment-approvals which included an amendment for measuring carbon-14 uptake-in vegetation and waste reduction via incineration, enables the West Jefferson staff to pursue several projects, while developing plans for decontaminating and decommissioning the sit The inspector observed a Master Technician preparing work sheets for decontamination projects and toured the location where' drummed waste is characterized, classified for radioisotopic content, and ultimately-packaged for offsite disposa No violations or deviations were identified' .
6. Criticality Safety (IP 88015)
There was no indication of fissile quantities of nuclear material present in single container quantities at the West Jefferson sit Nevertheless, the licensee maintains criticality surveillance via the monitors' located in the vicinity of the high energy /high level hot cell No violations or deviations were identified.
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7. Transportation of Radioactive Material (IP 86740)
The inspector reviewed the licensee's program for transportation of radioactive materials. Audits of the program were performed by the licensee in accordance with written procedures and checklist CFR 71.137 require audits of the transportation program be performed by personnel not having direct responsibilities in the area The inspector determined that QA records (document control) delineate the procedure and checklists and the workers trained to perform audits under this par _ _ _ - _ _ _ _ ---
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The Transportation Specialist and the identified auditors are assigned to different departments. Hence, the inspector concluded that the licensee l was meeting the requirements of 10 CFR 71.137, by conducting independent audits. However, in response to the inspectors' concern on whether the l auditors were sufficiently " independent," the licensee agreed to review I the current program. This was discussed during the exit meetin Since December 1987, the licensee shipped 19 burial liners to the Barnwell disposal site. Records indicate that a letter of notification for each shipment was forwarded to RIII NRC in accord with the regulatory requirements of 10 CFR 71.9 No violations or deviations were identifie . Inspection of Waste Generator Requirements of 10 CFR 20 and 10 CFR 61 (IP 84850) and Radioactive Waste Management (Ip 88035)
The inspector reviewed the licensee's program for waste classification in accordance with requirements of 10 CFR 20 and 10 CFR 6 _
During a tour of the hot cell facility, the licensee discussed the methodology of classifying radionuclides in fuel assembly components contained in the hot cells. The classification of fuel assembly skeleton hardware (and activated metal components) by radionuclides identification was discussed in Inspection Report ,
No.(70-008/88002(DRSS)). l l
The licensee plans to coordinate future waste shipments of fuel assembly !
hardware with representatives of the Barnwell, SC disposal sit !
The inspector aisc determined that operators have been alerted to identify and quantify the chemical form of zirconium metal (potential pyrophoric material) that may be present in waste materia ;
The inspector concluded that the licensee's actions in handling potential pyorphoric materials is meeting the requirement of 10 CFR 61.56(a)(6) by
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rendering the waste nonflammable, i l
No violations or deviations were identifie . Emergency Preparedness (IP 88050)
The inspector interviewed a Master Technician concerning the operative condition of equipment used in emergency situations. The inspector toured the Fire Control Center and the Base Station.
l SCBA breathing apparatus and communication equipment had been recently inspected. Surveillance was conducted with remote cameras to cover
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operations in the hot cell and fuel storage pool location. Log book entries described the function performed each time the entry seal to the Fire Control . Center was broken. The inspector noted that the radiation survey instruments assigned to the emergency equipment caches were tagged to show current calibration date No violations or deviations were determine . Environmental Protection (IP 88045)
l The licensee was investigating the extent of. soil contamination on the West Jefferson site grounds. Levels of ccbalt-60 (41pCi/g) and ame.icium-24 (50pCi/g) have been detected in an area 6 feet down stream from the storm sewer outfall. Records indicate that discharges of sanitary water further downsteam from the outfall, at the entrance'to Darby Creek, were within 10 CFR 20 limits for NRC requirements. .The licensee is considering remedial action. 1he source of the activity was believed to be from a slow accumulation over the entire history of the operation. The licensee's program for remedial actions will be monitored during future inspections.
1 Environmental samples were being prepared for the development of the 1988 Environmental Report. The 1987 report. indicated that an exposure review
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of TLDs placed at the site boundary were near background level Subsequent evaluation indicated near background levels at the Girl Scout Camp located east of the nuclear sit Radioactive particulate matter is filtered in the fume hoods, at the test cells, and the stack release point backed up by one or two banks of HEPA filte Records indicated that all HEPA prefilters had been recently replace No violations or deviations were identifie . Maintenance Surveillance (IP 88025)
The inspector discussed operations of the basin (pool liner) leak detection system (which features a primary and secondary pumping arrangement) with the Master Technicia There were no indication of a leak in the system. Records of the basin water chemical properties showed test results were well within the limits set by the license conditio The inspectors inquiry determined that pool water resin was exchanged on August 30, 1988 and November 1, 198 Since fuel storage is no longer conducted in the basin, exposure levels dropped to less than 100 mR/hr in the pump room. Exposure to individuals making filter
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changes were near 30 mR to the extremities (hands). During operations exposure levels to worker making filter change ranged from 100 to 200 mR. The highest contact. readings on the resin prefilter ranged from 200 mR on the prefilter to 100 mR on the resin colum No violations or deviations were identifie . Exit Meeting l' The scope and findings of the inspection were discussed with licensee representatives (Section 1) at the close of the onsite' inspection on February 16, 1989. The inspector stated that licensee programs in the '1 areas of exposure control,1 criticality safety, surveillance, waste generation and classification, and transportation met regulatory requirement The licensee agreed to' review any pyorphoric concerns prior and/or during hot cell clean ou The licensee agreed to review the audit function requirement for 10 CFR 71 complianc 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 proprietar i
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