ML16211A052
| ML16211A052 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 07/28/2016 |
| From: | Office of Public Affairs Region I |
| To: | |
| References | |
| Press Release-I-16-024 | |
| Download: ML16211A052 (1) | |
See also: see also:Press Release-I-16-024
Text
No. I-16-024 July 28, 2016
Contact: Diane Screnci, 610-337-5330
Neil Sheehan, 610-337-5331
NRC Proposes $7,000 Fine for Georgia Firm for Violations
Involving Radiography Work
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is proposing a $7,000 civil penalty for a Georgia-based
company for failing to comply with agency requirements while performing industrial radiography work
at a job site in Virginia.
On Oct. 20, 2015, a radiographer for Applied Technical Services (ATS) Inc., of Marietta, Ga.,
was using radiography equipment to check on a pipe weld at the National Aeronautics and Space
Administrations (NASA) Langley Research Center when the NRC conducted an unannounced safety
inspection and identified several concerns. Issues found during that inspection also triggered an
investigation by the NRCs Office of Investigation.
Based on the results of both the inspection and investigation, the NRC has identified three
violations of NRC regulations: 1) a failure to post conspicuous radiation or high radiation signs to
establish a clear boundary in an area where industrial radiography was being performed; 2) a failure to
conduct a radiological survey of the camera guide tube after taking a pipe weld image; and 3) a failure
to comply with a condition of the companys nuclear materials license from the State of Georgia that
requires continuous direct visual surveillance of the radiography work to guard against unauthorized
entries into the radiation area.
ATS is a consulting engineering firm that holds nuclear materials licenses from both the NRC
and Georgia. Georgia, as an NRC Agreement State, issued the company a license allowing it to perform
radiography work within its borders and in other Agreement States. When the firm is working at federal
facilities, such as the NASA site, it falls under the jurisdiction of the NRC.
The NRC is also issuing a Severity Level III Notice of Violation to the radiographer for
deliberately failing to post warnings in the area where the industrial radiography was being performed.
Contrary to NRC regulations, radiography work was being performed in this case without the
proper precautions in places. These steps are required for the protection of both the public and those
performing the activities, NRC Region I Administrator Dan Dorman said. While no one was harmed
by this breach of requirements, the lack of adherence to these important requirements is unacceptable.