Information Notice 2014-06, Improper Mounting Could Damage Industrial Radiographic Equipment
| ML14059A195 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 04/28/2014 |
| From: | Laura Dudes NRC/FSME/DMSSA |
| To: | |
| Arribas-Colon M | |
| References | |
| IN-14-006 | |
| Download: ML14059A195 (3) | |
ML14059A195 UNITED STATES
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
OFFICE OF FEDERAL AND STATE MATERIALS
AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS
OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY AND SAFEGUARDS
OFFICE OF NEW REACTORS
WASHINGTON, DC 20555
APRIL 28, 2014
NRC INFORMATION NOTICE 2014-06:
DAMAGE OF INDUSTRIAL RADIOGRAPHIC
EQUIPMENT DUE TO FALLING EQUIPMENT
AND IMPROPER MOUNTING
ADDRESSEES
All U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) material licensees possessing industrial
radiographic equipment, regulated under 10 CFR Part 34. All Agreement States Radiation
Control Program Directors.
All holders of and users of a transportation package certificate of compliance under Title 10 of
the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 71, Packaging and Transportation of
Radioactive Material, that possess industrial radiographic equipment regulated under 10 CFR
Part 34.
All holders of and applicants for a power reactor early site permit, combined license, standard
design approval, or manufacturing license under 10 CFR Part 52, Licenses, Certifications, and
Approvals for Nuclear Power Plants. All applicants for a standard design certification, including
such applicants after initial issuance of a design certification rule.
PURPOSE
The NRC is issuing this Information Notice (IN) to inform licensees about the results of a recent
NRC staff analysis involving radiographic equipment. It is expected that recipients will review
the information for applicability to their facilities and temporary job sites to consider appropriate
actions to avoid similar incidents. The NRC provides this IN to the Agreement States for their
information and for distribution to their licensees, as they deem appropriate.
DESCRIPTION OF CIRCUMSTANCES
Recently, the NRC staff conducted an analysis of reported events involving radiographic
equipment documented within the Nuclear Material Events Database (NMED). The data
analyzed covered the period from Fiscal Years 2003 through 2013. The results of the analysis
identified a large number of events in which radiography sources could not be retracted
because the guide tubes (or drive cables) had been damaged after the sources were extended into the non-shielded position. Specifically, the analysis showed that equipment damage
resulted either from falling construction equipment which damaged components of the
radiographic equipment or when radiographic equipment fell as a result of inadequate
placement or support.
A summary of similar event notifications received by the NRC which involved radiographic
equipment when guide tubes (or drive cables) had been damaged is listed below. A link to each
events full report is also provided.
In 2007, radiographers attached the guide tube to a ladder within a tank, after which the
wind blew the ladder over, causing the ladder to fall on the guide tube and put a crimp in
the tube. The crimp prevented the ability to retract the source back into the shielded
position.
http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/event-status/event/2007/20070920en.html
In 2008, radiographic equipment fell from the radiographers vehicle and the guide tube
was bent where it attached to the device. The radiographers were able to straighten the
guide tube and to crank the source in and out of the equipment with increased
resistance. The radiographers continued working with the damaged guide tube. Later in
the day, they decided to dismount the device including the guide tube, and when
unscrewing the guide tube they noticed the condition of the cable and realized that the
source was not in the shielded position.
http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/event-status/event/2008/20080910en.html
In 2012, radiographic equipment fell to the ground from a valve assembly while
performing operations. The impact from the fall crimped the guide tube. The
radiographer was not able to retract the source into the shielded position due to the
crimped guide tube.
http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/event-status/event/2012/20121227en.html
In 2013, a spool fell onto a guide tube during radiography operations, causing crimping
of the guide tube. As a result of deformation of the guide tube, the radiography crew
was unable to retract the source into the shielded position.
http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/event-status/event/2013/20130801en.html
DISCUSSION
Most of these reportable events with radiographic equipment occurred when the source could
not be retracted into a shielded position and the source was left exposed. In these cases, the
specific causes of the source retraction failures were due to: (1) the falling construction
equipment which damaged components of the radiographic equipment, or (2) the radiographic
equipment itself falling as a result of inadequate placement or support.
Material licensees and transportation package certificate holders and users, possessing
industrial radiographic equipment regulated under 10 CFR Part 34, are being informed of these
events to emphasize the importance of the physical hazards which may be present in the
surrounding areas. Specifically, when performing radiography operations, construction
equipment surrounding the radiographic equipment or inadequate placement of the radiographic
equipment may cause damage to the equipment and prevent the retrieval of the source.
RELATED GENERIC COMMUNICATIONS
IN 1991-23, Accidental Radiation Overexposures To Personnel Due To Industrial Radiography
Accessory Equipment Malfunctions.
IN 1996-04, Incident Reporting Requirements for Radiography Licensees.
IN 2001-03, Incident Reporting Requirements for Radiography Licensees. (Superseded IN 1996-04).
CONTACT
This IN requires no specific action or 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.
/RA/
/RA/
Mark Lombard, Director
Laura A. Dudes, Director
Division of Spent Fuel
Division of Materials Safety
Storage and Transportation
and State Agreements
Office of Nuclear Material Safety
Office of Federal and State Materials
and Safeguards
and Environmental Management Programs
/RA/
Michael C. Cheok, Director
Division of Construction Inspection
Operational Programs
Office of New Reactors
Technical Contact:
(301) 415-6026
E-mail: Maria.Arribas-Colon@nrc.gov
Enclosure:
FSME List of Recently Issued
Generic Communications
CONTACT
This IN requires no specific action or 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.
/RA/
/RA/
Mark Lombard, Director
Laura A. Dudes, Director
Division of Spent Fuel
Division of Materials Safety
Storage and Transportation
and State Agreements
Office of Nuclear Material Safety
Office of Federal and State Materials
and Safeguards
and Environmental Management Programs
/RA/
Michael C. Cheok, Director
Division of Construction Inspection
Operational Programs
Office of New Reactors
Technical Contact:
(301) 415-6026
E-mail: Maria.Arribas-Colon@nrc.gov
Enclosure:
FSME List of Recently Issued
Generic Communications
ML14059A195 OFFICE
FSME/LB
FSME/LB
FSME/LB
FSME/LB
NAME
MArribas-Colon
JJankovich
THerrera
MKotzalas
DATE
3/7/2014
3/10 /2014
3/10/2014
3/13/2014 OFFICE
FSME/RMSB
NMSS/SFST
NRO/DCIP
FSME/MSSA
NAME
AMcIntosh
MLombard
MCheok
LDudes
DATE
3/14/2014
4/14/2014
4/17/2014
4/28/2014 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
IN 2014-06 List of Recently Issued Office of Federal and State Materials
and Environmental Management Programs Generic Communications
Date
GC No.
Subject
Addressees
04/16/2014 RIS-2014-02 Withdrawal of NRC Generic
Letter 95-08, 10 CFR 50.54(p)
Process for Changes to Security
Plans Without Prior NRC
Approval
All holders of and applicants for
construction permits or operating
licenses for nuclear power reactors
under the provisions of Title 10,
Energy, of the Code of Federal
Regulations (10 CFR) Part 50,
Domestic Licensing of Production and
Utilization Facilities. All holders of
and applicants for a combined license, standard design approval, or
manufacturing license under 10 CFR
Part 52, Licenses, Certifications, and
Approvals for Nuclear Power
Reactors. All applicants for a standard
design certification, including such
applicants after initial issuance of a
design certification rule.
03/13/2014 RIS-2014-03 Notice of 10 CFR Part 37 Implementation Deadline for
NRC Licensees
All holders of and applicants for U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
licenses that possess Category 1 and
Category 2 quantities of radioactive
material, NRC Master Material
Licensees, Agreement State Radiation
Control Program Directors, and State
Liaison Officers
03/04/2014 IN-99-03, Rev. 1 Exothermic Reactions Involving
Dried Uranium Oxide Powder
(Yellowcake)
All operating uranium recovery
facilities that produce uranium oxide
powder (yellowcake). All Agreement
States with the authority to regulate
uranium mills (i.e., Utah, Colorado, Texas, Ohio, Illinois, and Washington).
01/10/2014 RIS-2014-01 Regulatory Requirements for
Withholding of Proprietary
Information from Public
Disclosure
All distributors of general license
devices submitting a request that
information be withheld from
public disclosure under the provisions
of Title 10 of the Code of Federal
Regulations Section 2.390, Public
Inspections, Exemptions, Requests for
Withholding. All Agreement and Non- Agreement States, and State Liaison
Officers.
IN 2014-06 List of Recently Issued Office of Federal and State Materials
and Environmental Management Programs Generic Communications
Date
GC No.
Subject
Addressees
11/15/2013 IN-2013-22 Recent Licensing Submittals
Containing Personally
Identifiable Information
All materials licensees, certificate
holders, applicants, and other entities
subject to regulation by the U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission for
the use of source, byproduct, and
special nuclear material. All Radiation
Control Program Directors and State
Liaison Officers.
10/17/2013 RIS-2013-17 Resuming Normal Interactions
Between the NRC and NRC
Stakeholders Following an
Agency Shutdown
All U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC) licensees, certificate holders, permit holders, and applicants; all Agreement and
Non-Agreement States, and State
Liaison Officers; and other
interested stakeholders.
Note: This list contains the six most recently issued generic communications, issued by the Office of
Federal and State Materials and Environmental Management Programs. A full listing of all generic
communications may be viewed at the NRC public Web site at the following address:
http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/gen-comm/index.html