ML19257D165
| ML19257D165 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07000734 |
| Issue date: | 12/26/1979 |
| From: | Book H, Cooley W NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION V) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19257D164 | List: |
| References | |
| 70-0734-79-11, 70-734-79-11, NUDOCS 8002010452 | |
| Download: ML19257D165 (5) | |
Text
U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT REGION V 70-734/79-11 Report No.70-734 Stim-696 I
Docket No.
tic,ns, gg, Safeguards Group General Atomic Company Licensee:
P. O. Box 81608 San Diego, Califcrnia 92138 Torrey Pines Mesa and Sorrento Valley Sites Facility Name:
San Diego, California Inspection at:
ober U-M, IM Inspection conducted:
Inspectors:
f h/ /[..f ) ($[.[f g/>/[rf
/
W. J. Cooley, Ft(el Fac lities Inspector
'Date Signed Date Signed
/
]
Date Signed ApprovedT y'. O bk l 2.f 2.6 f79 H. E. Book, Chief, Fuel Facility and Materials Date S'igned Safety Branch Surrmary :
Inspection on October 23-26, 1979 (Report No. 70-734/79-11)
' Areas Inspection:
Facility change and modifications; internal review and audit; safety committee activities; operations review; radiation protection; confirmatory measurements; and transportation program.
The inspection involved 29 inspector-hours onsite by one NRC inspector.
Results: flo items of noncompliance or deviations were found in the subject areas inspected.
1855 028 RV Form ?l9(7) 8 () 0 2 010 %k
DETAILS 1.
Persons Contacted
- H.
it. Wellhouser, Director, fluclear Material Control Division
- F. 0. Bold, Manager, Health Physics Services
- W. R. Mowry, Licensing Administrator K. C. Duffy, Manager, fluclear Materials Management
- R. C. McBroon, Criticality and Statistics Specialist H. O. Johnson, Supervisor Hot Cell Operations L. W. Burleigh, Hot Cell Technician R. L. McDermott, Supervisor, fluclear Material Processing Center E. I. White, Consultant S. D. Stevens, Health Physics Administrative Assistant R. J. Cockle, Lead Health Physics Technician
- R. P. Vanek, Manager, Fuel Manufacturing Department W. H. Morris, fluclear Safety Coordinator, Fuel Manufacturing Depar tment
- Denotes those attenuing the exit interview.
2.
Facility Changes and Modifications The licensee has completed the fabrication of the new hot cell stack effluent sampler. That equipment was undergoing acceptance te; ting at the time of thh inspection.
Refurbishing of the licensee's hot cell facility had been completed and a Fort St. Vrain spent fuel element had been introduced into the cells.
3.
Internal Review and Audit / Safety Committee Activities This inspect 1on included a review of audits performed by the Criticality and Radiation Safety Cummittee as well as che fluclear Safety Department. The review dated from the last inspection to approximately October,1979. Over that period of tirae eight in-spections were made by the CRSC addressed to the Quality Assurance Laboratory; vault storage facilities; Fuel Production Department operations; Triga Fuel Fabrication Facility; and the fluclear Material Processing Center. Additionally, seven nuclear safety inspections were made by representatives of the fluclear Safety Department which were addressed to the Quality Assurance Laboratory (followup on the CRSC inspection), Fuel Fabrication Facility (in both July and October,1979); Fuel Fabrication Department activities; hot cell facility; and vault storage facilities.
Most recommendations for improvement made by the licensee's auditors were directed toward the Fuel Production Department dur.ing inspec-tions dating May and August,1979.
fio violations of the' specifications 1856 029 of License SNM-696 were observed during those inspections.
The recommendations concerned primarily the labeling of fissile material containers and the obliteration of labels on empty fissile material containers. The inspections at the Fuel Production Department also revealed the improper location of a container of fissile material, the use of a non-approved storage rack, and the use of a non-approved weigh station.
Those circumstances did not appear to cause an immediate safety problem.
4.
Operations Review This inspection included visits to the Nuclear Material Processing Center, hot cell facilities, and the Fuel Production Department.
During the visit to the Processing Center it was observed that approximately 250 DOT specification 17H drums were ready for trans-fer to a low-level waste burial site. Approximately 60 of those drums were inspected for integrity, possible leakage, external radiation level, and labeling.
There was no evidence of liquid leaking from those drums.
One of the drums was opened by the licensee and was found to contain solidified cement with no indication of residual liquid.
Labels on the containers indicated the actual contents (typically depleted uranium, thorium and uranium-235).
Labeling indicated the total weight of radioactive material in grams, the words " Radioactive LSA GAC;" and the inscription "LSA" on the top of the drums only. The word " Radioactive" was on the top and side of each drum.
Labeling indicated the U-235 content per drum was typically between one and four grams. The drums were not sealed but are shipped in vehicles which are padlocked and sealed and transported as exclusive use only.
Surface wipes were made of three, randomly selected barrels and analyzed for alpha and beta gamma activity. The results of those measurements indicated no removable activity from the surfaces of the containers.
5.
Radiation Protection This inspection included a review of in vivo lung count results for the counting session May 1 through 8,1979. A total of 85 employees were counted in that session and 13 results were reported as positive.
The maximum indication was 76 + 46 ug U-235 where the ifmit of detection of the counting procedure is approximately 30 ug.
This inspection included a review of contamination surveys made by Health Physics technicians in the Fuel Production Department.
The review covered the month of March, 1979 and indicated maximum 2
surface contamination levels ranging from 2 to 3000 dpm/100 cm,
Survey records jndicated decontamination was occurring at approximately 2000 dpm/100 cm. The licensee retains three persons available for decontamination at the Fuel Production Department, one assigned to each of three shifts.
1856 030 This inspection included a review of air sample data obtained in the Fuel Production Department during the second quarter of 1979.
The licensee is presently obtaining approximately 1440 air samples during each six-day working week in the Fuel Production Department.
Maximum individual sample results obtained are on the order of two to three times the maximum permissible concentration on occasions.
Quarterly averages of air samples obtained are less than 25% MPC.
The licensee's bioassay program includes four urinalyses for all potentially exposed er f loyees per year and two lung counts each year for all potentially exposed employees.
A review of bioassay data during the present inspection indicated all bioassay results obtained by rt Jiometric determination of uranium were less than the limit of detection for that analysis (approximately 4% MPL). The maximum in vivo lung count results for any employee during the year January through October 13, 1979 was less than 19.1% MPL.
Quarterly averages of air sample results for the first three quarters of 1979 obtained in 19 distinct areas sampled in the Fuel Production Department were less than 10% MPC.
Two distinct areas sampled in-dicated average air concentrations greater than 10% but less than 25% MPC.
Average removable surface contaminati,on levels as measured by wipe in disintegrations per mingte/100 cm' were less than 1600 disinte-grations per minute /100 cm for all of 39 areas so measured during the first two quarters of 1979.
During the third quarter of 1979 three of those areas avera d approximately 2000 to 3000 disinte-grations per minute /100 cm The above information concerning contamination surveys and airborne concentration data was obtained from compilations made by the licensee and were verified by reference to individual entries in the health physics technician log book.
Those compilations permit and are used by the licensee for trend analysis. The Health Physics Department provides the Fuel Fabrication Department with weekly compilations of airborne radioactivity data c.s well as notations indicating the date and location of individual samples in excess of 103 MPC. That information is provided for each of three shif ts.
The Health Physics Department also provides the Fuel Fabrication Department with the results of wipe surveys, individual air sample results, and required HEPA filter changes in the form of inter-office memos on a daily basis as required.
The Health Physics Department furnishes the Fuel Fabrication Department with a quarterly summary of health physics surveillance along with an evaluation of its findings.
6.
IE Circulars Nos. 79-09 and 79-15 The substance of IE Circulars 79-09 and 79-15 were discussed with representatives of the licensee. The licensee possesses no Presur-Pak II/ IIA or SurvivAir Mark I self-contained breathing apparatus.
The licensee possesses 32 Scott Air Pak II/ IIA SCBA units for emergency use.
1855 031 All 32 units of the Scott Air Pak II/ IIA were examined for damaged diaphrams in May 1979. One damaged diaphram was found and replaced at that time.
The licensee has established an inspection program requiring that diaphraas be checked once per year; that hoses be checked for wear once per month; and that cally checks for operability be made on those units carried in the licensee's fire truck.
7.
Licensee Response to IE Bulletin I:o. 79-19 The licensee responded by letter dr.ted October 11,1979 to the subject IE Bulletin ilo. 79-19. That response was evaluated and found to include the information required in that Bulletin.
During the presently reported inspection the licensee's response to the Bulletin requirements was verified as required in tiRC TI 2600/l(a) through (g). Actions required by the licensee to respond completely to the requirements of the Bulletin included new job descriptions for two persons in the lluclear Materials Management Department; new procedures developed for the Shipping Department; and additional detailed procedures for the two persons in fluclear Materials Management who normally perform the routine audits with regard to radioactive material shipments. Those changes resulted from a management type audit of activities associated with the transfer, packaging and disposal of low-level radioactive waste.
An examination of prepared waste packages was made during this inspection and has been reported above in Section 4.
8.
Management Interview The scope and results of this inspection were discussed with licensee representatives at the conclusion of the inspection on October 26, 1979. Those persons were informed that no items of noncompliance were observed within the scope of the inspection.
1855 032