IR 05000186/1992004
| ML20125D932 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | University of Missouri-Columbia |
| Issue date: | 11/25/1992 |
| From: | Cox C, Mccormickbarge NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20125D930 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-186-92-04, 50-186-92-4, NUDOCS 9212160093 | |
| Download: ML20125D932 (6) | |
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U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
REGION III
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Report No. 50-186/92004(DRSS)
Docket No. 50-186 License Nc. R-103 Licensee: University of Missouri - Columbia Facility Name: Missouri University Research Reactor (MURR)
Inspection At: Research Reactor Facility, Columbia, Missouri Inspection Conducted: November 2-5, 1992 Inspector: C. Cox Ofr6 Date Q g/yp Approved B'/: J. W. McCormick-Barger, Chief Emergency Preparedness and [Date///>y/a#,ld #hwdY v
j Non-Power Reactors Section InsDeCtion Summary Inspection on November 2-5. 1992 (Report No. 50-186/92004(DRSS))
Areas Insoected: Routine, announced inspection to review actions on:
organization, logs, and records (39745); review and audit functions (40745); ~
requalification training (41745); procedures (42/45); surveillance (61745);
experiments (69745); fuel handling activities (60745); emergency planning (82745); radiation controls (83743); environmental protection (80745); and
_ periodic and special reports (90713).
Results: Of the 11 areas inspected,'no violations or concerns were _
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identified. The overall program remained good. Detailed independent audit and detailed Reactor Utiliz: tion Requests-(RURs) were.especially noteworth .
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DETAILS Persons Contacted University of Missouri-Columbia
- M. Carter-Tritschler, Services Applications- Supervisor - Shipping-
- G. Ehnhardt, Chairman, Isotope Use Committee
- J. Ernst, Assistant Health Physics Manager
- L. Foyto, Senior Reactor Operator
- G. Gunn, Shift Supervisor
- S. Gunn, Manager, Services Applications .
- C. McKibben, Associate Director, MURR
- W. Meyer, Reactor Manager
- J. Rhyne, Director
- A. Schoone, Operation Engineer
- T. Seeger,~ Chief Res. 'rch Electronic Technician Additional technical, operational, and administrative personnel were contacted by the. inspector-during the course of the inspectio * Denotes those attending the exit meeting on November 5,L199 . General This inspection, which began on November 2, 1992, was conducted to examine the research reactor program at the University of Missouri Columbia..The facility was toured shortly after arrival ~. The.generalz housekeeping of the facility was goo The reactor operated on a weekly cycle, shutting:down each Monday for refueling and/or maintenance ~ outage The facility was used primarily for irradiation services and research activitie .
There were 19 unscheduled shutdowns (14 scrams and. 5 rod run-ins) durin the last 16 months. The: unscheduled shutdowns were primarily equipment problems or spurious signals. The average-is only slightly higher than:
the 13 unscheduled shutdowns over 12 months from the last inspection period and still significantly lower than the 54. shutdowns over 17 months in the previous-inspection perio During the course of the inspection, the inspector observed a reactor startup, post scram recovery operations after an unscheduled shutdown, and refueling operations. The operators-appeared proficient and knowledgeable, demonstrated-good procedural compliance, and mad _
appropriate log entries for the observed evolution No violations or deviations were identifie . Action on Previous inspection Items (92701) (Closed) Open Item (50-186/91006-01): "High extremity exposure" .
p The licensee assigned a supervisor in the' Nuclear Analysis group l to be responsible for reviewing exposures in the group. Log i
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sheets for the group were revised to requirc personnel to log
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their pocket dosimeter readings and the dose per rabbit run was routinely reviewed. - An automatic canister opener was installed to reduce exposures. All of the above efforts'resulted in greatly reduced exposures and well distributed exposures for that grou . Especially effective was the new supervisor's review of the doses within the group to ensure no unusual' exposures and that the doses were being evenly distribute (00en) Open Item (50-186/88001-01): " Assignment of byproduct 3 material to broad-scope or reactor license". The Handbook of Radiological Operations was revised but awaiting resolution and issuance of the new MURR only broad-scope license before it is issue . License Event Reports (92700) (Closed) LER 92-01: Operation of a fueled experiment with the experiment's direct radiation monitor out of servic On February 11, 1992, the MURR operated a fueled. experiment for approximately six hours with a radiation monitor, part of the Area Radiation Monitor System (ARMS), out of service for a source calibration check. In analyzing the event, the licensee realized that four of the new ARMS detectors' scheduled annual calibration frequencies did not match the semiannual intervals required- by technical specification A standing order was issued which required that any time the monitor for the fueled experiment was out of service, that the experiment would be red tagged secured. Operations and maintenance procedures were revised to require verification of the monitor status before starting the fueled experiment or red tagging the experiment secured when the monitor was out of service. The licensee reviewed all_ technical specification surveillances to ensure that compliance with the stated frequencies and to ensure that the surveillances were being scheduled by the Reactor Operations Compliance Check tracking syste This item is closed, (Closed) LER 92-02: Reactor operation witt, unreliable monitoring of the reactor stack effluen The reactor was operated from 1558 hours0.018 days <br />0.433 hours <br />0.00258 weeks <br />5.92819e-4 months <br /> on June 22, 1992 to 1519 hours0.0176 days <br />0.422 hours <br />0.00251 weeks <br />5.779795e-4 months <br /> on June 23, 1992, with the stack radiation monitor disconnected from the isokinetic sampling probe due to loose sheet metal severing the sample lin Analysis of the data from a new digital monitoring system that was still connected to the stack determined that no unusual activity was relaased during the period that the primary system was disconaccted. The exhaust ducting vanes that had severed the line were replaced and the new ones were reinforced. Solid tubing was
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installed to replace the tygon tubing as the sample-lin This item is close _ Oraanization. Loos. and Records (39745)
The licensee's staff had recently been reorganized, primarily. changing -
the names of several of the organizations, but-essentially there were no changes in responribilities nor personnel. The organization was verified to be consistent with the Technical Specifications and Safety Analysis Report (SAR). The minimum staffing requirements were verified to be met during reactor operations and fuel handling or refuelin operations by actual observation and log reviews. Selected reacto operator logs for 1991 through November 1992 were reviewed with no concerns identified. The licensee records were well-maintaine .h No violations or deviations were identifie . Reviews and Audits (40?]01 The Reactor Advisory Committee (RAC) met on a quarterly basis as required by Technical Specifications. The Isotope Use, Safety, and Procedures Subcommittees meeting minutes were reviewed by the RAC. The inspector reviewed the RAC meeting minutes for 1991 through 1992. The meeting minutes were of good quality and provided a clear record of review and approval of reactor activities including the subcommittees'
activitie The modification of Beamport "E" for the installation of a new'Small
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Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS) experiment was reviewed by the RA The
- modification package.was well written and the review by the RAC was thorough and appropriat The annual audit for 1992 was reviewed by the inspector. The audit report was very thorough and detailed. Items of concern were addressed by the Reactor Manager and reported to the RA No violations or deviations were identified.
- Reaualification Trainina (41745)
The inspector reviewed procedures, logs, and training records and interviewed personnel to verify that the requalification training program was being carried out in conformance with the facility's approved plan and NRC regulations.
i No violations or deviations were identified.
l Procedures (42745)
The inspector determined that the required procedures were available-to the operators and the contents of selected procedures were found-adequate. During several evolutions, tLe inspector noted good procedural compliance and use of checklists. Procedure changes were reviewed and approved by the Procedures Subcommittee.
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No violations or deviations were identifie ' Surveillance (61745)
A senior reactor operatcr was assigned responsibility for scheduling required surveillances. The operator maintained a maintenance log for scheduling surveillances on a monthly basis and a separate log book for completed surveillances with the associated data sheet No violations or deviations were identifie . Experiments (69745)
The RAC reviewed and approved all experiments through the safety subcommittee. The inspector reviewed two Reactor Utilization Requests (RURs) that the safety subcommittee reviewed. RUR 219-ll6A was for the production of thulium oxide and RUR '20-123 was for the use of boron lined cans for shielding from therc ' eutrons. The RURs were well written with the appropriate level c: uetail describing the experiment and associated hazard No violations or deviations were identifie . Fuel Handlina (60745)
The inspector observed refueling activities. Good procedure compliance and appropriate log entries were noted and tho reactor operators appeared proficien No violations or deviations were identifie . Emergency Plannina (82745)
The Facility Emergency Response Organization's structure and training remained as described in inspection report 50-186/90002(DRSS). The April 20, 1992 Exercise simulated a fire in the Alpha Lab with responses from the university hospital, campus security, and the local fire department. A critique was held with improvement items noted and tracked. Emergency kits were inventoried quarterly and the emergency plan reviewed annually as require No violations or deviations were identifie . Radiation Control (83743)
The MURR radiation control program essentially remained the same as described in inspection report 50-186/91006(DRSS). Minor personnel changes included a new trainee and a new student helper. The assistant health physics manager will become the acting health physics manager in January 1993 when the health physics manager begins a one year professional development tour with the Department of Energy in Washington D.C.. Posting, labeling and surveys were reviewed during tours of the facility with no problems note Instrument calibration records were reviewed. Radiation work permits were selectively reviewed with approximately 80 permits generated for 1992 to date. Procedures
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were selectively reviewed including verifying that the required annual review of the procedures was performed by the health physics manage External exposure records were reviewed. The Reactor Services, Health Physics, and Operations groups continued to be the groups with the highest exposures with 26 of the 28 personnel receiving > 500 mrem whole body for 1991. The highest monthly whole body exposure was 250 mre The Nuclear Analysis group was noted in inspection report 50-186/91006(DRSS) as having the highest extremity dose. During this inspection, the inspector noted a marked improvement in the licensee's control of their exposures and the distribution of their exposures more equally within the group. All exposures were within 10 CFR Part 20 limit No violations or deviations were identifie . Environmental Protection (80745)
Environmental protection essentially remained as described in inspection report 50-186/91006(DRSS). The new digital monitoring system still had not been declared operational at the time of the inspection. The software problems had been resolved; however, the health physics manager was waiting for spare parts to be available before declaring the system operational. Gaseous and liquid effluents were appropriately monitored and were within the technical specification limit Soil, vegetation, and water samples were analyzed semi-annually as part of the environmental monitoring program and the environmental TLD program was in effec No violations or deviations were identifie . Review of Periodic and Special Reports (90713)
The inspector reviewed the 1991-92 annual report for timeliness of -
submittal and adequacy of information submitte The report was submitted in a timely marner and contained the information required by Technical Specification No violations or deviations were identifie . Exit Interview (30703)
The inspector met with the licensee representatives denoted in Paragraph 1 at the conclusion of the inspection on November 5,1992. The inspector summarized the scope and results of the inspection and discussed the likely content of this inspection report. The licensee acknowledged the information and did not indicate that any of the information disclosed during the inspection could be considered proprietary in natur _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - _ - _ _ - - - - _ _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ - _ _ - _ - _ _ _ - _ - _ - _ - - _ _ _ _ _ _ - _