IR 05000602/1989007
| ML18285A679 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | University of Texas at Austin |
| Issue date: | 01/11/1990 |
| From: | Carlson D, Murray B NRC Region 4 |
| To: | University of Texas at Austin |
| Shared Package | |
| ML18285A704 | List:
|
| References | |
| IR 1989007, NUDOCS 9001290243 | |
| Download: ML18285A679 (7) | |
Text
U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
REGION IV
NRC Inspection Report: S0-602/89-07 Construction Permit: CPPR-123 Docket: 50-602 Licensee: University of Texas (UT)
College of Engineering Department of Mechanical Engineering Nuclear Engineering Programs Austin, Texas 78758 Facility Name: Nuclear Engineering Teaching Laboratory (NETL)
Inspection At: Balcones Research Center, Austin, Travis County, Texas
- z Inspection Conducted: December 13-14, 1989
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.. \ * I ) ' I Inspectors: ( (.,/}- Af I I ( /( 1_. --------*--
Blaine Murray, Chief, Fcilities Radioiogica1 O'a te Protection Section '
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...__. r... .1 \ 0. M. Carlso eactorcurity Specialist bate Approved: I (hUJ { l4 j jV. Beacn, Director, Division of Raciation
_Date J_L0._ Safety ana Safeguards Inspection Conducted December 13-14, 1989J_Reeort 50-602/89-07]
Areas Inspecte: Routine, announced, preoperational inspection of the 1icensee 1 s radiation protection (RP), physical security, and emergency prepareaness program Results: Within the areas inspected, no violations or deviations were identified. The licensee has made good progress concerning the closing of the open items identified in NRC Inspection Report 50-602/89-04. Several new procedures have been developed to address RP program areas. An individual has been hired to fill the Health Physicist positio Enclosure Contains PROPRIETARY INFORMATION Decontrolled when separated from enclosure.
900129043 900111 PDR ADOCt 05000602 Q F'DC
Installation and calibration of all RP instrumentation and in-place testing of the high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters had not been completed. A full scale emergency preparedness exercise had not been conducted. Several matters regarding the physical security program were identified along with suggested changes to the August 1985 physical security plan (PSP).
Enclosure Contains PROPRIETARY INFORMATION Decontrolled when2arated from el'!_los_r DETAILS Persons Contacted
- D. Klein, Associate Dean for Research
- B. Wehring, Director, NETL
- T. Bauer, Assistant Director, NETL
- R. Woodward, Health Physicist, NETL
- Denotes attendance at the exit interview on December 14, 1989. Licensee Actions on_Previous_Inspection Findings (Closed) Open Item (602/8904-01): Organization and Staffing - This item was previously discussed in NRC Inspection Report 50-602/89-04 and involved the hiring of an NETL Health Physicist. An indiv;ual was hired in October 1989 to fill the Health Physicist position. This individual had about 5 years of nuclear Navy experience bctween 1977 through 1983 involving RP activities. For the past 6 years, the individual had been working as an instructor for a contractor providing operations training at a commercial boiling water reactor. This item is considered -o (Open) Open Item (602/8904-02): Qualification and Training - This item was previously discussed in NRC Inspection Report 50-602/89-04 and involved the development of a radiological protection training program to satisfy 10 CFR 19.12 requirements for personnel allowed access into the reactor facility controlled access area. The inspector discussed with the licensee the need to ensure that training included the specific regulatory requirements in 10 CFR 19.12 and also the recommendations of Regulatory Guides 8.13 and 8.29. The licensee had issued Procedure HP4, "Radiation Protection Training," Revision 0, dated November 5, 1989. This procedure did not address all of the topics identified in 10 CFR 19.12 nor the information discussed in Regulatory Guides 8.13 and 8.29. However, the licensee was in the process of developing a supplement to the above procedure which appeared to include a proper training agenda. This item remains Q_pen pending further review of the proposed training progra (Closed) Open Item (602/8904-CJ3): Procedures, Audits, Reports, and Surveillances - This item was pr1::vir'l11<;ly discussed in NRC Inspection Report 50-6r:/89-04 and involved the development of radiological protection implementing procedures. The licensee had established procedures that addressed the various radiological protection prc0ram areas. However, the inspector found that several of the new procedures did not provide enough detailed instructions or technical information to ensure that the tasks would be accomplished in a proper manner. Since procedures have been identified to address general topical areas, this Enclosure Contains PRODRIETARY INFORMATION Decontro 11 ed when s rated from enc1 osur item is considered closed. However, comments on the contents of the new procedures are included-as part of the status of other open items discussed in this report.
(Open) Open Item (602/8904-04): External and Internal Radiation Exposure Control - This item was previously discussed in NRC Inspection Report 50-602/89-04 and involved the personnel dosimetry and ALARA programs. The personnel dosimetry program has special interest because of the potential neutron exposures from the use of experiment beam ports.
The licensee's personnel monitoring program is discussed in Procedure HP-1. "Radiation Monitoring - Personnel," Revision 0, dated November 7, 1989. The licensee stated that they are still in the process of selecting the type of personnel dosimetry device that will be used at the NETL. The licensee stated that their personnel monitoring program would satisfy the recommendations of Regulatory Guide 8.14 and also include the information discussed in NRC Information Notices 81-26 and 83-59.
The license@ 1 s ALARA program is described in Procedures HP-3, "NETL ALARA Program," Revision O. dated November 7, 1989, and HP-7, "Radiation Work Permits," Revision 0, dated December 12, 1989. The inspector noted that Procedure HP-3, Sl:Ction 0, "Contamination Control, 11 included a discussion of acceptable contamination levels for unconditional release of radioactive materials. The contamination levels appearing in Procedure HP-3 appeared to be same values listed in ANSI/ANS-15.11-1987 and Regulatory Guide 1.86, "Termination of Operating Licenses For Nuclear Reactors.11 The inspector discussed with the licensee the need to review Procedure HP-3 to ensure that the procedure is not in conflict with the requirements of 10 CFR 20.301 or the information provided in NRC Information Notice 85-92, "Surveys of Wastes Before Disposal from Nuclear Reactor Facilities."
The item remains QR pending further review of the personnel monitoring and ALARA programs.
(Open) Open Item (602/8904-05): Contamination Control and Instrument Calibration - This item was previously discussed in NRC Inspection Report 50-602/89-04 and involved personnel survey procedures, calibration and operating procedures for health physics instrumentation, availability of a high range survey meter, and analysis of contamination smears and air samples.
The licensee had developed Procedures HP-5, "Portable Radiation Monitoring Equipment, 1 1 Revision 0, dated December 12, 1989, and SRV-14, "Installed Radiation Monitors, 11 Revision 0, dated December 12, 1989, to address some of the matters discussed in Open Item 8904-05. The following is an update of this open item:
Personnel _Survey_ Procedures: The 1 icensee stated that a hand-held frisker will be located at each of the three exits from the reactor controlled area. In addition, the licensee is looking into the Enclosure Contains PROPRIETARY INFORMATION Decontrolled when separated from enc}Eur possibility of purchasing an automated hand and foot counter that would be located near the main building exit door. The licensee stated that the personnel survey equipment would be installed and operational before the receipt of reactor fuel at the facilit Laboratoryount ;__Instrument: The licensee stated that an alpha-beta proportional counter will be located in the NETL to analyze contamination smears and air samples. An installation date for the counter has not been established.
!:!.igh RanSurv Meter: The licensee had obtained a suitable high range ion chamber survey meter. This portion of the open item is considered closed.
Procedure H P-5 * 11 Porii.l?J-s! L !..i_s> _.!1_C>_")._!_!Cl_r:_i__g__fg_i_pent_ Section_C. __ Res_pon_se_Checks: This section did not contain response check criteria for the following instruments:
Eberline R0-2A Eberline PRS2 Bicron Micro-Rem Bicron Frisk-Tech Calibration: This section specifies that a pulse generator be used to verify the status of the rate meter electronic circuit. However, a radioactive source is not used to verify that the instrument will detect radioactivity. Form 8-2, Calibration Sheet: The left "source" column appears to contain several typing errors. Form-0 Eberline, PRS2 Calibration: The procedure specifies that a PU-BE source be used as a neutron calibration source. The use of a PU-BE source presents two problems: (1) the radiation levels produced by the source are not high enough to permit full-scaie calibration and (2) the neutron energies produced from a PU-BE source are probably not representative of neutrons that would cause exposure problems at a TRIGA Mark II facility.
Procedure SRV-14 "Installed Radiation Monitors":
**-------**-*..:...l*- ----**--*--**** --*---**--***-*-* ---*----- Ludlum 333-2 Calibration Procedure: This instrument is used to monitor airborne concentrations and alert personnel of the possibility of exceeding maximum permissible concentration (MPC)
levels. However, the calibration values are expressed in units of counts per minute (CPM) without equating CPM results to concentrations (uCi/cc) or MPC values. PRM AR-100 Calibration: This instrument is used to continuously monitor airborne concentrations (Argon-41) being released from the facility. The sample is collected above the reactor and Enclosure Contains PROPRIETARY INFORMATION Qecontrolled when ated fr9m_nclosu delivered via a 1-inch sample line to the detector located near the control room. In-place testing of the sample collection and transfer system had not been performed to verify that the sample collected is representative of the sample arriving at the detector. It was also noted that the calibration procedure involved the use of a solid source, but did not include calibrating the detector with a gaseous radioactive source to verify detector efficiency under anticipated operating condition The primary purpose of this monitor is to monitor gaseous effluents to ensure concentrations do not exceed regulatory limits. However, the calibration results are recorded in CPM without any reference to uCi/cc concentration Laborator1 Countin_g_ Instrument: Operating and calibrotion procedures have not been developed for the proportional counter used to analyze smear and air samples.
This item remains Qpen pending further review.
(Open) Open Item (602/8904-06): Radiation Protection Facilities - This item was discussed in NRC Inspection Report 50-602/89-04 and involved in-place esting of the HEPA system, reactor coolant isolation valves, and inventory/control of byproduct material removed from the reactor. The licensee stated that in-place testing of the HEPA filter system had not been completed. The licensee also stated that a procedurt will be developed that addresses: (1) designation of the boundary where samples/experiments removed from the reactor are transferred from the 10 CFR 50 license to a byproduct license and (2) est:blish an inventory and tracking program for radioactive material transferred from the 10 CFR 50 license to the byproduct license.
The inspectors reviewed value line-up procedures used to ensure isolation of reactor coolant systems. No problems were identified, but this area will be reviewed further as part of preoperation test results.
This item remains 2£ pending further review.
(Closed) Open Item (602/8904-07): Liquid and Gaseous Effluents - This item was discussed in NRC Inspection Report 50-602/89-04 and involved installation and calibration of the particulate and noble gas airborne monitors. These matters are being tracked as part of Open Item 602/8904-05. Open Item 602/8904-07 is considered closed.
(Open) Open Item (602/8904-08): Emergency Preparedness - This item was discussed in NRC Inspection Report 50-602/89-04 and involved establishing and stocking emergency response kits, training emergency support personnel, obtaining letters of agreement with emergency support agencies, and conducting a full scale emergency response exercise. An emergency Enclosure Contains PROPRIETARY INFORMATION Decontro 11 ed when se2arated from -_s_l__Q_ur cabinet has been established and .tocked with basic emergency supplies and equipment. The licensee stated that training has been provided to emergency support agencies (e.g., security, fire department, and medical)
and that letters of agreement have been established with support agencie A full scale emergency exercise has not been conducted. The licensee stated tnat a full scale exercise will be completed before transierring fuel from Taylor Hall to the Balcones facility. This item is considered open pending completion cf a full scale exercis (Open) Open Item (602/8904-09): Physical Security and Safeguards - This item was discussed in Attachment i to NRC Inspection Report 50-602/89-04 and involved implementation of the licensee's PSP. The matter concerning the PSP is considered Proprietary Information and is documented in Attachment 1 to this repor (Open) 8pen Item (602/890-10): Irradiated Fuel and Cobalt-60 lrradiator Transfer - This tern was discussed in NR: Inspection Report 50-602/89-04 and concerned the aevelopment of procedures and training of personnel involved witn the handlin9 and transfer of fuel ad the irradiator from Taylor Hall to the 8alcones Research Center. The licensee stated that all wod, has not been comoleted tor tr:is item. This item remains 9.pe_n pending further review.
.., . Remote Radiation oitorjng The inspector noted th3t the reactor facility was not equipped with remote radiatior monitoring capability tnat would alert appropriate personnel of unusual radiation levels in the facility during nonroutine hours. For example, a remote radiation alarm was not located at the UT Security Office to provde 24-hour coverage in the event of increased radiation levels. The inspectors stated that this matter would be discussed with the reject Manager, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulatio This is considerec an ooen item pending further revie (602/2907-01) Exit Interview The inspectors met wit the lice5ee representatives identified in paragraph 1 at the conclusion of the inspection on December 14, 198 The inspectors summarized the inspection finding Enclosure Contains PROPRIETARY INFORMATION QeontO Jl.--Y!h_en___ separ,ated frrr_i___encl OS Ure.