IR 05000186/1981001
| ML19347D698 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | University of Missouri-Columbia |
| Issue date: | 02/17/1981 |
| From: | Fisher W, Lovendale P NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19347D696 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-186-81-01, 50-186-81-1, NUDOCS 8103261107 | |
| Download: ML19347D698 (9) | |
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U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT
REGION III
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Report No. 50-186/81-01 License No. R-103 Docket No. 50-186 Licensee: University of Missouri Research Park Columbia, MO 65201 Facility Name: Research Reactor Facility Inspection At: Research Reactor Site, Columbia, M0 Inspection Conducted: January 20-23, 1981 dA 2 [7/M Inspector:
P. C. Lovendale c9[/7
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Approved By:
L.
is r hief Fuel Facility Projects and
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Radiation Support Section Inspection Summary:
Inspection on January 20-23, 1981 (Report No. 50-186/81-01)
Areas Inspected: Routine, unannounced inspection of radiation protection program and radwaste management program, including: qualifications; audits; training; radiation protection procedures; instruments and equipment; exposure control; posting, labeling, and control; surveys; notifications and reports; effluent releases; records of effluents; receipt, transfer, and transportation of radioactive material; previous items of noncompliance The and commitments; IE Circular 80-14; and independent measurements.
inspection involved 30 inspector-hours onsite by one NRC inspector.
Results: No items of noncompliance or deviations were identified.
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1.
Persons Contacted
- R. Brugger, Director, Research Reactor Facility
- J. Tolan, University Radiation Safety Officer
- 0. Olson, Manager, Reactor Health Physics
- J. McKibben, Reactor Manager
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- P. Keenan, Director, Research Program Service
- M. Vonk, Reactor Engineer
- D. Troutner, Chariman, Isotopes Use Committee
- C. Thompson, Chairman, Reactor Advisory Committee J. Litton, HP Technician S. Stewart, HP Technician S. Growcock, HP Technician D. McGinty, Reactor Physicist S. Gunn, Reactor Services A. Meyer, Reactor Services The inspector also interviewed other licensee employees and facility researchers.
- Indicates those attending the exit interview.
2.
General This inspection, which began with visual observation of facilities, equipment, posting, labeling, and access controls at 10:30 a.m. on Janua ry 20, 1981, was conducted to examine the routine operational radiation protection and radwaste management programs. During the initial and subsequent tours of the facility, the inspectors used licensee and NRC survey meters to perform surveys at selected loca-tions.
Posting and labeling of all areas conformed with regulatory requirements. Areas visited during the tours included the Medi-Physics hot cell area, all levels of containment, and selected laboratories located throughout the Reactor Facility.
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3.
Licensee Acticn on Previous Inspection Findings (Closed) Noncompliance (50-186/80-04): Failure to inform individuals of the use of radioactive materials or radiation in a restricted area.
Procedure HP-29 " Health Physics Monitoring of Beam Ports for Reactor Start-up" has been implemented and training completed to preclude recurrence.
(Closed) Noncompliance (50-186/80-04): Failure to perform an adequate evaluation of an individual's whole body exposure. A new evaluation has been completed and is considered acceptable.
(Closed) Noncompliance (50-186/80-04): Failure to control access to a high radiation area. A procedure has been implemented to preclude recurrence.
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(Closed) Noncompliance (50-186/80-04): Exposure of an individual in excess of the quarterly whole body limit. Additional controls have been implemented and training completed to preclude recurrence.
(0 pen) Commitment (50-186/77-04): Evaluation of the collection efficiency of the charcoal sampler due to high flow rate.
Preliminary data indicate favorable iodine retention. Additional research is planned.
4.
Organization The Reactor Health Physics Group (manager, three technicians, and one part time laboratory assistant) is responsible for health physics activities at the Reactor Facility.
Independent oversight of health physics operations is the responsibility of the University-wide Radiation Safety Office. This oversight includes all NRC licensed activities.
5.
Licensee Audits
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Reactor Advisory Committee meetings were held at the required fre-quency. The inspector reviewed the minutes of these meetings and noted that several health physics related topics were discussed including: ALARA program development, radwaste storage problems, possible use of audible dosimetry, and audit checklist development.
The last health physics audit performed by the University-wide Radiation Safety Office was on February 6,1979. Manpower limita-tions have prevented a greater frequency. The licensee is in the process of developing audit checklists for all organizations within the Reactor Facility and intends to perform an audit in the near future.
The licensee is committed to performing an annual audit of radwaste transportation activities. This audit was started but was not completed, because no shipments have been made since July 1980.
(Section 13.c)
No items of noncompliance were identified.
6.
Training Training records indicate that the Reactor Health Physics Group pro-vides and documents radiation protection tra.ning for experimenters and other personnel new to the facility.
It appears that the require-ments of 10 CFR 19.12 are met.
A new video cassette indoctrination has been in use since September 1980. The indoctrination includes sections on security, emergency
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procedures, and health physics. The inspector reviewed the indoctrina-tion and found it to be concise, informative, and of high quality.
Health Physics Standard Operating Procedures are issued to research groups, ;eactor chemistry personnel, reactor management, and all health physics staff. Health physics technicians and other selected groups receive periodic training from the Manager, Reactor Health Physics.
Records of this training are maintained.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
7.
Procedures The licensee has developed twenty-four Health Physics Standard d
Operating Procedures. Theinspectorreviewedtwonewpro7ures that were developed as a result of the last inspection S0P HP-28, Shipment for Disposal of Radioactive Waste.
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S0P UP-29, Health Physics Hanitoring of Beam Ports for Reactor Startup.
These procedures appear consistent with 10 CFR 20, 49 CFR, and good health physics practices.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
8.
Exposure Control a.
External The vendor's film badge. reports for the period March 1980 through November 1980 were reviewed. The highest whole body and extremity exposures for CY ~1980 through November were 1790 mrems and 4690 mrems, respectively. No neutron exposures were noted.
b.
Internal The licensee routinely performs tritium analysis on urine samples collected from persons who work in containment. The results of these samples from July 1980 to date were reviewed; no problems were noted. Daily tritium air samples, continuous air samples, and routine contamination surveys are conducted in containment and are used to define any problem areas. Records of these indicators were reviewed; no problems were noted.
i 1/ IE Inspection Report No. 50-186/80-04.
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e The licensee has recently purchased three additional continuous air monitors, which are used regularly in selected laboratories and, as needed, at job sites where there is a potential for air-borne activity. One of these instruments is used exclusively in the laboratory where radioactive materials are prepared for shipment.
c.
ALARA The Manager, Reactor Health Physics stated that a formal ALARA program was being developed. Most of the program will consist of ALARA related work that has been ongoing for years. The appointment of an ALARA Coordinator is being considered. This person would be responsible for researching cost effective methods of reducing exposures.
Recent ALARA accomplishments include:
1.
Purchase of three additional continuous air monitors.
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Increased use of Radiation Work Permits (RWPs).
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Encouraging experimenters to allow more sample decay before handling.
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Purchase of a Bonner sphere set for use in determining neutron spectra.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
9.
Posting, Labeling, and Control During facility tours, the inspector reviewed the licensee's compliance with posting and labeling requirements specified in 10 CFR 19.11 and 10 CFR 20.203. No problems were noted.
The inspector reviewed several RWP's issued since July 1980. No problems were noted.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
10.
Surveys The inspector reviewed records of radiation, contamination, and air sample surveys conducted since July 1980. Observed results were comparable to those obtained during facility tours as discussed in
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Containment air samples are analyzed for tritium daily by health physics and chemistry personnel. Results of samples taken from July 1980 to date were reviewed.
Concentrations normally ranged from 9.0E-8 to 3.0E-7 uCi/cc. The highest concentration noted was 3.0E-7 uCi/cc.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
11.
Instruments and Equipment a.
Portable Survey Instruments Records of instrument calibration since July 1980 were reviewed.
Calibration dates are listed on file cards maintained for each instrument and status charts posted in the health physics office.
Instruments that are out of calibration or in need of repair are removed from service. No problems were noted.
b.
Hand and Foot Monitors Hand and foot monitors are used for detection of personal contam-ination. Personnel are instructed to use the monitors before eating or leaving the facility. However, the inspector observed several individuals leaving the facility without first using the monitor. The licensee stated that this matter would be reviewed to determine if a significant problem exists.
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c.
Respirators The licensee does not make allowance for using respirators in estimating exposures to individuals, as indicated in 10 CFR 20.103(c). Three full-face and eight half-face respirators are maintained for general use by the Health Physics Office. Also, two full-face and five half-face respirators are maintained for emergency _use and are kept in the emergency cabinet. All respirators appeared to be in good condition.
d.
Area Radiation Monitoring System (ARMS)
The seven area monitors are calibrated semiannually and are checked for operability and alarm response before reactor startup.
The inspector reviewed the calibration records. No problems were noted.
e.
Stack Monitoring System The particulate, gaseous, and iodine monitors were last calibrated in August 1980. The calibration data were reviewed. No problems were noted.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
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Primary Coolant Activity Records of primary coolant sampling and analyses were reviewed from July 1980 to date. Technical Specification requirements for sampling frequency and maximum permissible concentrations were met.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
13.
Radwaste Management a.
Liquid Radwaste Liquid radwaste discharges remain as described in IE Inspection Report No. 50-186/80-04. Since July 1980, there have been 25 releases to the sanitary sewer, totaling 134 mci. No releases have been made to the cooling tower. No problems were noted.
b.
Gaseous Radwaste Daily grab samples taken from the stack are analyzed for argon-41.
Graphs of the daily sample results were reviewed for July 1980 to date. The average annual concentration of argon-41 discharged to the environment was about 58 percent of the technical specification limit for maximum concentration averaged over a year (350 MPC).
The graphs also indicated that the instantaneous limit had not been exceeded (3500 MPC).
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Solid Radwaste The-licensegjhas not shipped any solid radwaste since the last inspection.-
The burial sites are apparently requiring shippers / waste generators to sign an agreement accepting unlimited
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liability for their waste. The University of Missouri is pre-vented from signing any agreement of this nature, due to a clause in the State constitution which prohibits such agreements.
The licensee's radwaste storage area is filled to capacity. As a short term solution, the licensee is obtaining a semi-trailer for waste storage. This trailer will be located at a remote location where other university generated waste is stored. The licensee has agreed to perform and document an evaluation which addresses their short-term solution to the storage problem, in-cluding packaging methods and radiological controls that will be used.
In addition, the licensee has agreed to inform the Office of Nuclear Materials Safety and Safeguards of the legal problems they have encountered. The matter of radwaste storage will be reviewed during future inspections.
2/ IE Inspection Report No. 50-186/80-04.
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No items of noncompliance were identified.
14.
Transportation Activities The inspector reviewed the licensee's records of transfer of licensed byproduct material for the period July 1980 to date. For the period July 1980 through December 1980, 395 shipments off-campus totaled 76,000 curies and 69 shipments to on-campus laboratories totaled 0.22 curies.
No problems were noted.
The Reactor Services Group is responsible for all packaging and transportation of radioactive materials (except radwaste) from the facility. The inspector reviewed the transportation program and observed several shipments in various stages of package and docu-mentation preparation. The inspector noted that the overall program was of high quality, well organized, arl well managed. Persons within the Reactor Services Group are routinely sent to formal courses deal-ing with the transportation of radioactive materials; this has apparently benefited the operation. No problems were noted.
Three shipments of spent reactor fuel were made in November and December 1980. The shipment records were reviewed for compliance with 10 CFR 71 and 49 CFR requirements. No problems were noted.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
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Notifications and Reports A review of records and discussions with licensee representatives indicated that the licensee has complied with 10 CFR 19 and 10 CFR 20 reporting requirements.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
16.
Independent Measurements The inspector performed a contamination survey of containment, the hot cell area, and selected laboratories. The smear samples were counted on the licensee's equipment. No areas exceeded the licensee's limit for removable surface contamination.
The inspector performed a neutron survey on the beam port floor, using an NRC instrument (PNR-4), and compared the results with the licensee's instrument (Victoreen 471). Agreement was within 110%. The highest general area reading was about 5 mrem /hr. Also, the inspector determined the average neutron energy in two locations, using a ratio of readings between the PNR-4's nine-inch and three-inch spheres. The results of these measurements agreed favorably with the neutron energies the cognizant experimenters believed to be present (2-200 kev).
No items of noncompliance were identified.
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17.
IE Circular No. 80-14 This circular, titled " Radioactive Contamination of Plant Demineralized Water System and Resultsnt Internal Contamination of Personnel," de-scribes a nuclear power facility event which also could occur at research reactors.
The licensee provided the inspector with documentation which indicates that a review of the demineralized water system was completed and i
that cross contamination is very unlikely. Also, the licensee issued a notice to all Research Reactor Facility staff informing them that the demineralized water system is not to be used for human consumption.
No problems were noted.
18.
Exit Interview The inspector met with licensee representatives (denoted in Section 1)
at the conclusion of the inspection on January 23, 1981, and further discussed the inspection findings with the Director of the Research Reactor by telephone on February 3,1981. The following matters were discussed.
Purpose and scope of the inspection.
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The status of previous items of noncompliance and a commitment (Section 3).
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The solid waste storage problem (Section 13.c).
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agreed to relate these problems to NMSS.
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