ML041910138

Press Release-lll-04-041: NRC to Meet with Detroit Firm on Apparent Transportation and Storage Violations

ML041910138
Person / Time
Issue date:	07/09/2004
From:	Office of Public Affairs Region II
To:
References
Press Release-III-04-041
Download: ML041910138 (2)

Text

NRC NEWS U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 2443 Warrenville Road Lisle IL 60532 Web Site: http://www.nrc.gov E-mail: opa3@nrc.gov No. III-04-041 July 8, 2004 CONTACT: Jan Strasma (630) 829-9663 Viktoria Mitlyng (630) 829-9662 NRC TO MEET WITH DETROIT FIRM ON APPARENT TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE VIOLATIONS The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff will meet on Friday, July 16, with representatives of Imaging Subsurface, Inc., Detroit, Michigan, to discuss three apparent violations of NRC requirements for the safe transportation and storage of gauges containing sealed radiation sources.

The meeting, called a predecisional enforcement conference, will be held at 9 a.m. CDT at the NRC Region III Office, 2443 Warrenville Road, Lisle, Illinois. The meeting is open to public observation, and NRC officials will be available before the conclusion of the meeting to respond to questions and comments from the public.

Imaging Subsurface uses nuclear gauges containing sealed radiation sources to test soil conditions at road and other construction sites.

An NRC inspection in April found three apparent violations: failing to adequately secure a gauge while it was being transported by truck, failing to have required shipping documents readily available while the gauge was being transported, and failing to lock a second gauge or its container while in storage. None of the apparent violations resulted in the loss of a gauge or a direct safety hazard. The company took steps to correct the violations before the NRC inspection was completed.

These apparent violations are similar to those identified in a 2003 inspection, said Marc Dapas, Director of the Region III Division of Nuclear Materials Safety. They are of concern to the NRC because they indicate ineffective management of the companys radiation safety program regarding proper and timely corrective actions for the violations found in the previous inspection.

The decision to hold a predecisional enforcement conference does not mean that a determination has been made that a violation has occurred or that enforcement action will be taken.

The purpose of the conference is to discuss apparent violations, their causes and safety significance; to provide the licensee an opportunity to point out any errors that may have been made in the NRC inspection report; and to enable the company to outline its proposed corrective actions.

No decision on the apparent violations or any contemplated enforcement action, such as a fine, will be made at the conference.

If the NRC subsequently concludes that significant enforcement action is warranted, the NRC will post the action on the agencys enforcement web page:

http://www.nrc.gov/what-we-do/regulatory/enforcement/current.html.