UNITED STATES
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION
OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY AND SAFEGUARDS
WASHINGTON, DC 20555-0001 June 11, 2007 NRC INFORMATION NOTICE 2007-20: USE OF BLANK AMMUNITION
ADDRESSEES
All power reactors, Category I fuel cycle facilities, independent spent fuel storage installations, conversion facility, and gaseous diffusion plants.
PURPOSE
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing this information notice (IN) to inform
addressees of operating experience concerning blank rifle ammunition. It is expected that
recipients review the information for applicability to their facilities or operations and consider
actions, as appropriate, to avoid similar problems. However, suggestions contained in this IN
are not NRC requirements; therefore, no specific action or written response is required.
DESCRIPTION OF CIRCUMSTANCES
In November 2006, at an NRC-licensed facility, a licensee discovered blank ammunition that did
not meet the manufacturers specifications. This blank ammunition could have resulted in
serious injury or death. Two blank .223 caliber, ammunition cartridges were found to have
copper-jacketed lead bullets inversely mounted in the blanks casings. The licensee also
identified a blank cartridge weighing 10 grams due to additional gun powder, which exceeded
the manufacturers designated weight of approximately seven grams. The licensee uses blank
ammunition in their exercise simulation system (ESS) training weapons. Firing an ESS training
weapon with blank ammunition that does not meet the manufacturers specifications could result
in serious injury or even death.
The licensee discovered the condition while conducting a visual inspection and weight
measurement of an initial random sample, and then an expanded random sample, of blank
ammunition. The licensee began the practice of visually inspecting and weighing random
samples of blank ammunition to check for quality following recent demands for ammunition by
the military, which has caused a shortage of ammunition available to non-military organizations.
To help fill the demand for blank ammunition, manufacturers have released what is labeled as
PD rounds which identifies the ammunition as Bulk. Bulk or PD ammunition may not meet
military specifications and typically will not be purchased by the military. PD ammunition, which
manufacturers consider safe for use, is sometimes the only ammunition available to non-military
organizations.
DISCUSSION
There is no NRC requirement for licensees to conduct quality assurance verifications of blank or
live ammunition prior to use. However, such verifications would allow licensees to identify
instances of ammunition that does not meet manufacturer specifications. In addition, other
licensees have adopted a safety practice that prior to using blank ammunition, the training
exercise controller and the exercise participant verify that exercise participants are not in
possession of live ammunition.
CONTACT
S
This information notice requires no specific action or written response. Please direct any
questions about this matter to the technical contact listed below.
/RA/ /RA by TQuay for/
Robert C. Pierson, Director Michael J. Case, Director
Division of Fuel Cycle Safety Division of Policy and Rulemaking
and Safeguards Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Office of Nuclear Material Safety
and Safeguards
Technical Contact:
Joseph Willis, NSIR
301-415-6869 E-mail: jxw3@nrc.gov
Note: NRC generic communications may be found on the NRC public Web site, http://www.nrc.gov, under the Electronic Reading Room in Document Collections.
DISCUSSION
There is no NRC requirement for licensees to conduct quality assurance verifications of blank or
live ammunition prior to use. However, such verifications would allow licensees to identify
instances of ammunition that does not meet manufacturer specifications. In addition, other
licensees have adopted a safety practice that prior to using blank ammunition, the training
exercise controller and the exercise participant verify that exercise participants are not in
possession of live ammunition.
CONTACT
S
This information notice requires no specific action or written response. Please direct any
questions about this matter to the technical contact listed below.
/RA/ /RA by TQuay for/
Robert C. Pierson, Director Michael J. Case, Director
Division of Fuel Cycle Safety Division of Policy and Rulemaking
and Safeguards Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Office of Nuclear Material Safety
and Safeguards
Technical Contact:
Joseph Willis, NSIR
301-415-6869 E-mail: jxw3@nrc.gov
Note: NRC generic communications may be found on the NRC public Web site, http://www.nrc.gov, under the Electronic Reading Room in Document Collections.
Distribution: IN Reading File
ADAMS Accession Number: ML070120205 OFFICE NSIR:RSOB TECH EDITOR BC:NSIR:RSOB D:DSO PGCB:DPR
NAME JWillis HChang BWestreich DDorman DBeaulieu
DATE 3/26/07 4/2/2007 3/26/07 5/23/07 5/23/07 OFFICE PGCB:DPR FSME:MSSA NMSS:FCSS BC:PGCB:DPR D:DPR
NAME CHawes AMcIntosh RPierson MMurphy TQuay for MCase
DATE 5/29/07 5/30/07 06/06/07 06/11/07 06/11/07 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
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- Information Notice 2007-03, Reportable Medical Events Involving Patients Receiving Dosages of Sodium Iodide Iodine-131 Less Than the Prescribed Dosage Because of Capsules Remaining in Vials After Administration (2 February 2007, Topic: Tritium Exit Sign)
- Information Notice 2007-04, Construction Experience Related to the Assurance of Quality in the Construction of Nuclear Power Plants (5 February 2007)
- Information Notice 2007-05, Vertical Deep Draft Pump Shaft and Coupling Failures (9 February 2007, Topic: Ultimate heat sink)
- Information Notice 2007-06, Potential Common Cause Vulnerabilities in Essential Service Water Systems (9 February 2007, Topic: Ultimate heat sink, Probabilistic Risk Assessment, Coatings, Biofouling, Through-Wall Leak)
- Information Notice 2007-07, Potential Failure of All Control Rod Groups to Insert in a Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) Due to a Fire (15 February 2007, Topic: Hot Short, Safe Shutdown, Shutdown Margin, Fire Protection Program, Backfit)
- Information Notice 2007-08, Potential Vulnerabilities of Time-Reliant Computer-Based Systems Due to Change in Daylight Saving Time Dates (28 February 2007)
- Information Notice 2007-09, Equipment Operability Under Degraded Voltage Conditions (26 March 2007)
- Information Notice 2007-10, Yttritium-90 TheraSpheres and SirSpheres Impurities (2 March 2007, 15 March 2007, Topic: Tritium Exit Sign)
- Information Notice 2007-10, Yttritium-90 Theraspheres and Sirspheres Impurities (2 March 2007, Topic: Enforcement Discretion)
- Information Notice 2007-11, Recent Operator Performance Issues at Nuclear Power Plants (6 March 2007, Topic: Time of Discovery)
- Information Notice 2007-12, Tactical Communications Interoperability Between Nuclear Power Reactor Licensees and First Responders (15 March 2007)
- Information Notice 2007-14, Loss of Offsite Power and Dual-Unit Trip at Catawba Nuclear Generating Station (30 March 2007)
- Information Notice 2007-15, Effects of Ethernet-based, Non-Safety Related Controls on the Safe and Continued Operation of Nuclear Power Stations (17 April 2007)
- Information Notice 2007-17, Fires at Nuclear Power Plants Involving Inadequate Fire Protection Administrative and Design Controls (3 May 2007, Topic: Safe Shutdown, Fire Barrier, Operator Manual Action, Continuous fire watch, Fire Protection Program, Fire Watch, Hourly Fire Watch)
- Information Notice 2007-18, Operating Experience Regarding Entrainment of Gas or Debris Into Auxiliary Feedwater Systems (13 May 2007, Topic: Design basis earthquake)
- Information Notice 2007-18, Operating Experience Regarding Entrainment of Gas or Debris into Auxiliary Feedwater Systems (13 May 2007, Topic: Foreign Material Exclusion)
- Information Notice 2007-20, Use of Blank Ammunition (11 June 2007)
- Information Notice 2007-21, Pipe Wear Due to Interaction of Flow-Induced Vibration and Reflective Metal Insulation (11 December 2020, Topic: VT-2, Liquid penetrant)
- Information Notice 2007-22, Recent Hydrogen Fluoride Exposures at Fuel Cycle Facilities (19 June 2007)
- Information Notice 2007-23, Inadvertent Discharge of Halon 1301 Fire Suppression System Due to Incorrect and/or Out of Date Procedures (8 August 2007, Topic: Fire Protection Program)
- Information Notice 2007-23, Inadvertent Discharge of Halon 1301 Fire Suppression System Due to Incorrect And/Or Out of Date Procedures (8 August 2007, Topic: Fire Protection Program)
- Information Notice 2007-24, Summary of Fitness-for-Duty Program Performance Reports for Calendar Year 2006 (19 July 2007, Topic: Fitness for Duty, Contraband)
- Information Notice 2007-25, Recommendations From the Advisory Committee on the Medical Use of Isotopes for Improved Compliance with 10 CFR 35.40 and 35.27 (19 July 2007, Topic: Tritium Exit Sign)
- Information Notice 2007-25, Recommendations from the Advisory Committee on the Medical Use of Isotopes for Improved Compliance with 10 CFR 35.40 and 35.27 (19 July 2007, Topic: Enforcement Discretion)
- Information Notice 2007-26, E-mail from Alex Klein to Alex Marion Regarding NRC Information Notice 2007-26 (17 December 2007, Topic: Coatings)
- Information Notice 2007-27, Recurring Events and Trends Involving Emergency Diesel Generator Operability (6 August 2007, Topic: Preliminary White Finding)
- Information Notice 2007-28, Potential Common Cause Vulnerabilities in Essential Service Water Systems Due to Inadequate Chemistry Controls (19 September 2007, Topic: Probabilistic Risk Assessment, Frazil ice, Biofouling)
- Information Notice 2007-29, Temporary Scaffolding Affects Operability of Safety-Related Equipment (17 September 2007, Topic: Fire Protection Program, Scaffolding)
- Information Notice 2007-30, Radiological Controls Create Criticality Safety Accident Scenario for Fissile Solution Container Transport at Fuel Cycle Facility (13 September 2007, Topic: Coatings)
- Information Notice 2007-31, U.S. Food and Drug Administration Announcement Related to Sleep Disorder Drugs (13 November 2007, Topic: Fitness for Duty, Coatings)
- Information Notice 2007-32, Out of Service Equipment Connected to in Service Process Line Results in Fissile Solution Spill at Fuel Cycle Facility (15 October 2007, Topic: Hydrostatic, Coatings)
- Information Notice 2007-32, Out of Service Equipment Connected To In Service Process Line Results in Fissile Solution Spill at Fuel Cycle Facility (15 October 2007, Topic: Hydrostatic, Coatings)
- Information Notice 2007-34, Operating Experience Regarding Electrical Circuit Breakers (22 October 2007)
- Information Notice 2007-36, Emergency Diesel Generator Voltage Regulator Problems (15 November 2007)
- Information Notice 2007-37, Buildup of Deposits in Steam Generators (23 November 2007)
- Information Notice 2007-38, Ensuring Complete and Accurate Information in the Documentation of Training and Experience for Individuals Seeking Medical Authorization Under the Alternate Pathway (14 December 2007)
- Information Notice 2007-40, Inadequate Implementation of 10 CFR Part 21 Requirements by Vendors Who Supply Basic Components to Nuclear Power Plant Licensees (21 December 2007)
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