IR 07200229/2003001
| ML20128K930 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 04002061, 07200229 |
| Issue date: | 03/22/1972 |
| From: | Ashley E NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| To: | NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19263E767 | List: |
| References | |
| FOIA-85-30 NUDOCS 8507110166 | |
| Download: ML20128K930 (2) | |
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UNITED STATES ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION oivisioN Ofr COMPLIANCE REGION lil 799 ROOeEVELT ROAD GLEN ELLYN. ILLINOIS 40137 (sta) ess aseo March 22, 1972
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Region III Files TELECON TO DR. W. L. SILVERNAIL, RSO AMERICAN POTASH & CHEMICAL COMPANY, WEST CHICACO, ILLINOIS LICENSE NO. STA-583 I called Silvernail on March 22, 1972, and gave him the results of independent measurements (water, mud, and floor smears) as received from ANL. The independent measurements were taken during the inspection of subject license on February 29 and March 1, 1972 A description and results of these independent measurements are given in Exhibit B, attached to the expanded field notes of the above noted inspectio No significantly high results were note p E. C. Ashley [/
Radiation Specialist 8507110166 050400 PDR FOIA RAPKING5-30 PDR
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LICENSEE TELEPHONE NOTIFICATION OF INSPECTION (GENERAL)
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Licensees de M 7'(/c., Date: d /) , /ff([
Licenses No: sre . re s Individual Contacted:
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(Name & Title)
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Type Inspection: M 9 o = J- Contacted by: 6'. S. e ;_- 4 ,_. ,
The following information was given to the licensee:
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' Informed of inspection of above listed licenses to be performed on De c IN f o n / 4tf ABC representative may be accompanied by a representative of the state or local Health Agenc Inspection of the program will include: Observation of operations ' Inspection of facilities and equipment Review of following records: Receipts, transfers, and/or disposals i Surveys to show an evaluation of use and storage of licensed material Personnel monitoring (film badges, pt;cket dosimeters, etc.) Leak.. tests (if' applicable) ,
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. Reports of incidents, loss or theft, er overexposures Additional Records for 10CFR70 Licenses
- Inventory
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3 Form A.!C-578, Material Status Report , Form AEC-388, Material Transfer Report Remarks:
Form C0 III-2
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y AlstICAN FOTASW & CEENICAL CORPOR
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1EST CEICACO, ILI.DI0IS to m ,
.= m- LICrust 30. srA-ses (n0carr 30, 40 2061)
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a.ru aao.s i J. M. Allen COtIII Attached to a 592 reply dated April 28. 1970 which is considere l i
__adeewat Licensee was telesheetestly coatseted on May 1.1970 mm un and reuninded that a report on the overospoeure was att11 recetre S-7 70 to be entaitted. Lieenses agreed to do s .,
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LICENSEE TE12puoHE NOTIFICATION OF INSFECTION y , 3C (GENERAL)
.2.' Lisensee * Datae ' 8 Licenses Nos or n e- a- 1 Individual Contacted ,
ue.nseo (Name LY s & Title)
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- Type Inspection: 6 e nA Contacted by: "
The following information was given to the licensee
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, Informedg ec of a ove listed licenses to be performed
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Asc representative may b accompanied by a representative of the 3. '
state or local Health Agenc Inspection of the program will include: 9/ L~ 4*a +84 ,
- % Observation of operations
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2 Inspection of facilities and equipment
" ' D - Review of following records:
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.)t- Receipts, transfers, and/or disposals c 2 !"e surveys to show an evaluation of use and storage of licensed material centes c. Personnet monitoring (film badges, pocket dostmeters, etc.) Leak. tests (iffapp11 gable) . .
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. Reports of incidents loss or thef t, or overeuposures
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Additional Records M 10CFR70 Licenses Inventory 3 Form AEC.$78 Material Status Report
, Form AICa388. Material Transfer Report Remarhee Form C0:111 2
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l r l *3 American Fotash and Chemical Corp.
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( IMMPENDERT.IEABEMMENTS
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39. The AEC inspector obtained no independent measurements during this l inspectio *
LICENSE CONDITIONS l
40. The license conditions were reviewed with Mr. Sink *
MANAGEM NT DISCUSSION
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- 41. The results of this inspection were reviewed with Mr. Gerald Sinke, l Safety Engineer and RSO, and with Mr. Bruce Bennett, General Manager.
j These gentlemen were informed that as a result of this inspection no i
specific itene of noncompliance were noted and Fors AEC.591 was presented to the gentlemen at the time.
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4 American Potash and Chemical Cor !
that he can visually look at the amount of dirt and dust on an air . !
sample and almost predict whether it will be " hot" or not. He also i
stated that air esmpling results will generally show higher readings with the relatively inexperienced personnel operating the equipmen ,
" 31. Once each three months, approximately 24 air samples are taken completely ,
around the fence line of the plant. A review of these showed consistent < !
samples ,o1afproximately1/10ofapc. The licensee uses' an spe of m-
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32. The licensee maintains weekly samples of GreenhouIe oder's house which are mile west and east respectively of the plant and a air sample at the pump house on the plant property. It is the intent of the samples to show corrolation between on site and off-site air sampling. The results of these weekly samples showed that all results were less than g * microcuries per e , Roof air sampling is performed every other week. The results of this i sampling showed esults of approximately 1/10 of epc ranging from
.001 to .4 (As microcuries per c t I 34 The licensee maintains a record of general plant geta Camma survey !
which showed radiation backgrounds of from I er per hout to a maximum of 10 to 12 er per hour. Smear surveys are taken on a periodic basis and these records showed a general trend of from 2,500 {
eo up to 9,000 8
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passmaannemoosee a//kar//wo S, * '
35. A monthly Cassa survey is taken of the fence area around the unrestricted l
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sees southwest of the plant boundary at the location of the mud waste pile. License Condition No. 9 stipulates that not more than 2.5 or -
per hout exist at this area. The licensee's monthly records of this
- survey showed that the radiation level was from 1.7 to 1.9 se per hou .
POSTINC AND 1.Agtl.1NC 3 It was noted that all posting and labeling conformed with Part 20 requirements or License Condition No. 10 which authorises the licensee '
to post a sign "Any container within this area may contain radioactive materials."
WASTE DISPOSA . As mentioned previously in this report in paragraph no. 25, the licensee '
has recently been authorized incineration. The licensee will use this
method of disposal of the empty plastic lined burlap base which had contained the monosite sand. Prior to this time, these bags had been burned at the 12 Acre sit '
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. RECORDS ,
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38. The licensee is authorised to receive and possess unlimited amounts of thorium. The shipping records of the facility were not reviewed during this inspection, keeping however, system with the inspector Mr. Persons, whose discussed supervisor the company's is Mr. Robert K.recor 9 ,y '
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the licensee's marketing manager. g . Persons appeared to be knowledgeable i with respect to the appropriate AEC Federal regulations concerning trans*
for of licensed materials. He stated that the New York office yet main-tains particulars detailing export shipments while the local area office maintains all records of shipments within the continental United State Mr. Persons stated that the majority of the griumsh ente now ,
i is mantle. grade thorium. He also stated, question ,that prior to '
shipment the company requires the receiver's license number and expi ation date. The local procedure is not such that a copy of the receiver's i
- license is necessary to be on hand at Amerteen Potash and Chemical Cor but Parsons stated that an inventory is kept of each customer's specific record l l
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-3- American Potash and Chemical Cor FACILITIES 23. The licensee's two separate f acilities at West Chicago are Jure un-changed. The research and development facility, known as W-1 or Special Products, is located in downtown West Chicago while the licensee's production facilities are located at 250 Ann Stree ~
2 It was noted that at the entrance of most areas is a sign notifying pWrsonnel that containers within the area may contain radioactive asterial . Inmediately south of the processing area, the licensee sty maintains the 12 acre fenced area known locally as "12 Acres." The gray mud waste pile has not.been changed. The licensee yet utilites the retention pond for the collection of all liquid process waste from the plant. The entire 12 Acres area is enclosed with a chain-link fence and it was noted that the burn pit which was formally in this area has been eliminated and a trash pile which had started to be in use in this area had also been eliminated. Mr . Sinke stated that with the recent Illinois law of prohibiting burning of white waste, the American Potash and Chemical Corp. has stopped all open burning and now uses local garbage collection facilities for nonradiactive waste. The ILeensee has obtained an amendment to their license for the incineration of contaminated materials, however, Mr. Sinke stated that to date the incinerator has not been used because of the change of production which does not now create the empty bass which are verwes&dly contaminated with the menosite cre RADIATION S AFETY EQUIPMENT AND INSTRUMENTATION 26. The radiation N Ea D of the licensee is yet unchange *
Locally constructed air sampling equipeent is still used with as Nuclear Chicago Model 2612 beta camma gas flow internal proportional scaler. A Nuclear Chicago automatic smear counting scaler is also used. Various portable instrumentation are on hand and are calibrated by Health Physics Associate PER$0NNEL MONITORINC 27. The film badge service is R. S. Landauer Jr. and Company with all thorium plant production workers on a weekly schedule and the rest of the personnel on a monthly schedule. At the present time, approx-imately 54 people are on the monthly schedule and approximately 20 people are on the weekly schedule. The film badge records for the year 1967 were reviewed showing the highest yearly absorbed dose of
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670 mr for Mr. teaughes6 Mr.1BgN>pe received a 630 nr. The film badge reports for the year 1968 to date were reviewed and'hdE$mr received a 950 milliten daring the first quarter and a Mr. dBMggt receiving 1,060 i The accumulated exposure for the second quarter of 1968 showed Mr. tenhos having 420 mr. and a Mr. WNDepb with 400 nr. Mr. Sinke stated that Mr. m is no longer in the thorium plan . The review of the film badge results showed no exposures in excess of AEC requirement RADIAT10'I SURVEYS AND/0R EVAI.t.'ATION 2 The licensee maintains separate file folders giving air sampling results for each area in which thorium is worked. These records show results of air sampling tdsen on all four floors of building no. 9 the thorium
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room, general plant areas, roof area, at the fence line around the plant and of f-site st $'edder's i house, which is % mile east of the plant, and at Tuud's Creenhouse, which is h mile west of the plant, gnur 30. A regularly scheduled air sampling program is in ef fect with a plant spe of 10'M microcuries per cc. These results showed that 611 . air samples taken within the plant were less than mpc, however, at times when air sample results were greater than epc a time waited averar was taken to assure that the personnel working in that area reaetvec less than 40 mpc hours of exposure. The results of all the time watt studies indicated that no workers had been exposed to greater than 40 mpe hours for any consecutive seven days. Hr. Maryniw stated
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-2- American Potash and Cheetcal Cor Asespees r8v (
is not4mm with respect to thorium, and operations on the third and fourth floor of building no. 9 are not required for this proces Consequently, there has been a great reduction in the personnel at the plan .
OKAl81 EAT 10s 1 The organteation chart which was presented in the report details of the last inspection of this facility is the same with the exception of one change of the thorium outraction plant general forema Mr. Banne11, who formally had this position, le no longer with the company and Mr. $ dder now holde his positio .
The American Fotosh and Cheetcal Corporation le now a subsidiary of Ke rr.McGee . This merger was effective a few months ago. Mr. Dunn, the former corporation preeldent of the American Potash and Cheetcal Corporation, le now a v.p. of Kerr McGee. He does not ett on the board. In addition to maintaining the presidency of the American Potash and Chemical Corp., Mr. Dunn has been assigned by Kerr-McGee some further responsib111tice with respect to Kerr McGee mining and milling operation .
Mr. Bruce J. Bennett, the General Manager located at West Chicago, informed the inspector that to date no company organtaation changes have developed which would affect the American Potash and Cheetcal Cor Mr. Sinke also informed the AKC representative that to date there has been no changes with respect to the radiation esfety duttee being performed at Amertean Fotash and Chee. Cor ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROL
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19. Administrative control of this licensed progran appeared to be essentially the ease as previously reported. Mr. Theodore M'- ,
Radiological Physteint of Health Physics Associates, to yet retained by the licensee on a consulting beste. he. Sinke stated that while his primary duttee at the plant le safety, his time donated directly with duties associated with this licensed progree has increased from approximately 257 to SQL He further stated in general that he and Mr. Marynig, are doing much more work with respect to air and water potution. The deep well which was being constructed by the company has been abondoned.
( 2 Mr. Sinke's beste administrative control to yet unchanged. Me has the health physica reporting responsibility directly to Mr. Bennett and he frequently discusses things with Mr. Bennett and makes formal reports to Mr. Bennett. Mr. Sinke stated that during the last several
. months there has been a reduction in the number of employees at the l plant resulting in very few new workers being obtained. Ifr. Sinke yet has regularly scheduled safety meetinge during which radiation safety le dieeussed.
! 2 Presently, there are no outside contractors at the facilit RAD 10LocicAL SAFETY pt0CIDURES 2 As stated in previous reports of this fac!!ith, there is no written l radiological safety procedurewhowever, the philosophy of written l instruction for each job operation to yet being maintained. These l individual job operations instructions ateo include requirements with i respect to health physics. The licensee has certain jet operations l where the company requires the use of respiratory equipnent. The l licensee else provides miscellaneous protective clothing and the require.
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ment that employees bath or wash thoroughly after their work shift le yet in effect.
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American Potash and Chemical Cor License No. STA 583 June 13, 1968 DETAt CENERA1. INFORMATION
. This was an announced reinspection no. 6 conducted at this facility on June Q,1968 by C. D. Hampleman. Mr. Gerald Sinke, Safety Engineer and RSO, was notified of this impending inspection on June 10, 196 '
10. The Illinois State Department of Health was not notified of this inspection due to lack of time period. The AEC representative was not accompanied during the inspectio . All information in this report is from the results of observations by the inspector or throtdh interview with the following enum people; Mr. Bruce J. Bennett, Ceneral Manager; Mr. Gerald Sinke, safety Ergineer and R50; Mr. Edward Maryntw, Radiation Hygienist Technician; and Mr. Parsons, Marketin INSPECTION HISTORY 1 The American Potash and Chemical Corporation has a general inspection ussrwat of several items of noncompliance during each inspect ,on. Reinspection no. 2 conducted in 1961 resulted in four items of noncompliance, re-inspection no. 3 conducted in 1962 resulted in four items of noncom-pliance, reinspe tion no. 4 conducted in 1964 also resulted in four
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items of noncompliance, and during reinspection no. 5 conducted in 1966 and February of 1967, one item of noncompliance was noted but was corrected prior to the end of the inspe c ti on. No sru e *# ***~
cowskn ws At mru peonwe rope Mester ** eneromen PROGRAM 13. The licensee's facilities at the West Chicago Plant pertaining to this licensed program is a production of thorium and amm. rare earth compounds from monosite sands. The maximum capacity of the plant is 25 tons per day of sands which can be sent to the plant from such places as Africa, Malaya, and Georgia. These sands consist of approx-imately 457. rare earth oxide and 67, thorium oxid At the time of this inspection, the licensee is not processing y A monosite cres. With respect to the thorium program, the licensee is
drawing from an on hand stockpile of thorium nitrate with which
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g,de performs a " limited" process for the current production of thorium oxide and mantle. grade thorium for sale. As a result of this reduction of the thorium process, the licensee is currently reduced to approx-imately,1g% of )is past thorium production process. The twin shell blender is yet useDmTechedule of 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> per day and the thorium roony(productio i of thorium oxide) is yet in operation as are also certain equipment on the first and second floor such as centrifuges and presses. QFesenth no operations are being conducted on theRd and fourth fleig,%ith~ respect to the thorium process. Mr. Sinke stated that no monosite cres had been processed since approximately December of 1967 and probably ao.te would be processed uatil about the first of the year of 1969. The present scope of operations result in approximately 507. less process work but with almost the same production of end grade thorium for sale as previously due to the use of the thorium nitrate stockpile,
- 15. The licensee is now concentrating on the production of rare earth oxides as obtained from badiasite, which is being shipped to them from Mountain Pass, California. Mr. Sinke explained that the process of basnasite is less detailed than the process of monosite cres. Basnasite
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RRf0RT (GIF112D SIERT Identifvina Information fctrele)
, Type Report J38 $92
- Licensee American Potash and Chesteel Corporation
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2 Address 238 Ann Street West Chicano. 111tnote 60185 "_
. LicenseIde(s) STA-383
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4 Date of inepecties June 12. 1968 ' thepector C. D. Nameleman o Status of Compliance conoliance Items of Noncoesliance Section of Regulation Detalle Peregraph or License Condition *s W __ D.
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' This report containe claceified or businese confidential informatio Yes
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American Potash and Cheetcal Cor License No. STA 383 June 13, 1968 HgALTH PHY3!CS ANALY3!3
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It is the opinion of this inspector that operations conducted under
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this licensed progree can be considered to be acceptable, m The production process of thortue has dietnished to app'roximately one-half of its previous amount which has considerably reduced the
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health physics problems of the licensee. The licensee is yet mai tatning detailed records with respect to radiation esposure and air sampling. As a result of this inspection, it appears that the licensee is quite adequately controlling whole body esposures and
je posure to airborne radioactive materials. 6 pir samples greater than restricted opc's are being observed, but time wetted averaging has shown that no employees are enjosed to greater day than 40 mpg * of airborne contamination in any7:onsecutive
$ perio It is the general opinion of this inspector that control of health k
physics problems of this licensed facility has taproved considerably within the last few years.
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