IR 05000288/1980002
| ML19330B225 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Reed College |
| Issue date: | 06/26/1980 |
| From: | Book H, Curtis J, Wenslawski F NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION V) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19330B223 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-288-80-02, 50-288-80-2, NUDOCS 8007310168 | |
| Download: ML19330B225 (4) | |
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I U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT
REGION V
Report No.
50-288/80-02 Docket No.
50-288 License No.
R-ll2 safe, iards Group
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Licensee:
Reed College Portland, Oregon 97202 Reed College Research Reactor (TRIGA)
Facility Name:
Portland, Oregon Inspection at:
Inspection conducted:
January 30-31, 1980 25[ / ff-p
. Inspectors:
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. R. Curtis
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Date sifned Date signed Approved by:
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'Date's igned
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F. A. Wenslawski, Chief Rgactor Radiation Safety, Section /
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Approved By:
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\\ H.E. Book, Chiet Fuel Facility and Materials
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Safety Branch
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Summary:
Inspection January 30-31,1980 (Report tio.
50-288/80-02)
Areas Inspected: Routine, unannounced inspection of the radiation protection,
personnel exposure and emergency planning aspects of the Reed reactor operations.
The inspection included a tour of the facility and observation of reactor operation
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interviews with faculty and staff, and examination of logs and records of surveys, monitoring arid personnel exposure. The inspection involved twelve (12) hours onsite by one inspector.
l Results:
No items of noncompliance or deviations here identified in the areas inspected.
RV Form 219 (2)
8007310lN
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DETAILS 1.
Persons Contacted
- L. B. Church, Reactor Facility Director M. Hybertson, Reactor Supervisor Other student reactor operator trainees
- Indicates presence at the exit interview 2.
Licensee Action on IE Bulletin 79-19 Regarding Handling of Low Level Radioactive Waste The facility director received and responded to IE Bulletin 79-19, by letter to the Region V office, October 9,1979. All waste generated at the reactor facility and associated laboratory is either covered by the state license or transferred to the state license prior to packaging and preparation for transfer to a commercial waste handling contractor. The licensee responded to a more detailed Enforcement Action Bulletin by the state of Oregon in which the items of concern listed in IE Bulletin 79-19 were addressed. The volume of waste shipped under state license is relatively small, amounting to 45 cubic feet of solid waste containing less than one millicurie of activity as one shipment in the past 12 to 18 month period.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
3.
General Operations - Tour The inspector toured the facility with the director and observed the performance of checks performed in the start-up check list prior to reactor start-up.
A radiation survey of the reactor room, the mechanical equipment room and the shielded storage area was performed.
Radiation levels, measured with the NRC HPI Model 1070 Ion Chamber survey meter #117, were generally less than 0.1 mrad /hr at approximately 3 feet above floor level. The maximum reading was 5 mrad /hr adjacent to the ion exchange resin tanks and levels of 2 to 3 mrad /hr were detected above the shielded storage cave.
The reactor has been in operation about ten hours per week over the past year for neutron activation, operator training, and class demonstration purposes. There were approximately 150 irradiation requests processed in calendar year 1979.
No items of noncompliance were identified in this area.
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4.
Personnel Exposure Monitoring Personnel dosimetry is provided to persons who operate the reactor and others who routinely enter the reactor room or work with radioactive materials in the adjacent laboratory. Health Physics Northwest is the supplier of the TLD dosimetry services.
Dosimetry records for calendar years 1978 and 1979 were examined.
Radiation exposures reported were generally less than 10 mrem per quarter with periodic
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instances of whole body exposure in the range of 15 to 50 mrem / quarter
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and extremity exposures from 20 to 200 mrem / quarter reported.
Four TLD area monitors are posted at the facility and these were less than 10 mrem / quarter "or the periods examined.
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The director reviews the exposure reports and on occasion has notified persons who raceived exposure that their radioactive material handling procedures'should be reviewed to minimize exposure when he felt that the review would reduce the exposure to ALARA levels.
No items of noncompliance were identified in this area.
5.
Surveys Radiation and contamination level surveys are performed routinely j
by operators in daily and monthly start-up checks.
Radiation i
levels and removable contaminati m levels were normally in the l
expected range of.1 to 5 mR/hr and within the range of one to two times the ambient background level (20 counts per minute) respectively.
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Survey meters and instruments used for swipe counting are calibrated regularly and results of calibration checks are recorded in appropriate logs.
Logs for recording calibration of portable and fixd monitoring instrumentation were examined and the instruments in use had been calibrated at the required frequency.
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No items of nonco oliance were identified in this area.
6.
Emergency Planning and Drills Emergency drills and training are incorporated into the reactor
operator requalification program and the Reactor Supervisor and
Facility Director incorporate emergency drills into it. A folder containing records of drills and exercises was examined and the program was discussed with the director.
Seven drills covering
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various aspects of emergency response had been conducted in the 1978-1979 period. The last drill was an off-shift call to all-parties on the Emergency Call List to confirm the present telephone
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-3-numbers and check off-shift response. Contact was made and the drill was limited to a communication check. Other exercises included a check of response by the personnel dosimetry supplier to a "high" personnel exposure as evidenced by an exposed personnel TLD, and response by operators to a high area monitor alarm during pneumatic sample transfer operations.
A suitcase type emergency kit with emergency response supplies and minimum survey instrumentation is maintained. Backup instrumentation for emergency use is available.
Examination of the records and discussian of the program with the director led the inspector to the conclusion that an active program ofc relevant emergency response training via drills and reviews was being conducted.
7.
Exit Interview An exit interview was conducted with the Facility Director at the close of the inspection, at which time the findings of the inspection were briefly reviewed.
Inclement weather and poor driving conditions in the Portland area caused cancellation of a visit by the Oregon State representative for the exit interview.
No items of noncompliance were identified during the inspection.
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