Information Notice 1991-08, Medical Examinations for Licensed Operators
UNITED STATES
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION
WASHINGTON, D.C.
20555
February 5, 1991
NRC INFORMATION NOTICE NO. 91-08: MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS FOR LICENSED OPERATORS
Addressees
All holders of operating licenses or construction permits for nuclear power, test and research reactors.
Purpose
~-- This information notice is intended to alert addressees to recent problems
identified in the administration and documentation of medical examinations for
licensed operators and operator license applicants. It is expected that
recipients will review the information for applicability to their facilities
and consider actions, as appropriate, to avoid similar problems. However, suggestions contained in this information notice do not constitute NRC require- ments; therefore, no specific action or written response is required.
Description of Circumstances
During recent inspections at the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station and the
Trojan Nuclear Plant, the staff of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
identified concerns regarding the administration and certification of medical
examinations for licensed operators and operator license applicants. The NRC
staff reviewed the facility licensees' documentation and determined that the
licensees' examining physicians had in several instances not performed some of
the tests specified by American Nuclear Society Standard ANSI/ANS 3.4-1983 to
meet the NRC's requirements for operator medical qualifications (e.g., standard
urinalysis, electrocardiogram, depth perception, and stamina tests). In other
cases, operators were performing licensed duties with disqualifying medical
conditions without the licensee having provided NRC notification as required by
Section 55.25 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR).
The
inspections also indicated that some medical examinations were not performed
within the required 2-year period resulting in some operators performing
licensed duties without having a current medical examination. When those
operators with incomplete or lapsed medical examinations were examined, several
were determined to have medically disqualifying conditions.
The inspection findings indicate that these facility licensees had provided
insufficient management guidance or oversight to the examining physicians to
ensure complete, accurate, and timely medical examinations.
Both facility
licensees had attested on the Certificates of Medical Examination (Form
9101300033 A *
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IN 91-08 February 5, 1991 NRC-396) submitted with their applications for operator licenses that the
guidance contained in ANSI/ANS 3.4-1983 was followed, when in fact it was not.
Discussion:
10 CFR 55.21 requires each applicant for an operator license to have a medical
examination by a physician as a precondition for licensing and every two years
thereafter. The physician must determine that the licensed operator or license
applicant meets the requirements of 10 CFR 55.33(a)(1), such that the appli- cant's licensed operator's] medical condition and general health will not
adversely affect the performance of the assigned operator duties or cause
operational errors endangering public health and safety. The facility licensee
must certify the license applicant's medical fitness by submitting Form
NRC-396, "Certification of Medical Examination by Facility Licensee," in
accordance with 1o CFR 55.31(a)(6) or 55.57(a)(6), for initial and 6-year
license renewal applications, respectively.
Form NRC-396 specifically identifies American Nuclear Society Standard ANSI/ANS
3.4-1983, "Medical Certification and Monitoring of Personnel Requiring Operator
Licenses for Nuclear Power Plants," or ANSI/ANS-15.4-1977(N380), "Selection and
Training of Personnel for Research Reactors," as the criterion to be used for
the medical examination of individuals applying for initial or renewal
licenses.
Regulatory Guide1.13-4 "Medical-Evaluation of LicenseiLPersonnel
for Nuclear Power Plants," endorses ANSI/ANS 3.4-1983 as an acceptable method
for determining that the medical condition and general health of nuclear
operators will not cause operational errors and for determining whether an
applicant or operator has an abnormal health condition that could result in
disqualification.
If, during the term of a license, an operator's medical condition changes and
no longer meets the standards set forth in ANSI/ANS 3.4-1983 or ANSI/ANS-
15.4-1977(N380), as certified to the NRC with the individual's license applica- tion, then the facility licensee must notify the Commission pursuant to 10 CFR
55.25 within 30 days of learning of the diagnosis. If the examining physician
indicates that the condition can be accommodated as noted in Section 5.1 of
ANSI/ANS 3.4-1983, then an authorized representative of the facility licensee
may request a conditional license by submitting Form NRC-396 with the support- ing medical evidence for NRC evaluation. The facility licensee may return the
operator to licensed duties before obtaining the NRC's permission, provided the
examining physician, using the guidance in ANSI/ANS 3.4-1983 or
ANSI/ANS-15.4-1977(N380), has recommended to the facility's management that the
operator can return to duty. This recommendation of medical qualification must
be documented and retained for future NRC inspection.
The NRC's regulations do not require Form NRC-396, which invokes the medical
examination criteria established in ANSI/ANS 3.4-1983 or
ANSI/ANS-15.4-1977(N380), to document an operator's medical condition and
general health during the second and fourth years after the initial or renewal
license is issued. However, the facility licensee must continue to conduct
those biennial medical examinations in accordance with the ANSI Standard to
detect any changes in the operator's medical condition. The facility licensee
is responsible, pursuant to 10 CFR 55.27, to document and maintain the results
IN 91-08 February 5, 1991 of medical qualifications data, test results, and the medical history of each
operator and senior operator for the current license period and to provide the
documentation to the Commission upon request.
It is important to note that the deficiencies identified during NRC inspections
and described herein may provide some insight into the adequacy of addressees'
medical examination programs for licensed operators and license applicants.
The NRC is concerned that some facility programs may not be receiving suffi- cient management oversight to ensure that all license applicants and licensed
operators are medically qualified to safely perform their assigned operator
duties.
The NRC cautions facility licensees to ensure the completeness and
accuracy of the medical examinations performed by their physicians prior to
certifying the fitness of their license applicants to the NRC on Form 396.
This information notice requires
you have any questions about the
of the technical contacts listed
no specific action or written response. If
information in this notice, please contact one
below or the appropriate NRR project manager.
e t
Charles E. Rossi, rector
Division of Operational Events Assessment
-Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Technical Contacts:
D. J. Lange, NRR
(301) 492-3171
R. M. Gallo, NRR
(301) 492-1031
L. F. Miller, RV
(415) 943-3869
T. A. Peebles, RII
(404) 331-5541
G. C. Wright, RIII
(708) 790-5695
J. L. Pellet, RIV
(817) 680-8159
L. Bettenhausen, RI
(215) 337-5291 Attachment:
List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices
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Attachment 1
February 5, 1991 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED
NRC INFORMATION NOTICES
Information
Date of
Notice No.
Subject
Issuance
Issued to
90-77, Inadvertent Removal of Fuel
02/04/91
All holders of OLs or
Supp. I
Assemblies from the Reactor Core
CPs for pressurized- water reactors (PWRs).
91-07 Maintenance Deficiency Assoc-
02/04/91
All holders of OLs or
iated with General Electric
CPs for nuclear power
Horizontal Custom 8000
reactors.
Induction Motors
91-06 Lock-up of Emergency Diesel
01/31/91
All holders of OLs or
Generator and Load Sequencer
CPs for ruclear power
Control Circuits Preventing
reactors.
Restart of Tripped Emergency
Diesel Generator
91-05 Intergranular Stress Corrosion
01/30/91
All holders of OLs or
Cracking in Pressurized Water
CPs for pressurized
Reactor Safety Injection
water reactors (PWRs).
Accumulator Nozzles
91-04 Reactor Scram Following Control
01/28/91
All holders of OLs or
Rod Withdrawal Associated with
CPs for nuclear power
Low Power Turbine Testing
reactors.
91-03 Management of Wastes Contaminated
01/07/91 All medical licensees.
with Radioactive Materials ("Red
Bag' Waste and Ordinary Trash)
91-02 Brachytherapy Source Management
01/07/91
All Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC) medi- cal licensees author- ized to use byproduct
material for medical
purposes.
91-01 Supplier of Misrepresented
01/04/91
All holders of OLs or
Resistors
CPs for nuclear power
reactors.
OL - Operating License
- Construction Permit
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IN 91-08 February 5, 1991 of medical qualifications data, test results, and the medical history of each
operator and senior operator for the current license period and to provide the
documentation to the Commission upon request.
It is important to note that the deficiencies identified during NRC inspections
and described herein may provide some insight into the adequacy of addressees'
medical examination programs for licensed operators and license applicants.
The NRC is concerned that some facility programs may not be receiving suffi- cient management oversight to ensure that all license applicants and licensed
operators are medically qualified to safely perform their assigned operator
duties.
The NRC cautions facility licensees to ensure the completeness and
accuracy of the medical examinations performed by their physicians prior to
certifying the fitness of their license applicants to the NRC on Form 396.
This information notice requires no specific action or written response. If
you have any questions about the information in this notice, please contact one
of the technical contacts listed below or the appropriate NRR project manager.
Charles E. Rossi, Director
Division of Operational Events Assessment
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Technical Contacts:
D. J. Lange, NRR
(301) 492-3171
R. M. Gallo, NRR
(301) 492-1031
L. F. Miller, RV
(415) 943-3869
T. A. Peebles, RII
(404) 331-5541 G. C.
(708)
Wright, RIII
790-5695
J. L. Pellet, RIV
(817) 680-8159
L. Bettenhausen, RI
(215) 337-5291 Attachment: List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices
- SEE PREVIOUS CONCURRENCES
act
D/DOEA:NRf
'
CERossi
01 /o/91
- C/LOLB:DLPQ:NRR
RGallo
01/14/91 C/OGCB:DOEA:NRR
CHBerlinger
01/28/91
- DD/DLPQ:NRR
CThomas
01/18/91
- RPB:ADM
TechEd
01/14/91
- D/DLPQ:NRR
JWRoe
01/18/91
- LOLB:DLPQ:NRR
FGuenther
01/14/91
- LOLB:DLPQ:NRR
DLange
01/14/91 DOCUMENT NAME: IN 91-08
I
IN 91-*E 2 X-
February *)K 1991 of medical qualifications data, test results, and the medical history of each
operator and senior operator for the current license period and to provide the
documentation to the Commission upon request.
It is important to note that the deficiencies identified during NRC inspections
and described herein may provide some insight into the adequacy of addressees'
medical examination programs for licensed operators and license applicants.
The NRC is concerned that some facility programs may not be receiving suffi- cient management oversight to ensure that all license applicants and licensed
operators are medically qualified to safely perform their assigned operator
duties. The NRC cautions facility licensees to ensure the completeness and
accuracy of the medical examinations performed by their physicians prior to
certifying the fitness of their license applicants to the NRC on Form 396.
This information notice requires no specific action or written response. If
you have any questions about the information in this notice, please contact one
of the technical contacts listed below or the appropriate NRR project manager.
Charles E. Rossi, Director
Division of Operational Events Assessment
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Technical Contacts:
D. J.
(301)
Lange, NRR
492-3171
R. M. Gallo, NRR
(301) 492-1031
L. F. Miller, RV
(415) 943-3869
T. A. Peebles, R11
(404) 331-5541 G. C.
(708)
Wright, RIII
790-5695
J. L. Pellet, RIV
(817) 680-8159
L. Bettenhausen, RI
(215) 337-5291 Attachment:
List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices
Document Name: GUENTHER - 80
- SEE PREVIOUS CONCURRENCES
- LOLB:DLPQ:NRR
FGuenther
01/14/91
- LOLB:DLPQ:NRR
DLange
01/14/91 D/DOEA:NRR
CERossi
01/
/91
- C/LOLB:DLPQ:NRR
RGallo
01/14/91 C/l2tB:D0EA: NRR
CHBerlinger
01/-91
- DD/DLPQ:NRR
CThomas
01/18/91
- RPB:ADM
TechEd
01/14/91
- D/DLPQ:NRR
JWRoe
01/18/91
IN 91-xx
January xx, 1991 It is important to note that the deficiencies identified during NRC inspections
and described herein may provide some insight into the adequacy of addressees'
medical examination programs for licensed operators and license applicants.
The NRC is concerned that some facility programs may not be receiving
sufficient management oversight to ensure that all license applicants and
licensed operators are medically qualified to safely perform their assigned
operator duties. The NRC cautions facility licensees to ensure the
completeness and accuracy of the medical examinations performed by their
physicians prior to certifying the fitness of their license applicants to the
NRC on Form 396.
This information notice requires no specific action or written response. If
you have any questions about the information in this notice, please contact
one of the technical contacts listed below or the appropriate NRR project
manager.
Charles E. Rossi, Director
Division of Operational Events Assessment
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Technical Contact:
D. J. Lange, NRR
R. M. Gallo, NRR
L. F. Miller, RV
(301) 492-3171
(301) 492-1031
(415) 943-3869 T. A. Peebles, RI
G. C. Wright, RIII J. L. Pellet, RIV
(404) 331-5541
(708) 790-5695
(817) 680-8159
L. Bettenhausen, RI
(215) 337-5291 Attachment:
1. List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices
DISTRIBUTION:
FGuenther
DLange
RGallo
WDean
JWRoe
COThonas
CBerlinger
CERossi
OLB RF
Central Files
TLSzymanski
JMLanning
- SEE PREVIOUS PAGE FOR CONCURRENCE
OFC
- OLB:DLPQ*
- OLB:DLPQ*
- OLB:DLPQ*
- TECH:EDITOR* :DIR:DLPQ
- DDIR:DLPQ
______
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_______
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NAME :FGuenther
- DLange
- RGallo
- JMain
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______
____
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DATE :1/14/91
- 1/14/91
- 1/14/91
- 1/14/91
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- 1 1iT11 OFC
- OGCB:DOEA:NRR
- D:DOEA:NRR
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NAME
- CBerllnger
- CERoss:
DATE : /
/91
- /
/91
OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
DOCUMENT NAME:
GUENTHER - 80
Dfstribution and concurrence for Information Notice No. 91- dated
DISTRIBUTION
FGuenther
DLange
RGallo
WDean
JWRoe
COThomas
CBerlinger
CERossi
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NAME
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- CERossi
DATE
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- 91 OFFICIAL Re
CORD COPY
8 Document N'ame:
GUENTHER 80\\