Information Notice 1998-01, Thefts of Portable Gauges

Thefts of Portable Gauges

ML031050305
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:	01/15/1998
From:	Cool D NRC/NMSS/IMNS
To:
References
IN-98-001, NUDOCS 9801090236
Download: ML031050305 (7)

UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY AND SAFEGUARDS

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 January 15, 1998 NRC INFORMATION NOTICE 98-01: THEFTS OF PORTABLE GAUGES

Addressees

All portable gauge licensees.

Purpose

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is issuing this information notice to share some recent

incidents of thefts of portable gauges with addressees and to remind licensees of their

responsibilities to prevent loss and damage to portable gauges. It is expected that recipients

will review this information for applicability to their licensed activities and consider actions, as

appropriate, to avoid similar problems. However, suggestions contained in this information

notice are not NRC requirements; therefore no specific action nor written response is required.

Description of Circumstances

In the year and a half from February 1996 through August 1997, a total of 33 thefts of portable

gauges were reported by NRC and Agreement State licensees. In almost all of these cases, the licensee complied with regulatory requirements by securing stored, licensed material from

unauthorized removal or access.

Twenty-one of the thefts involved devices stored in vehicles (e.g., parked in shopping areas

during the day, at gauge user residences overnight) and 12 thefts were from storage facilities

(e.g., trailers at job sites, storage sheds). In three of the thefts, vehicles with the devices in

them were stolen (one with the ignition key left in the vehicle). Out of the 21 thefts from

vehicles, only one licensee appears to have not followed expected security requirements. Out

of the 12 thefts from storage facilities, only one licensee appears to have not followed expected

security requirements. Some representative examples of such thefts of portable gauges follow.

Case 1: A portable gauge was stolen from a vehicle parked at a private residence. The gauge

was last accounted for during the evening, when it was located within a locked pickup truck.

The gauge's source rod was locked in a shielded position and the entire gauge was in a locked

transportation case chained to the truck bed. The gauge was identified as missing early the

next moming. The truck had been broken open and the chain locking the gauge's

transportation case to the truck was cut to access the portable gauge. The licensee reported

the theft to the local media, the State, and NRC.

Case 2: A portable gauge was stolen from the back of a pickup truck at a stop while enroute

back to the office. The gauge user was returning to the office after completing work at a job

8J1 OTY P9 IEj ri 9OOI c80115 > cio

4'- 98-01 January 15, 1998 site. The source rod was locked in its shielded position and the gauge was locked in its

transport case. The transport case was chained and locked to the bed of the pickup truck.

When the gauge user returned to the truck, the cap of the truck was unlocked and the gauge, transport case, chains, and locks were missing. The licensee notified NRC and local police, who informed the media. The licensee also contacted the gauge manufacturer and requested

that it place this gauge on the manufacturer's "stolen gauge list."

Case 3: Two portable gauges were stolen from a temporary job site over a holiday weekend.

The gauges were stored in a locked, metal storage unit. The locks and chains securing the

gauges were both cut. Also stolen were other tools and a pickup truck. The local police, NRC

and the gauge manufacturers were notified. The licensee issued a press release and offered a

reward for the return of the gauges. Five days later police recovered the gauges from the

garage of the thief who was arrested later that afternoon.

Case 4: A portable gauge was stolen from a locked storage shed at the licensee's corporate

office. The gauge was in its shipping container and had been stored in a locked plywood

cabinet within the locked storage shed. The licensee plans to move the storage location of its

gauges to the basement of its building.

Discussion:

Portable gauges are used extensively by NRC and Agreement State licensees. Thefts involving

gauges appear to be occurring more frequently, especially when gauges are left unattended.

The requirements for control and security of licensed material are given in 10 CFR 20.1801 and

20.1802. Control and security requirements may also be found on the NRC license and within

Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations.

NRC licensees transporting portable gauges are subject to the regulations in 10 CFR Part 71.

Section 71.5(a) incorporates certain regulations (49 CFR 170-189) of the Department of

Transportation (DOT), to which these licensees are also subject. Licensees who transport

gauges to and from temporary job sites in private vehicles are shippers acting as private

carriers, and as such, must comply with DOT regulations governing both shippers and carriers.

Title 49 CFR 177.842(d) requires that packages containing radioactive material (i.e., the gauge

in its case) must be blocked and braced to prevent the movement of the package during

transportation. For pickup trucks, this requirement is usually met when the gauge is secured

within its case, and the case is secured and locked to the bed of the truck.

Licensees may want to consider taking further precautions such as concealing the gauge from

view, increasing surveillance in high crime areas, and including a discussion of this IN in

periodic or special gauge user training to heighten awareness to this growing problem.

~~ 4 98-01 January 15, 1998 Related Generic Communications:

IN 93-18, "Portable Moisture-Density Gauge User Responsibilities during Field

Operations," March 10, 1993.

IN 88-02, "Lost or Stolen Gauges,' February 2, 1988.

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

Stolen or Lost," October 29, 1987.

IN 86-67, "Portable Moisture/Density Gauges: Recent Incidents and Common

Violations of Requirements for Use, Transportation, and Storage,"

August 15, 1987.

IN 84-26, "Recent Serious Violations of NRC Requirements by Moisture Density

Gauge Licensees," April 16, 1984.

This information notice requires no specific action nor written response. If you have any

questions about the information in this notice, please contact the technical contact listed below

or the appropriate regional office.

Donald A. Cool, Director

Division of Industrial and

Medical Nuclear Safety

Office of Nuclear Material Safety

and Safeguards

Anthony S. Kirkwood, NMSS

(301) 415-6140

E-mail: ask@nrc.gov

Attachments:

1. List of Recently Issued NMSS Information Notices

2. List of Recently Issued NRC Information Noti s

A4Jrsue4 pk Ac/

Achment 1 IN 98-01 January 15, 1998 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED

NMSS INFORMATION NOTICES

Information Date of

Notice No. Subject Issuance Issued to

97-91 Recent Failures of Control 12/31197 All industrial radiography

Cables Used on Amersham licensees

Model 660 Posilock Radiography

Systems

97-89 Distribution of Sources and 12/29/97 All sealed source and device

Devices Without Authorization manufacturers and distributors

97-87 Second Retrofit to Industrial 12/12197 All industrial radiography

Nuclear Company IR100 licensees

Radiography Camera, to

Correct Inconsistency in

10 CFR Part 34 Compatibility

97-86 Additional Controls for Transport 12/12/97 Registered users of the Model

of the Amersham Model No. 660 No. 660 series packages, and

Series Radiographic Exposure Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Devices industrial radiography licensees

97-75 Enforcement Sanctions Issued 09/24/97 All U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

as a Result of Deliberate Commission licensees

Violations of NRC Requirements

97-72 Potential for Failure 09/22/97 All holders of OLs or CPs

of the Omega Series for nuclear power reactors

Sprinkler Heads and fuel cycle facilities

97-65 Failures of High-Dose- 08/15/97 All high-dose-rate remote

Rate Remote Afterloading afterloader licensees

Device Source Guide Tubes, Catheters, and Applicators

97-64 Potential Problems 08/13/97 All U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

Associated with Loss Commission medical tele- of Electrical Power therapy licensees

in Certain Teletherapy

Units

t-4 tachment 2 IN 98-01 January 15, 1998 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED

NRC INFORMATION NOTICES

Information Date of

Notice No. Subject Issuance Issued to

97-90 Use of Nonconservative 12/30/97 All holders of OLs for nuclear

Acceptance Criteria in power reactors except those

Safety-Related Pump who have ceased operations

Surveillance Tests and have certified that fuel has

been permanently removed from

the vessel

97-89 Distribution of Sources and 12/29/97 All sealed source and device

Devices Without Authorization manufacturers and distributors

97-88 Experiences During Recent 12/16/97 All holders of OLs for pressurized- Steam Generator Inspections water reactors except those who

have permanently ceased

operations and have certified that

fuel has been permanently

removed from the reactor

97-87 Second Retrofit to 12/12/97 All industrial radiography

Industrial Nuclear Company licensees

IR 100 Radiography Camera, to Correct Inconsistency in

10 CFR Part 34 Compatibility

97-86 Additional Controls for 12/12/97 Registered users of the Model

Transport of the Amersham No. 660 series packages, and

Model No. 660 Series Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Radiographic Exposure Devices industrial radiography licensees

97-85 Effects of Crud Buildup 12/11/97 All holders of OLs for pressurized- and Boron Deposition on water reactors,'except those

Power Distribution and licensees who have permanently

Shutdown Margin ceased operations and have

certified that the fuel has been

permanently removed from the

reactor vessel

OL = Operating License

CP = Construction Permit

e S

IN 98-01 January 15, 1998 Related Generic Communications:

IN 93-18, 'Portable Moisture-Density Gauge User Responsibilities during Field

Operations," March 10, 1993.

IN 88-02, 6Lost or Stolen Gauges," February 2, 1988.

IN 87-55 'Portable Moisture/Density: Recent Incidents of Portable Gauges Being

Stolen or Lost," October 29, 1987.

IN 86-67, uPortable Moisture/Density Gauges: Recent Incidents and Common

Violations of Requirements for Use, Transportation, and Storage,"

August 15, 1987.

IN 84-26, uRecent Serious Violations of NRC Requirements by Moisture Density

Gauge Licensees,' April 16, 1984.

This information notice requires no specific action nor written response. If you have any

questions about the information in this notice, please contact the technical contact listed below

or the appropriate regional office.

Donald A. Cool, Director

Division of Industrial and

Medical Nuclear Safety

Office of Nuclear Material Safety

and Safeguards

Anthony S. Kirkwood, NMSS

(301) 415-6140

E-mail: ask@nrc.gov

Attachments:

1. List of Recently Issued NMSS Information Notices

2. List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

DOCUMENT NAME: G:98-##.ASK

• see previous concurrence

To receive a copy of this document, hIdicate In the box: -C"= Copy wfthou attachmentlenclosure 'F = Copy with attachmentfendosure AN" No copy

UIMN

OFFICE IMAB E IMAB L Tech Editor IN IMOB I

NAME AKirkwood:ask LCamper EKraus JPiccone IDC26LLL

DATE 11121/97 11/ 28 /97 * 19/08/97 * 12/ 05/97 * 01107/98 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

IN 97-##

November##, 1997 Related Generic Communications:

IN 93-18, "Portable Moisture-Density Gauge User Responsibilities during Field

Operations," March 10, 1993.

IN 88-02, "Lost or Stolen Gauges,' February 2, 1988.

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

Stolen or Lost,' October 29, 1987. 1/

IN 86-67, "Portable Moisture/Density Gauges: Recent Incidents and Common

Violations of Requirements for Use, Transportation, and Storage,"

August 15, 1987. /

IN 84-26, "Recent Serious Violations of NRC Requirements by Moisture Density

Gauge Licensees," April 16, 1984.

This information notice requires no specific action nor written response. If you have any

questions about the information in this notice, please contact the technical contact listed below

or the appropriate regional office.

Donald A. Cool, Director

Division of Industrial and

Medical Nuclear Safety

Office of Nuclear Material Safety

and Safeguards

Anthony S. Kirkwood, NMSS

(3 1)415-6140

-mail: ask@nrc.gov

Attachments:

1. List of ecently Issued NMSS Information Notices &'4 3- 1

2.- List Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

DOUMNT NAME: G:%974#ASK

To recive a copy aof lhis document Indicate In the boAC

33* see previous concurrence

c -Copv wtou attachmentoendoeure "E"- Coov wfihhachhment/endosure "N"*No ov

OFFICE/' IMAB E IMA Tech Editor N P)IMNS

NAIUEEAKirkwoo&:ask LCat*s I - EKraus Ic drie DCool

DATE II/-LI /97 11/4l 197 9/08/97 * S /97 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY l 71vi,