ML19260E253
| ML19260E253 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07000398 |
| Issue date: | 11/30/1979 |
| From: | Clemons P, Stohr J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19260E237 | List: |
| References | |
| 70-0398-79-01, 70-398-79-1, NUDOCS 8002140276 | |
| Download: ML19260E253 (4) | |
Text
U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
)1 0FFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT h
REGION I Report No.
70-398/79-01 Docket No.70-398 License No.
SNM-362 Priority 1
Category PU-UR Licensee:
U.S. Department of Commerce National Bureau of Standards Washington, D.C.
20234 Facility Name:
National Bureau of Standards Inspection At:
Gaithersburg, Maryland Inspection Conducted:
October 17-19, 1979 Inspectors: [_[Pw/
0[27 P. Clemons, Radiation Specialist date date date
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Approved by:
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75 J. P. Stohr, Chief, Radiation Support Section, date FF&MS Branch Inspection Summary:
Inspection on October 17-19, 1979 (Report No. 70-398/79-01)
Areas Inspected:
Routine, unannounced inspection by a regional based inspector of the Radiation Protection Program including:
ventilation, receiving radioactive material, leak test, annual report, drills, smear surveys, posting and labeling, liquid waste, bioassay, dosimetry, medical exams, air samples, training, and solid waste.
Shortly after arrival, areas where work was being conducted were examined to review radiation control procedures and practices.
The inspection involved 19 inspector-hours onsite by one regional based NRC inspector.
Results:
Of the 14 areas inspected, no items of noncompliance were identified in 13 areas.
One apparent item of noncompliance was identified in one area (Deficiency - failed to maintain records, Paragraph 1).
8002140 Region I Form 167 (August 1979)
DETAILS 1.
Persons Contacted Mr. R. Bartlett, Jr., Director, Administrative and Information Systems Mr. K. Bell, Deputy Director, Administrative and Information Systems Mr. T. Hobbs, Supervisory Health Physicist Mr. L. Pevey, Chief, Occupational Health and Safety Division Dr. A. Schwebel, Supervisory Health Physicist The inspector interviewed several other licensee employees during the course of the inspection.
2.
Survey Records On October 17, 1979, as the inspector toured the Rad Waste Building, he observed a compactor in the area.
He was informed that the compactor was routinely used to compact solid waste.
The inspector asked if air samples had been taken as the compactor was being used.
He was told that air samples had been taken on at least two occasions as waste was compacted.
The inspector asked to see the survey results, but the licensee did not maintain records of the surveys as stated by a licensee representative.
10 CFR 20.201(b) requires each licensee to make or cause to be made such surveys as may be necessary for him to comply with the regulations.
10 CFR 20.201(a) states, "As used in the regulations in this part, " survey" means an evaluation of the radiation hazards incident to the production, use, release, disposal, or presence of radioactive materials or other sources of radiation under a specific set of conditions.
When appropriate, such evaluation includes a physical survey of the location of materials and equipment, and measurements of levels of radiation or concentrations of radioactive material present."
10 CFR 20.401(b) states, "Each licensee shall maintain records in the same units used in this part, showing the results of surveys required by 10 CFR 201(b)..."
The inspector noted that failure to maintain survey records as required by 10 CFR 20.401(b) represents noncompliance with the regulations (79-01-01).
3.
Leak Test Condition 14 of Special Nuclear Material License No. SNM-362, requires that sealed plutonium sources be leak tested at a certain frequency.
The licensee has two plutonium sources, and the inspector reviewed leak test data, for the period January-September,1979, which indicated that the sources were being leak tested at three month intervals.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
3 4.
Annual Report 10 CFR 20.407(b) requires licensees to submit personnel exposure and moni-toring reports to the Director of Management and Program Analysis within the first quarter of each calendar year.
The inspector reviewed the licensee's statistical report that was submitted, but the licensee did not have a cover letter to confirm that the report was submitted in the proper time frame.
The Director's office verified that the report had been submitted in a timely manner.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
5.
Ventilation Condition No. 10 of Special Nuclear Material Licence No. SNM-362 incorporates the statements, representations, and conditions specified in the licensee's application dated December 18, 1975.
On Page 3 of the licensee's December 18, 1975 application is a requirement that air velocities across hood faces be maintained at a nominal 30.5 linear meters per minute.
The inspector reviewed velometer data for the period January-June,1979, to determine if the required linear face velocity was being maintained.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
6.
Receiving Radioactive Material 10 CFR 20.205(b)(1) requires that each licensee, upon receipt of a package of radioactive material, shall monitor the external surfaces of the package for radioactive contamination caused by leakage of the radioactive contents.
The inspector reviewed documentation of ten receipts of radioactive material during the period January-September,1979, to determine if the licensee was in compliance with the monitoring requirements.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
7.
Posting The inspector reviewed the licensee's facility for posting as required by 10 CFR 19 and 10 CFR 20.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
8.
Smear Surveys Smear surveys are performed throughout the licensee's facilities to detect the presence of radioactive material as required by 10 CFR 20.201(b).
4 The inspector reviewed smear survey data 'or the period January-August, 1979.
All data indicates that the contamination levels are well within the licensee's internal limits.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
9.
Evacuation Drills Evacuation drills are required to be held twice annually as stated in the licensee's application dated December 18, 1975.
The inspector reviewed documentation which indicated that the drills were conducted on April 6, 1979 and September 28, 1979.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
10.
Liquid Waste The licensee does not routinely discharge liquid waste to the sanitary sewer.
The licensee has two 5,000 gallon storage tanks that collects water from laboratory sinks.
The last discharge was made during June, 1974, and the activity prior to discharge was 9 x 10-9 microcuries per milliliter of water according to data posted on one of the storage tanks in Building 245.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
11.
Dosimetry The licensee does not provide dosimetry devices to employees routinely working with special nuclear material because the quantities of material utilized are very small, and also because the licensee has determined that no employee-will aporoach twenty five percent of the permitted exposure.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
12.
Exit Interview The inspector met with licensee representatives (denoted in Paragraph 1) at the conclusion of the inspection on October 19, 1979.
The inspector summarized the purpose and the scope of the inspection, and the findings as presented in this report.