Information Notice 2009-18, Performance of Required Shutter Checks and Reporting of Gauge Shutter Failures

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Performance of Required Shutter Checks and Reporting of Gauge Shutter Failures
ML091890514
Person / Time
Issue date: 09/18/2009
From: Reis T
NRC/FSME/DMSSA
To:
Lynch, JL: Region 3/DNMS
References
IN-09-018
Download: ML091890514 (5)


UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

OFFICE OF FEDERAL AND STATE MATERIALS

AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS

WASHINGTON, DC 20555 September 18, 2009 NRC INFORMATION NOTICE 2009-18: PERFORMANCE OF REQUIRED SHUTTER

CHECKS AND REPORTING OF GAUGE

SHUTTER FAILURES

ADDRESSEES

All U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) specific and renewal fixed gauge materials

licensees. All Agreement State Radiation Control Program Directors and State Liaison Officers.

PURPOSE

The NRC is issuing this Information Notice to alert fixed gauge specific and general licensees

about the potential for the failure of shutter closure mechanisms on fixed gauges and the

requirements for reporting these events to the NRC. It is expected that recipients will review the

information for applicability to their facilities and consider actions, as appropriate, to avoid

similar incidents. Recommendations contained in this Information Notice are not new NRC

requirements; therefore, neither specific action nor written response is required. Information

herein is based upon an Information Notice issued by the State of Ohio in December 2008.

NRC is providing this Information Notice to the Agreement States for their information, and for

distribution to their licensees as appropriate.

DESCRIPTION OF CIRCUMSTANCES

Since 1990, NRC received numerous reports of fixed gauge shutter closure failures occurring

during shutter closure checks performed by licensees. The initial reports indicated that the

failures of the shutter open/close mechanisms were sudden and unexpected and most resulted

in the inability of the licensee to close the shutter on the device. In addition, most of these

reports indicated a breakage of some part of the shutter closure mechanism. An investigation

of the circumstances surrounding these events indicated several contributing factors:

1. The devices were typically operating in harsh environments with the presence of grit, dust, and other foreign materials which could get into the shutter operating

mechanism or otherwise interfere with the movement of the shutter during operation.

2. Previous shutter checks performed prior to the reported failure may have indicated

sticking or binding of the shutter during closure, although the licensee was

eventually able to get the shutter closed and reopened.

3. Periodic shutter mechanism checks were not always conducted by licensees as

required, were sometimes neglected over a prolonged period of time, and the result

was a buildup of foreign material or corrosion within the device and a stuck or frozen

shutter which could not be closed.

During the investigation of the reported shutter failures, it was also noted that additional

mechanical means, such as a pry-bar or hammer, were sometimes used to attempt to move a

stuck shutter operating mechanism. Furthermore, Ohios investigation revealed that many

additional similar events had occurred involving fixed gauges, but were not reported as required.

These incidents were identified through service and maintenance reports from manufacturers

and service providers.

DISCUSSION

Fixed gauges containing licensed radioactive materials are used by specific and general

licensees in a wide variety of manufacturing and processing operations to measure parameters

such as flow rates, thickness, density, or volume. The shutter on a fixed gauge is a safety

feature designed to eliminate or significantly reduce the radiation levels at the opening of a fixed

gauge when the shutter is in the closed position. Additionally, shutter closure is necessary to

allow licensee or service personnel to perform certain operations or maintenance activities on or

near the gauge. Therefore, the inability to close the shutter, due to the presence of corrosion or

foreign materials, breakage of the closure mechanism, or some other cause, is considered by

NRC to be a failure of equipment to operate as designed and for which there is no redundant

equipment to perform the required safety function. As such, an NRC licensee which possesses

a fixed gauge with a shutter that cannot be closed is required to notify NRC within twenty-four

hours of any such incident, in accordance with 10 CFR 30.50(b)(2). In addition, the licensee is

required to follow-up the initial report within 30 days with a written report describing the

circumstances which led to the shutter failure and the corrective actions taken. The 30-day

follow-up report is required by 10 CFR 30.50(c)(2).

Fixed gauges routinely operate in a continuous mode with the shutter open, exposing the

radioactive source inside. A shutter closure check is a periodic maintenance activity to be

performed by licensees possessing fixed gauges in accordance with the procedures included in

the manufacturers instructions. The requirement for NRC fixed gauge licensees to conduct

these checks is found in 10 CFR 31.5 (c)(2) for general licensees, and by license condition for

specific licensees. Licensees are required to document that the checks have been performed.

The typical timeframe for conducting a shutter check is every six months.

Licensees should promptly contact the manufacturer or other licensed service provider for

guidance on necessary maintenance or service and whenever the gauge requires repair. At no

time should the licensee attempt to apply additional force or pressure to the closure mechanism

through the use of pry bars, hammers, or other mechanical means. Use of such methods is

prohibited and may cause damage to or breakage of the operating handle or the bolts used in

assembly of the device.

NRC fixed gauge licensees are advised that NRC will place additional emphasis during future

inspections on licensee performance of required shutter checks, documentation of the checks, and reporting of equipment failures such as those described in this Information Notice.

CONTACT

S

This Information Notice requires no specific licensee action or response. If you have any

questions about the information in this notice, please contact one of the technical contacts

below, or the appropriate regional office.

Terry Reis for /RA/

Robert J. Lewis, Director

Division of Materials Safety

and State Agreements

Office of Federal and State Materials

and Environmental Management Programs

Technical Contacts: J. Bruce Carrico, FSME

(301) 415-7826 E-mail: Jbruce.Carrico@nrc.gov

Jim Lynch, Region III

(630) 829-9661 E-mail: james.lynch@nrc.gov

Enclosure: List of Recently Issued FSME

Generic Communications

CONTACT

S

This Information Notice requires no specific licensee action or response. If you have any

questions about the information in this notice, please contact one of the technical contacts

below, or the appropriate regional office.

Terry Reis for /RA/

Robert J. Lewis, Director

Division of Materials Safety

and State Agreements

Office of Federal and State Materials

and Environmental Management Programs

Technical Contacts: J. Bruce Carrico, FSME

(301) 415-7826 E-mail: Jbruce.Carrico@nrc.gov

Jim Lynch, Region III

(630) 829-9661 E-mail: james.lynch@nrc.gov

Enclosure: List of Recently Issued FSME

Generic Communications

ML091890514 OFC RIII/DNMS RIII/DNMS FSME/RMSB FSME/LB FSME/RMSB FSME/MSSA

NAME JLynch: sxg6 SReynolds AMcIntosh JFoster CEinberg RLewis

DATE 07/09/09 07/09/09 07/27/09 07/27/09 08/10/09 09/18/09 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

IN 2009-18 List of Recently Issued Office of Federal and State Material

and Environmental Management Programs Generic Communications

Date GC No. Subject

Addressees

03/30/09 IN-2009-07 Withholding of Proprietary All current holders of and potential applicants

Information from Public Disclosure for licenses, certificates of compliance, permits, or standard design certifications, as

well as any other persons submitting a request

that information be withheld from public

disclosure under the provisions of Title 10 of

the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR)

Section 2.390, Public inspections, exemptions, requests for withholding.

07/27/09 IN-2009-12 Exempt Distribution Licensing All holders of NRC exempt distribution licenses

Requirements For Irradiated authorized to distribute irradiated gemstones.

Gemstones Organizations associated with importing, distributing or selling irradiated gemstones or

jewelry containing irradiated gemstones. All

Radiation Control Program Directors and State

Liaison Officers.

07/29/09 IN-2003-22, Heightened Awareness for Patients All U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

Supplement 1 Containing Detectable Amounts of medical-use licensees and NRC master

Radiation from Medical Administrations material licensees; all Agreement State

Radiation Control Program Directors and State

Liaison Officers.

04/29/09 RIS-2009-05 Uranium Recovery Policy Regarding: (1) All holders of operating licenses for uranium

The Process for Scheduling Licensing recovery facilities and all companies who have

Reviews of Applications for New submitted applications to construct new

Uranium Recovery Facilities and (2) The uranium recovery facilities of all types

Restoration of Groundwater at Licensed (conventional mills, heap leach operations, and

Uranium In-Situ Recovery Facilities in-situ recovery facilities) or letters of intent to

submit such applications.

05/07/09 RIS-2009-07 Status Update for the Implementation All U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

of NRC Regulatory Authority for Certain material and fuel cycle licensees. All Radiation

Naturally Occurring and Accelerator- Control Program Directors and State Liaison

Produced Radioactive Material Officers.

07/13/09 RIS-2009-09 Use Of Multiple Dosimetry and All U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Compartment Factors in licensees, Agreement State Radiation Control

Determining Effective Dose Equivalent Program Directors, and State Liaison Officers.

from External Radiation Exposures

Note: This list contains the six most recently issued generic communications, issued by the Office of Federal and State

Materials and Environmental Management Programs (FSME). A full listing of all generic communications may be viewed at

the NRC public website at the following address: http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/gen-comm/index.html