IR 05000170/1981001
| ML20037D449 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute |
| Issue date: | 06/18/1981 |
| From: | Crocker H, Roth J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20037D448 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-170-81-01, 50-170-81-1, NUDOCS 8107100245 | |
| Download: ML20037D449 (5) | |
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U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF INSPECTION Atl0 ENFORCEMENT Region I Report No.
50-170/81-01 Docket No.
50-170 License No. R-84 Priority
Category F
Licensee:
Defense Nuclear Agency Bethesda, Maryland 20014 Facility Name:
Armed Forces Radiobiological Research Institute Inspection at:
Bethesda, Maryland Inspection conducted: April 22-24, 1981 Inspectors:
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da'te signed J. k h, FueT Facility Inspector date signed date signed Approved by-M h[/[' P/
H. W.. Crocker, CMf, Fuel Facility
'da te' si ghed Projects Section Inspection Summary:
Inspection on April 22-24,1981(ReportNo. 50-170/81-01)
Areas Inspected: Routine unannounced inspection by a region-based inspector of licensee action on previously identified enforcement items; review of operations, follow-up on regional office circulars and follow-up on a sig-nificant event which occurred.
The inspection involved 14 hours1.62037e-4 days <br />0.00389 hours <br />2.314815e-5 weeks <br />5.327e-6 months <br /> onsite by one region-based inspector and was initiated on the evening shift.
Results: No items of noncompliance were ider.tified.
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l Region I Form 12 (Rev. April 77)
8107100245 s10623 PDR ADOCK 05000170 l
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DETAILS 1.
Persons Contacted
- Col. B.R. Adccck, Deputy Director
- LTC F.E. Owen, Department Head, Scientific Support Department
- W. Webber, Acting Department Head, Radiation Safety Department
- Maj. R.R. Smoker, Chief, Radiation Sources Division
- Capt. L. Act, Radiation Sources Division
- Capt. J. Sholtis, Radiation Sources Division
- SFC H. Spence, Radiation Sources Division
- Capt. W. Bize, Radiological Physics Division
- M. Moore, Chief Supervisory Operator
- LTC J. Conklin, Chief, Nuclear Science Division
- denotes those present at the exit interview.
2.
Licensee Action on Previously Identified Enforcement Items (Closed) Deficiency (170/78-04-01)
Facility staffing not as required by Technical Specification 111.A.
Licensee records examined by the inspector indicated that corrective actions were completed by November 6, 1978. The inspector verified that current staffing of the facility was as required by technical specifications.
Corrective actions have been completed on this item of noncompliance.
(Closed) Deficiency (170/78-04-02)
Failure to report misaligned fuel assemblies.
The inspector examined a letter dated November 21, 1978 which was sent to NRC-NRR in which NRR was notified of this incident.
The inspector also reviewed the safety evaluation report prepared by the licensee concerning this incident.
The licensee has established procedures to assure that similar incidents would be evaluated and l
reported, if necessary, in a timely manner.
Corrective actions have
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(Closed) Infraction (170/78-04-03) Safety evaluation not performed for control console change'.
The inspector verified that the licensee had prepared a safety evaluation report concerning the change in con-trol console. A copy of the safety evaluation was submitted to the Region I office by letter dated November 28, 1978 for review.
Corrective actions have been completed on this itern of noncompliance.
(Closed) Deficiency (170/78-04-04) Requalification program required reading not documented.
The inspector verified that the licensee had
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modified the Requalification Program Progress Checklist so that the I
date wnen specific document review has been completed during tr e requalification time period could be recorded.
The inspector ex& mined l
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the document review checklist for selected operators for the time period January through December, 1979, and verified that the proper records were being maintained.
The licensee has submitted a new " Reactor Operator Requalification Program for AFRRI-TRIGA Reactor Facility" to NRC-NRR for review and approval on October 3, 1980.
Correcive actions have bean completed on this item of noncompliance.
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(Closed) Infraction (170/78-04-06) Door gaskets not maintained as designed. According to licensee representatives, new reactor room door gaskets, which were installed on November 13, 1978, were not satisfactory in that sufficient compression was not attained.
Consequently, the licensee replaced these gaskets during December 1978 with gaskets which met the designed compression criteria. A letter confirming thase actions was re-issued to Region I by the licensee on April 24, 1981. The inspector verified that the currently installed door gaskets appeared to be adequate. Corrective actions have been completed on this item of noncomp'iance.
(0 pen) Inspector Follow Item (170/78-04-07)
1977 Annual Report not sent to Region I.
The inspector examined licensee re ords of annual reports to the NRC for the time period, October 1968 through October, 1980.
It was noted that the licensee files contained reports for all years except for 1977. A note located in the licensee files dated May 21, 1980, indicated that no record of an annual report for the year 1977 could be located.
This was discussed at the exit interview and during a subsequent telephone conversation between the licensee and the inspector on May 20, 1981.
In a letter from the licensee dated i
May 22, 1981, the licensee committed to incorporate the information which should have beer. included in the 1977 annual report into an enclosure to the 1981 annual report to be prepared during October, 1981.
3.
Review of Ooerations i
l The inspector examined all areas of the facility to observe operations and activities in progress, to become acquainted with the facility and to examine the general state of cleanliness and housekeeping.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
4.
Follow-up on Regicnal Office Circulars a.
I.E. Circular 76-03 The inspector determined through discussions with licensee represent-atives and review of licensee records that I.E. Circular 76-03, i
dated September 13, 1976 " Radiation Exposures in Reactor Cavities" l
had been received and reviewed for applicability.
In the licensee's response dated September 24, 1976, the licensee indicated that the facility review had been completed and that the findings had been documented.
The inspector examined the licensee's documentation
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dated September 23, 1976.
Three high radiation areas or potential high radiation areas were identified.
Entry ways into high radiation areas were conspicuously posted locked or otherwise controlled in a manner which identified the nature of the hazard, control entry and procedures require adequate pre-entry surveys.
The inspector examined the high radiation area entry locations and procedures involved with entry into high radiation areas.
It was noted that the entries were locked and posted, that procedures required adequate documented surveys, that entry procedures were an integral part of the facility training program and that mechanical devices had been installed which prevented a change of source position or geometry when door interlocks were disengaged.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
b.
I.E. Circular 77-14
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The inspector determined through discussions with licensee re-presentatives, review of licensee records and examination of applicable areas of the facility that I.E. Circular 77-14 dated November 28, 1977, " Separation of Contaminated Water Systems from Noncontaminated Plant Systems" had been received and reviewed for applicability.
The licensee determined as verified by the in-spector that there were several water distillation systems installed i
in the facility.
However, in each case where distilled water was piped into a potentially contaminated system, the connection was i
made through a gravity feed split system.
In addition, as an added precaution, piping from the potentially contaminated systems to the distillation systems were not connected unless in use.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
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I.E. Circular 79-09 The inspector determined through discussions with licensee re-presentatives and review of licensee records that I.E. Circular 79-09 dated June 22, 1979, " Occurrences of Split or Punctured Regulated Diaphrams in certain self-contained Breathing Apparatus"
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had been received and reviewed for applicability.
The licensee uses only Mine Safety Appliance (MSA) manufactured supplied air self-contained breathing units not affected by the subject circular.
This was verified by the inspector.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
5.
Review of Significant Event On April 22, 1981, the Region I office was notified by the licensee j
that a rack of sources containing 24,000 Ci.of. cobalt-60 could not be
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lowered into the shielding pool.
This incident occurred at 12:00 noon on April 23, 1981.
The cobalt-60 is licensed by NRC under Materials License No. 19-08330-03 (Dockot No. 30-06931).
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The inspector arrived at the site at about 7:20 p.m. on April 22,
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1981. It was determined that the licensee had completed irradiating a test piece and attempted to lower the source rack into the pool when
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the source rack became entangled in the support structure which was holding the test piece in place.
Subsequent attempts to raise or lower the source rack were unsuccessful.
During these attempts the
drive cable came off the cable reel and further entangled the apparatus.
The licensee considered it impossible to enter the irradiator room to free t e apparatus because of high radiation levels in the room (in i
h excess of 200 R/hr inside the entrance door).
However, at the request
of the inspector, the licensee verified that radiation levels outside the door and outside the building were at background levels (about
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O.03 mR/hr). At the time of this inspection, the licensee had not i
formulated the corrective actions to be taken to free the source rack
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so that it could be lowered into the pool.
Subsequent to this inspection, the licensee used a robot loaned by the Department of Energy to free the source rack.
i Licensee representatives stated that corrective action to prevent re-currence of this incident is being considered and may involve restricting the travel of the source rack holders (elevator units) so that they
remain at some distance away from experiment support structures during experiment irradiations.
6.
Exit Interview
The inspector met with licensee representatives (denoted in Paragraph i
1) at the conclusion of the inspection at 1:00 p.m. on April 24, 1981.
The inspector summarized the scope and findings of the inspection.
Comments made by licensee representatives have been incorporated into che applicable paragraphs of the report details.
The inspector also informed the licensee that the information obtained with respect to the incident with the Cobalt Irradiator System (Para-
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graph 5) would be transmitted to the appropriate section in the Region
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I office for review and further action if necessary.
During a telephone discussion on May 20, 1981 a licensee representative committed to incorporate the information which should have been included in the 1977 Annual Report inte an enclosure to the 1981 Annual Report.
The commitment was subsequcntly verified by letter dated May 22, 1981
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from the licensee to Region I (Paragraph 2).
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