Information Notice 1993-18, Portable Moisture-Density Gauge User Responsibilities During Field Operations

Portable Moisture-Density Gauge User Responsibilities During Field Operations

ML031080084
Person / Time
Site:	Beaver Valley, Millstone, Hatch, Monticello, Calvert Cliffs, Dresden, Davis Besse, Peach Bottom, Browns Ferry, Salem, Oconee, Mcguire, Nine Mile Point, Palisades, Palo Verde, Perry, Indian Point, Fermi, Kewaunee, Catawba, Harris, Wolf Creek, Saint Lucie, Point Beach, Oyster Creek, Watts Bar, Hope Creek, Grand Gulf, Cooper, Sequoyah, Byron, Pilgrim, Arkansas Nuclear, Three Mile Island, Braidwood, Susquehanna, Summer, Prairie Island, Columbia, Seabrook, Brunswick, Surry, Limerick, North Anna, Turkey Point, River Bend, Vermont Yankee, Crystal River, Haddam Neck, Ginna, Diablo Canyon, Callaway, Vogtle, Waterford, Duane Arnold, Farley, Robinson, Clinton, South Texas, San Onofre, Cook, Comanche Peak, Yankee Rowe, Maine Yankee, Quad Cities, Humboldt Bay, La Crosse, Big Rock Point, Rancho Seco, Zion, Midland, Bellefonte, Fort Calhoun, FitzPatrick, McGuire, LaSalle, Fort Saint Vrain, Shoreham, Satsop, Trojan, Atlantic Nuclear Power Plant
Issue date:	03/10/1993
From:	Cunningham R NRC/NMSS/IMNS
To:
References
IN-93-018, NUDOCS 9303040105
Download: ML031080084 (7)

UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY AND SAFEGUARDS

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 March 10, 1993 NRC INFORMATION NOTICE 93-18: PORTABLE MOISTURE-DENSITY GAUGE USER

RESPONSIBILITIES DURING FIELD OPERATIONS

Addressees

All U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensees'that possess moisture- density gauges.

PurDose

NRC is issuing this information notice to remind licensees of their

responsibility to maintain constant surveillance and security of portable

moisture-density gauges during field operations. Failure to adequately secure

gauges at construction sites has resulted in several incidents that have

caused damage to the gauges. It is'expected that recipients will review the

information for applicability to their licensed activities,' distribute'this

notice to responsible radiation safety staff and gauge users, and consider

actions, as appropriate, to avoid similar~'problems. However, suggestions

contained in this information notice are not NRC requirements; therefore, no

specific action or written response is required.

Description of Circumstances

During the busy construction season, NRC licensees use moisture-density gauges

extensively. Consequently, mdre incidents involving gauges occur at this time

than at other times during the year. Longer working'hours, along with an

increase in the number of jobs'performeed by a licensee,'may contribute to the

increase in incidents involving gauges. 'Recent incidents show that damage by

heavy construction equipment is frequently a cause-of these incidents.

In 1991 and the first three quarters of 1992, NRC was notified about 44 incidents that involved moisture-density gauges. Sixteen of the incidents

involved gauges that were damaged at temporary job sites. Although the

devices sustained severe damage, the sources usually remained in the shielded

position within the device. In many of these cases, the authorized user had

not complied with regulatory requirements for maintaining constant

surveillance and immediate control of the device (10 CFR 20.207).

Specifically, the authorized user must be in immediate control of the gauge

(10 CFR 20.207) so that he or she'can, at all times, prevent damage to, or'

misuse of, the gauge'.

In one recent incident, a device was severely damaged by the licensee's

transport vehicle. The impact severed the source rod and dislodged the

source. The licensee did not immediately follow its own emergency procedures, and left the source unattended for several hours. The unencapsulated source

was found later, at the site, lying on the base rock. The licensee responded

93340105O

'lt

IN 93-18 March 10, 1993 by restricting the area and obtaining outside assistance to conduct radiation

surveys, recover the source, test the source for leakage of radioactive

material, and package and ship the source for disposal. The leak test showed

no leakage from the source. A survey also showed no contamination on the base

rock surface where the source was found, so decontamination operations at the

site were not necessary. However, recovery was costly and the licensee's

operations were significantly disrupted. This incident could have been

prevented by simply maintaining constant surveillance of and immediate control

of the device. In addition, NRC enforcement actions, including civil

penalties, are considered in cases such as this.

Discussion

When using moisture-density gauges at temporary job sites, the authorized user

must not leave the gauge unattended at any time (10 CFR 20.207(b)). When

personnel are finished using the device, they must properly secure the

moisture-density gauge (10 CFR 20.207(a)), to prevent damage, loss, or theft.

One method of complying with the requirements would be to lock the source rod

in the safe storage position, lock the device in its transport container, secure the transport container from theft or loss in the licensee's vehicleandor

in a storage building. The requirements for control and security of licensed

material are given in 10 CFR 20.207 or, for licensees implementing the revised

Part 20, Sections 20.1801 and 20.1802. Properly securing moisture-density

gauges will prevent damage to gauges at temporary job sites.

Many incidents involving gauges have occurred when the authorized user left

the gauge unattended for several moments to get some item (notebook, coffee, etc.), to return to the transport vehicle, or to speak with someone. It must

be emphasized that gauge users must not leave the device unattended.

Temporary lapses in control, however minor, have often resulted in damaged

gauges. NRC will take enforcement action, possibly leading to civil penalties

(i.e., monetary fines), in such cases.

In addition, it is suggested that licensees conduct periodic training, for

authorized users, to emphasize proper procedures for use and security of theall

gauges. Licensees should ensure that all personnel understand adequate

emergency response actions and relevant safety topics. An understanding of the

topics in Attachment 1 is essential to safe operations.

Related Generic Communication

The topics in Attachment 1 are covered in the license conditions, the license

application, the regulations, and in the following information notices:

IN 88-02 "Lost or Stolen Gauges"

IN 87-55 "Portable Moisture/Density Gauges: Recent

Incidents of Portable Gauges Being Stolen or

Lost'

IN 86-67 "Portable Moisture/Density Gauges: Recent

Incidents and Common Violations of Requirements

for Use, Transportation, and Storage"

IN 93-18 March 10, 1993 IN 84-26 "Recent Serious Violations of NRC Requirements by

Moisture Density Gauge Licensees"

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 regional

office.

Richard E. Cunningham, Director

Division of Industrial and

Medical Nuclear Safety

Office of Nuclear Material Safety

and Safeguards

Technical contacts: Thomas Young, RIII

(708) 790-5182

- Scott Moore, NMSS

(301) 504-2514 Attachments:

1. Training Topics for Moisture-Density Gauge Users

2. List of Recently Issued NMSS Information Notices

3. List-of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

Attachment 1 IN 93-18 March 10, 1993 TRAINING TOPICS FOR MOISTURE-DENSITY GAUGE USERS

- Radiological emergency response procedures for a damaged moisture- density gauge

- Loss prevention, security, surveillance, and storage

- Physical inventory, accountability

- Notification of NRC regarding damaged devices and sources

- Proper disposal of gauges to the manufacturer (to avoid inadvertent

transfer of a gauge to a scrap-metal broker and a possible foundry

contamination incident)

- Completion of NRC Form 241, 'Report of Proposed Activities in Non- Agreement States,' when applicable

- Transportation requirements for shipping papers, labels, markings, certification of packaging, and blocking and bracing

- Radiation safety instruction for gauge users

- Portable-gauge accident scenarios, to avoid incidents and accidents

with portable gauges

- Proper use of personnel-monitoring devices

- The terms and conditions of the license, and the occasions when it

is appropriate to amend the license

- Other relevant requirements of 10 CFR Parts 19, 20,

and 30

IN,. I" IN 93-18 March 10, 1993 IN 84-26 "Recent Serious Violations of NRC Requirements by

Moisture Density Gauge Licensees'

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 regional

office.

Richard E. Cunningham, Director

Division of Industrial and

Medical Nuclear Safety

Office of Nuclear Material Safety

and Safeguards

Technical contacts: Thomas Young, RIII

(708) 790-5182 Scott Moore, NMSS

frani i Rnd-Ms1A

Attachments a z*-

Cy24

1. Training Topics for I, sture-Density Gauge Users

2. List of Recently Issued NMSS Information Notices

3. List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

DOCUMENT NAME: 93-18.IN

4. Cr- 4- a.. r --.

- t rrev uu4 !JUIIL.UI I__ _ _ _

OFC IMOB* NMSS* IMOB* IMOB* IMAB*

NAME SMoore:kr EKraus CJones FCombs JGlenn

DATE 2/18/93 2/17/93 2/18/93 2/19/93 2/22/93 OFC OGC(No legal RIII* IMOB* IMNS

objection) (By telephone) _

NAME STreby RCaniano KRamsey RCunnfngham

DATE 2/25/93 2/26/93 2/26/93 03/01/93 _

OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

K-'

Attachment 2 IN 93-18 March 10, 1993 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED

NMSS INFORMATION NOTICES

Information Date of

Notice No. Subject Issuance Issued to

93-14 Clarification of 02/18/93 All Licensees who possess

10 CFR 40.22, Small source material.

Quantities of Source

Material

93-10 Dose Calibrator Quality 02/02/93 All Nuclear Regulatory

Control Commission medical

licensees.

93-07 Classification of Trans- 02/01/93 All Licensees required to

portation Emergencies have an emergency plan.

93-05 Locking of Radiography 01/14/93 All Nuclear Regulatory

Exposure Devices Commission industrial

radiography licensees.

93-04 Investigation and Re- 01/07/93 All U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

porting of Misadministra- Commission medical

tions by the Radiation licensees.

Safety Officer

93-03 Recent Revision to 01/05/93 All byproduct, source, and

10 CFR Part 20 and special nuclear material

Change of Implementa- licensees.

tion Date to

January 1, 1994

92-84 Release of Patients 12/17/92 All Nuclear Regulatory Com- Treated with Temporary mission Medical Licensees.

Implants

92-72 Employee Training 10/18/92 All U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

and Shipper Registra- Commission Licensees.

tion Requirements for

Transporting Radioactive

Materials

92-62 Emergency Response 08/24/92 All U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

Information Require- Commission Licensees.

iments for Radioactive

Material Shipments

I

Attachment 3 IN 93-18 March 10, 1993 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED

NRC INFORMATION NOTICES

Information Date of

Notice No. Subject Issuance Issued to

93-17 Safety Systems Response 03/08/93 All holders of OLs or CPs

to Loss of Coolant and for nuclear power reactors.

Loss of Offsite Power

93-16 Failures of Nut-Locking 02/19/93 All holders of OLs or CPs

Devices in Check Valves for nuclear power reactors.

93-15 Failure to Verify the 02/18/93 All holders of OLs or CPs

Continuity of Shunt Trip for nuclear power reactors.

Attachment Contacts in

Manual Safety Injection

and Reactor.Trip Switches

93-14 Clarification of 02/18/93 All licensees who possess

10 CFR 40.22, Small source material.

Quantities of Source

Material

93-13 Undetected Modification 02/16/93 All holders of OLs or CPs

of Flow Characteristics for nuclear power reactors.

in the High Pressure

Safety Injection System

93-12 Off-Gassing in Auxiliary 02/11/93 All holders of OLs or CPs

Feedwater System Raw for nuclear power reactors.

Water Sources

93-11 Single Failure Vulner- 02/04/93 All holders of OLs or CPs

ability of Engineered for nuclear power reactors.

Safety Features

Actuation Systems

93-10 Dose Calibrator Quality 02/02/93 All Nuclear Regulatory Com- Control mission medical licensees.

93-09 Failure of Undervoltage 02/02/93 All holders of OLs or CPs

Trip Attachment on for nuclear power reactors.

Westinghouse Model DB-50

Reactor Trip Breaker

OL - Operating License

CP - Construction Permit