Information Notice 1985-97, Jail Term for Former Contractor Employee Who Intentionally Falsified Welding Inspection Records, Attachment 1 to NRC Information Notice 1986-054

Jail Term for Former Contractor Employee Who Intentionally Falsified Welding Inspection Records, Attachment 1 to NRC Information Notice 1986-054

ML031220700
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, 05000000, Zimmer, Fort Saint Vrain, Shoreham, Satsop, Trojan, Atlantic Nuclear Power Plant, Skagit, Marble Hill
Issue date:	12/26/1985
From:	Jordan E NRC/IE
To:
References
IN-86-054 IN-85-097, NUDOCS 8512230036
Download: ML031220700 (3)

SSINS No.: 6835 IN 85-97 UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Attachment 1 OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT IN 86-54 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 June 27. 1986 December 26, 1985 IE INFORMATION NOTICE NO. 85-97: JAIL TERM FOR FORMER CONTRACTOR EMPLOYEE WHO

INTENT

IONALLY FALSIFIED WELDING INSPECTION

RECORDS

Addressees

All nuclear power reactor facilities holding an operating license (OL) or a

construction permit (CP).

Purpose

This information notice is to inform licensees, contractors and their employees

of the criminal prosecution by the U.S. Department of Justice of a contractor

QC inspector employed at the Seabrook Nuclear Power Station, and a resultant

jail sentence. The individual intentionally falsified records of liquid penetrant

and magnetic particle testing of welding joints in piping, pipe braces and

structural steel. The NRC suggests that recipients review and provide widespread

dissemination of this notice to employees and contractors' employees involved in

safety-related activities, especially those employees involved in making and

keeping records. The NRC further suggests that recipients remind their own and

contractor employees that not only are licensees subject to civil enforcement

action for violations of NRC requirements, but individuals who intentionally

violate these requirements are also subject to criminal prosecution. The

suggestions for dissemination of this notice do not constitute NRC requirements;

therefore, no specific action or written response is required.

Description of Circumstances

In March 1983, management of Pullman Higgins (P-H), principal contractor for

construction of the Seabrook Nuclear Power Station, identified deficiencies in

a QC inspection report of liquid penetrant and magnetic particle testing. Rather

than assuming the deficiency to be an isolated occurrence, P-H investigated other

reports prepared by the individual and found similar deficiencies. As a result, the individual's employment was terminated in April 1983.

Subsequently, during an investigation conducted by the NRC's Office of

Investigation (OI), the individual, after initial denial, admitted falsifying

the inspection reports in that he documented work as being complete and accept- able when, in fact, he had not performed the inspection of the work. Further, the individual also admitted that he had lied on his job application and resume

regarding his formal education and previous NOE certification. The case was

8512230036

IN 85-97 ' December 26, 1985 referred to the Department of Justice and on September 30, 1985, the U.S. ,

Attorney in New Hampshire announced that the individual was sentenced to six

months imprisonment and three years probation following his guilty plea to two

counts of an indictment charging, under 18 U.S.C. §1001, that he filed false

statements on documents required by the NRC to be maintained.

Discussion:

Licensees have the responsibility to ensure the safe construction and operation

of nuclear power generating facilities to ensure quality in all licensed

activities. In so doing, licensees must not only use trained individuals, maintain accurate records, and provide adequate procedures, but must also

exercise supervision over their employees and their contractor employees to

assure adherence to procedures and NRC requirements. While violations of NRC

requirements caused by inattention to detail or human error are unacceptable

to the NRC and may result in civil enforcement action, they do not subject

individuals to criminal prosecution. However, violations caused by intentional

acts may subject corporations, the individual wrongdoer, and others who knew

and condoned his acts to criminal prosecution. As evidenced by this reported

case, the criminal sanctions available may include a jail sentence.

No specific action or written response is required by this information notice.

If you have any questions about this matter, please contact the Regional

Administrator of the appropriate regional office or this office.

wrdan, rector

Divisi of Emergency Preparedness

and gineering Response

Office of Inspection and Enforcement

Steve Burns, ELD

492-7268 Attachment: List of Recently Issued Information Notices

Attachment 1 IN 86-54 June 27, 1986 Attachment 2 IN 86-54 June 27, 1986 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED

IE INFORMATION NOTICES

Information Date of

Notice No. Subject Issue Issued to

86-53 Improper Use Of Heat Shrink- 6/26/86 All power reactor

able Tubing facilities holding

an OL or CP

86-52 Conductor Insulation Degrada- 6/26/86 All power reactor

tion On Foxboro Model E facilities holding

Controllers an OL or CP

86-51 Excessive Pneumatic Leakage 6/18/86 All BWR facilities

In The Automatic Depressuriza- holding an OL or CP

tion System

86-50 Inadequate Testing To Detect 6/18/86 All power reactor

Failures Of Safety-Related facilities holding

Pneumatic Components Or an OL or CP

Systems

86-49 Age/Environment Induced 6/16/86 All power reactor

Electrical Cable Failues facilities holding

an OL or CP

86-48 Inadequate Testing Of Boron 6/13/86 All BWR facilities

Solution Concentration In The holding an OL or CP

Standby Liquid Control System

86-47 Feedwater Transient With 6/9/86 All BWRs and PWRs

Partial Failure Of The facilities holding

Reactor Scram System an OL or CP

86-46 Improper Cleaning And Decon- 6/12/86 All power reactor

tamination Of Respiratory facilities holding

Protection Equipment an OL or CP and

fuel fabrication

facilities

86-45 Potential Falsification Of 6/10/86 All power reactor

Test Reports On Flanges facilities holding

Manufactured By Golden Gate an OL or CP and

Forge And Flange, Inc. research and test

facilities

UL - Operating License

CP = Construction Permit