IR 05000170/2019202

Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute - Nuclear Regulatory Commission Reactive Safety Conscious Work Environment Issue of Concern Follow-Up Interim Inspection Report No. 05000170/2019-202-0004

ML19165A292
Person / Time
Site:	Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute
Issue date:	07/17/2019
From:	Anthony Mendiola Research and Test Reactors Oversight Projects Branch
To:	Gilstad J US Dept of Defense, Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute
Ferguson A, NRR/DLP, 415-6638
References
IR 2019202
Download: ML19165A292 (4)

Text

uly 17, 2019

SUBJECT:

ARMED FORCES RADIOBIOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE - NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REACTIVE SAFETY CONSCIOUS WORK ENVIRONMENT ISSUE OF CONCERN FOLLOW-UP INTERIM INSPECTION REPORT NO. 05000170/2019-202-0004

Dear Captain Gilstad:

From April 9-11, 2019, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) conducted a reactive inspection at the Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute (AFRRI) reactor facility. The purpose of this inspection was to conduct a follow-up assessment of the safety conscious work environment (SCWE) attribute of AFRRIs safety culture.

The inspection assessed the corrective actions implemented to address: (1) the weaknesses in AFRRIs SCWE identified in NRC Inspection Report No 05000170/2018450; (2) AFRRIs staff current knowledge of methods to raise safety concerns within AFRRI; (3) AFRRIs staff current willingness to raise safety concerns to their management without fear of retaliation; and (4) AFRRIs staff current perception of managements support of a healthy SCWE at AFRRI.

The NRC inspectors conducted interviews with AFRRI staff having responsibilities related to the operation and security of the research reactor, as well as those with responsibilities for handling NRC licensed materials.

The NRC inspectors were unable to reach a final determination regarding the status of the SCWE at AFRRI due to lack of empirical data in the climate surveys performed by AFRRI. On May 9, 2019, AFRRI informed the NRC that a third party will be contracted to conduct a SCWE survey and that the results and preliminary action plan would be available to the NRC in August 2019. This inspection will remain open until the NRC has received the analysis of the SCWE survey conducted by the third-party evaluator and AFRRIs planned corrective actions, if any.

In accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Section 2.390, Public inspections, exemptions, requests for withholding, a copy of this letter and your response will be available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room or from the NRCs document system ADAMS. ADAMS is accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room). To the extent possible, your written response, if provided, should not include any personal privacy or proprietary, information so that it can be made available to the Public without redaction.

If you have any questions concerning this inspection, please contact Ashley Ferguson at 301-415-6638, or by electronic mail at Ashley.Ferguson@nrc.gov.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Anthony J. Mendiola, Chief Research and Test Reactors Oversight Branch Division of Licensing Projects Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-170 License No. R-84 cc: See next page

Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute Docket No. 50-170 cc:

Director, Maryland Office of Planning 301 West Preston Street Baltimore, MD 21201 Montgomery County Executive 101 Monroe Street, 2nd Floor Rockville, MD 20850 Environmental Program Manager III Radiological Health Program Air & Radiation Management Adm.

Maryland Dept of the Environment 1800 Washington Blvd., Suite 750 Baltimore, MD 21230-1724 Director Air & Radiation Management Adm.

Maryland Dept of the Environment 1800 Washington Blvd., Suite 710 Baltimore, MD 21230 Test, Research and Training Reactor Newsletter Attention: Amber Johnson Dept of Materials Science and Engineering University of Maryland 4418 Stadium Drive College Park, MD 20742-2115 Manager Nuclear Programs Maryland Department of Natural Resources Tawes B-3 Annapolis, MD 21401 Mr. Walter Dale Tomlinson Interim Reactor Facility Director Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute 4555 South Palmer Road, Building 42 Bethesda, MD 20889-5648

ML19165A292 *concurred via email NRC-002 OFFICE NRR/DLP/PROB* NRR/DLP/PROB NRR/DIRS/IRAB* OE/AT*

NAME AFerguson MTakacs MKeefe-Forsyth DWillis DATE 6/18/2019 7/3/2019 5/29/2019 5/29/2019 OFFICE NRR/DLP/PROB* NRR/DLP/PROB NAME NParker AMendiola DATE 6/18/2019 7/17/2019