IR 05000407/1979001
| ML19259B756 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | University of Utah |
| Issue date: | 02/12/1979 |
| From: | Dickerson M, Madsen G, Verduzco G NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19259B754 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-407-79-01, 50-407-79-1, NUDOCS 7903230075 | |
| Download: ML19259B756 (7) | |
Text
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U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT
REGION IV
IE Inspection Report No. 50-407/79-01 Docket No.
50-407 License No.
R-126 Licensee:
University of Utah College of Engineering Salt Lake City, Utah 84112 Facility Name:
University of Utah Triga, Mark I Inspection at:
University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah Inspection Conducted: January 23-26, 1979 Inspectors:
.u).
2//2/79 M. W. Dickerson, Reactor Inspector
'Date b
MI ~14 G. H. Verduzco, Reactb8 Inspector (Training)
' Date Reviewed by:
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n /77 G. L. Madsen, Chief, Reactor Operations Date and Nuclear Support Branch Inspection Summary Inspection on January 23-26, 1979 (Report No. 50-407/79-01)
Areas Inspected: Routine, unannounced inspection of: Organization, Logs and Records; Review and Audit; Requalification Training; Procedures; Surveil-lance; Experiments; Environmental; Emergency Plan; Radiation Control; Follow-up on previously identified open items; and Follcw-up on items of noncompliance.
The inspection involved 29 inspector-hours on-site by two (2) NRC inspectors.
Results:
Of the eleven (11) areas inspected no items of noncompliance were found in ten (10) areas. One apparent item of nonconformance (Infraction -
failure to follow procedures, paragraph 3) was identified during inspection of the remaining areas.
7903230077
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-2-DETAILS 1.
Persons Contacted University of Utah
- Dr. R. E. Turley, Reactor Administrator
- Dr. G. M. Sandquist, Reactor Supervisor Dr. R. C. Pendleton, Radiation Safety Officer
- C. Jensen, Senior Reactor Engineer
- T. R. Downard, Assistant Radiological Health Officer D. Finerfrock, Radiation Analyst
- Denotes those attending exit interview.
2.
Licensee Action on Previous Inspection Findings (Closed) Noncompliance (78-02) Failure to follow procedures. The corrective measures taken by tile licensee to assure that irradiation records are completed; reactor operator's log entries are properly initialed; and the individual performing radiation surveys has signed the survey has been reviewed by the inspector and are considered satisfactory.
(Closed) Open Item (78-02) Availability of Rod Worth Curves. Rod worth curves have now been made available to the reactor operator.
(0 pen) Open Item (78-02) Formal and Detailed Surveillance Procedures.
Surveillance procedures and data sheets, such as those for control rod drop reactivity worths and power calibration by Gold foil activation, have not been completed.
The licensee agreed the appropriate procedures would be prepared.
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(Closed) Open Item (78-02) Incomplete Fuel Inventory Sheets. A review of Fuel Inventory Sheets indicated all entries had been properly made.
3.
Reactor Organization, Logs and Records Within the area of organization the inspector observed that the facil-ities organization is consistent with the Technical Specifications.
The following logs and records for the period February 15, 1978, thru January 25, 1979, were reviewed:
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(a) Reactor Operations Log Volumes 2, 3, 4, and (b) Reactor Startup and Termination Check Lists B1, B2, and B3.
(c) Preliminary Procedures Log.
(d) Maintenance Log.
(e) Monthly Inspection Sheets B4 and B5.
(f) Fuel Inventory Sheets.
In addition to the above, the inspector also reviewed applicable sections of the " Nuclear Engineering Laboratory Operations Manual" as reviewed and approved by the Reactor Safety Committee (RSC), March 1978, and the linear power and logrithmic power records charts for a ten day period ending on November 22, 1978.
During the review of Monthly Inspection Sheets B4 and B5, required by Section 4.3, Reactor Checkout and Calibration, of the Nuclear Engineering Laboratory Operations Manual, it was determined that they had not been completed as required for the period August 30, 1978, to January 25, 1979. Omitted were the signatures of the Reactor Supervisor and the Radiation Safety Officer indicating that they had reviewed the Operation Log, Experiments, and the Radiation Survey Log, respectively.
The licensee was informed that failure to complete the Monthly Inspection Sheets was in nonconformance with the require-ments of Technical Specification 6.3 which requires that operations procedures be approved, in effect and followed. The licensee was informed that failure to review and sign the check sheets was considered an infraction.
The inspector also discussed with the licensee a concern relative to documentation of activities in sufficient detail to avoid error, to maintain an intelligibl~e permanent record and to provide for retrieval of records.
Some records, particularily surveillance records, were sketchy and difficult to retrieve. The licensee indicated that records would be better organized and filed to provide retrievability.
This matter will remain open.
The inspector had no additional questions in this area.
4.
Surveillance By review of the log and records noted above the inspector determined that all required surveillance activities had been accomplished according to the technical specifications and that apparently no LC0's had been violated.
However, the inspector expressed the concern that these activities are not being documented in sufficient detail to
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-4-maintain an intelligible permanent record. The licensee's current surveillance procedures are handwritten in the Preliminary Procedures Log and often include several procedural entries throughout the log.
The test performance is documented in either the Operations Log or the Maintenance Log.
These same findings had been discussed with the licensee during a previous inspection (R0 78-02) at which time a licensee's representa-tives agreed that more formal and detailed surveillance procedures such as for control rod drop reactivity worths and Power Calibration by Gold foil activities would be written and that the procedures would contain data sheets to be filled in and signed by the test conductor and reviewer. Moreover, that all associated calculations and data would be attached to complete the test documentation.
This matter was also discussed with the licensee during this inspec-tion and it was agreed that the indicated action would be completed by the licensee. This matter remains open pending completion of the action outlined by the licensee.
The inspector had no additional questions in this area.
5.
Procedures The inspector reviewed the procedural requirements as required by the Technical Specification and determined that procedures relative to the following areas had been reviewed and approved by the Reactor Safety Committee:
a.
Startup, Operation, and shut down of the reactor.
b.
Installation or removal of fuel elements, control rods, experiments and experimental facilities.
c.
Actions to be taken to correct specific and forseen potential malfunctions of systems or components.
d.
Emergency procedures.
e.
Maintenance procedures.
f.
Surveillance procedures.
Although a review of the Preliminary Procedures Log for the period April 19,1978, through October 16, 1978, indicated that. procedures had been approved by the Reactor Safety Committee the mechanism by which approval had been given was unclear since only the specific
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-5-approval of the procedure for the installation of the central irradiator appeared to have been discussed in the quarterly RSC meeting minutes. A discussion with the licensee indicated that at least three members of the committee (Quorum) had approved the proce-dures and that their findings had been presented to the full committee.
However, this fact could not be substantiated by the meeting minutes.
The licensee agreed to review this matter and to provide better docu-mentation relative to procedure review and approval by the RSC. This matter remains open.
The inspector had no additional questions in this area.
6.
Requalification Training During the previous year there were four licensed operators at the facility, one of whom was the reactor supervisor and as such is exempt from the requalification program. Additionally, one of these individuals has left the university. The written examination and Reactor manipulation records for the two operators who remained under the requalification program were examined and found acceptable.
No items of noncompliance or deviations were identified.
7.
Review and Audit The minutes of the licensee's Reactor Safety Committee (RSC) Meetings were reviewed. The responsibilities of the RSC. are outlined in Technical Specifications 6.1.b and 6.2, Sections 1 and 3.4 of the Operations Manual and are further amplified by " Reactor Safety Committee - Rules & Procedures" dated September 29, 1977.
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Records indicated that the RSC met quarterly on the following dates:
March 30, 1978; June 20, 1978; September 27, 1978; and December 7,1978.
No items of noncomformance or deviations were identified.
8.
Experiments The experiments performed during the period February 25, 1978, to January 23, 1979, involved only irradiations that had been approved as a class I experiments.
The experiments had been completed, reviewed, and approved in accordance with Technical Specifications and Section 2 of the Nuclear Engineering Laboratory Operations Manual.
No items of noncompliance or deviations were identifie.
-6-9.
F adiation Control The inspector reviewed the facilities procedures, posting requirements, radiation area markings, personal monitoring devices, conducted a survey in conjunction with the University Assistant Radiological Health Officer and reviewed the following records:
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a.
Air sampling data, January 1978 - January 1979.
b.
Water sampling data, January 1978 - January 1979.
c.
Calibration Records (Instruments), February 9, 1978 - December 2, 1978.
d.
Radiation Survey Log, April 27, 1978 - December 22, 1978.
e.
Records of external radiation exposure, April 1978 - October 1978.
During the review it was noted by the inspector that the calibration records for reactor laboratory instrument serial number 1197 was last calibrated against a standard on December 2,1978, at which time the instrument indicated readings approximating fifty percent of the standard over the entire range of the meter.
No adjustments were made to the instrument. A check of this instrument at the reactor laboratory showed that it was still being utilized. The licensee was informed by the inspector that the instrument should be removed from service until it can be properly calibrated.
Another instrument, Serial Number 34550, which is placed at the entrance to the laboratory for use, if required, during emergencies was checked for calibration.
It was determined that there was no records for this instrument and it had apparently not been calibrated since it was placed in use.
The licensee was informed that this instrument should be calibrated at the frequency required.of other Reactor Laboratory instruments.
The calibration of the instruments and their frequency of calibration will remain as an unresolved item (Number 79-01) pending calibration of the two instruments and establishment of a frequency for calibration of the Reactor Laboratory instruments.
An additional problem was noted at this time with regard to organiza-tion and retrievability of radiation control records for the Reactor Laboratory.
While the necessary records appeared to be available, they were not readily discernable from those for the rest of the University and difficulty was encountered in retrieving some records, i.e. Laboratory survey records.
This matter will remain as an open item.
The inspector had no additional questions in this are,.
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-7-10.
Environmental An evaluation of the licensee's potential effluent discharge path was performed by the inspector. No effluents are discharged from the reactor.
However, selected sampling of soil and vegetation are analyzed by the Radiological Laboratory.
No items of noncompliance or deviations were identified.
11.
Emergency Plan The inspector reviewed the facility's emergency planning (Section 5 of the Nuclear Engineering Laboratory Operations Manual) and held discussions with key individuals who may be involved in an emergency.
Alarm response times for campus security is checked monthly.
Radiological Health receipt of the alarm is checked at the same time and fire alarms are checked periodically. Additionally, briefings on the emergency plan are conducted for the firemen on a periodic basis by the Radiological Health department.
No items of noncompliance or deviations were identified.
12.
Unresolved Items Unresolved items are matters about which more information is required in order to ascertain whether they are acceptable items, items of noncompliances or deviations. The following item was identified during the inspection:
7901-1 Calibration of Reactor Laboratory Survey Instruments -
paragraph 9.
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13.
Exit Interview An exit interview was held with representatives of the licensee on January 26, 1979, following completion of the inspection. At the interview, the inspectors discussed the findings indicated in the previous paragraphs. The licensee acknowledged these findings.
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