ML19281A894
| ML19281A894 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07000371 |
| Issue date: | 02/27/1979 |
| From: | Crocker H, Plumlee K NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19281A893 | List: |
| References | |
| 70-0371-79-03, 70-371-79-3, NUDOCS 7904160110 | |
| Download: ML19281A894 (12) | |
Text
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U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT Region I Report No. 70-371/79-03 Docket No.70-371 License No.
SNM-368 Priority 1
Category UR Licensee:
United Nuclear Corporation 67 Sandy Desert Road Uncasville, Connecticut 06382 Facility Name:
Naval Products Division Inspection at:
Montville, Connecticut.
Inspection conducted:
January 29 - February 2,1979 Inspectors:
//A E E/
k O
'. E. P'lumlee, Radiation Specialist date signed date signed date signed Approved by t
,2 /2 7/79 H. W. Crocker, Acting Chief, Radiation
/ dats signe(
Support Section, FF&MS Branch Inspection Summary:
Inspection on January 29-February 2,1979 (Report No. 70-371/79-03)
Areas Inspected:
Routine, unannounced inspection by a regional based inspector of the radiation protection program and radioactive waste management including:
organ :ation; facility changes and modifications; operations; radiation protection procecures; instruments and equipment; exposure controls; posting, labeling and control; surveys; notifications and reports; effluent releases; effluent sampling and monitoring; procedures for controlling effluent releases; waste storage; and, waste records. The initial inspection and area examination was conducted during non-regular hours (9:00 p.m. to 12:00 p.m., January 29, 1979).
This inspection involved 31 inspector-hours on site by one NRC inspector.
Resul ts: No items of noncompliance were identified.
790416 o p o Region I Form 12 (Rev. April 77)
DETAILS 1.
Persons Contacted
- T. Collopy, Manager, Nuclear Safeguards
- D. Ganley, Acting General Manager
- W. Kirk, Nuclear and Industrial Safety Manager
- D. Luster, Specialist, Radiological and Environmental Control D. McFadden, Third Shift Supervisor M. VanDale, Environmental Technician denotes those present during the exit interview on February 2, 1979 2.
Radiation Protection Organization Part of the inspection effort was to identify and review any changes in staffing and to determine compliance with statements on the radiation protection staff given in the applications for License Nos. SNM-368 and 06-06884-01.
No staff changes were identified for the period January 1, 1978 to February 2,1979.
Four technicians (one being designated as lead technician) report to the Specialist, Radiological and Environ-mental Control.
The Specialist reports to the Nuclear and Indus-trial Safety Manager, whc reports to the Manager, Nuclear Safe-guards.
The above staff provides health physics coverage of
- leility including surveys; air samples; effluent sampling and r.~...toring; process hazard evaluations; work permits; review and scheduling of bioassays, in vivo counts, and film badges; waste management; surveys of incoming and departing shipments; and environmental sampling.
Evaluation of bioassay specimen, liquid environmental samples, in vivo counting data, and film badges is assigned to service companies located off site.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
3 3.
Training, Instructions, Notices and Reports Part of the inspection effort was to review the compliance with re-quirements of 10 CFR 19 to provide information, instructions, posted notices and reports to individuals participating in licensed activities, as well as to review the training provided to the radiation protection personnel described in paragraph 2 and to plant personnel.
The inspector determined by observation and record review that a list of emergency procedures is given to each individual on site.
New hires are scheduled for site indoctrination training prior to any unescorted access to process areas.
Routine annual refresher training is scheduled for those individuals working in process areas that addresses worker's responsibilities, radiation hazards and in' pections.
Routine safety meetings are held to review observed problei.s and to prepare for changes in procedures, processes and working.onditions. A formal training course for the four technicians indicated in paragraph 2 is being implemented.
Review of training attendance lists did not identify any omissions.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
4.
Radiation Protection Procedures In order to implement the Health Physics Standards stateo in Chapter 4 of the license application, the licensee maintains a health Physics Manual, which assigns duties, responsibilities and proce-dures to the members of the radiation protection organization, and also maintains a Supervisor's Health Physics Manual, which outlines the Area Supervisor's responsibilities and tLa Health Physicist's functions.
These include the following procedures and topics:
a.
HEALTH PHYSICS MANUAL Section 1 General Format and Method for Task Instructions 1-1 Section 2 Health Physics Monitoring 2-1 Smear Taking Changing Air Samples 2-2 Preparation of Urine Bottles for Plant 2-3 Distribution
4 Preparation of Bioassay Samples for Mailing 2-4 2-5 Personnel Film Badge Collection and Distribution Area Film Badge Collection and Distribution 2-6 Monitoring of Shipments and Packages 2-7 2-8 Stack Effluent Sampling Use of Health Physics Removal Tags 2-9 Collection of Fecal Samples 2-10 Monitoring Hard-to-Monitor Areas (Nose, Ears) 2-11 Monitoring of Maintenance Tools and Equipment 2-12 Prior to Removal frcm B-South Procedure for Conducting Smear Surveys for 2-13 Transferable Contamination 2-14 Determination of Airborne Particulate Radioactivity Requirements for Usage of Direct Reading Dosimeters 2-15 Procedure for Leak Checking Radioactivity Source 2-16 Containment Section 3 Health Physics Instrumentation / Equipment 3-1 Calibration of Alpha Counter / Scaler Systems Operation of Beta /Gamnia Counter / Scaler Systems 3-- 2 3-3 Calibration and Testing of Portable Alpha Counters - PAC 4-G's Calibration and Testing of Alpha Hand Monitors 3-4 3-5 Calibration and Testing of Neutron Meters 3-6 Rotating Vacuum Pump for Central Vacuum System Respirator Decontamination 3-7 3-8 Charging Big Beam Flashlights 3-9 Pre-0perational Check of Portable Gas Flow Alpha Counter Model 3-10 Calibration of Alpha Survey Instruments Pre-Operational Checks of Portable Beta / Gamma 3-11 Survey Instruments Pre-Operational Check of Instrumentation 3-12 3-13 Operation of Alpha Counter / Scaler Systems 3-14 Check and Calibration of Fixed Air Sampling Equipment 3-15 Use and Operation of Hi-Vol Air Samples Section 4 Rad Waste System 4-1 Operating the Rad Waste System Sampling of Receiving Tanks 1 and 2 Before 4-2 Discharge
5 4-3 Standpipe Procedure for Handling Filter Changes, Rad Waste Filters Internal Transfer Filter Changes (Short Version) 4-3A Preparation of Receiving Tanks 1 and 2 for 4-4 Overnight and Weekend Service Transfer of Rad Waste from Raschig Ring Tanks 4-5 to Centrifuge Receiving Tank Transfer of Rad Waste from Centrifuge Receiving 4-6 Tank or Shower Tank to Retention Tanks Discharge of Rad Waste from Retention Tank to 4-7 Septic Tank Preparation of Liquid Waste Analysis Samples 4-8 Radiometric Assay of Rad Waste - Short Form 4-8A Cleaning of Raschig Rings 4-9 4-10 Centrifuge Bowl Cleanout 4-11 Measuring Raschig Ring Levels in Receiving Tanks 4-12 Disposition of Internal Transfer Rad Waste Filters 4-13 Radioactive Sludge Control Section 5 Production Equipment / Operations 5-1 Standpipe Filter Cnanges 5-2 Cleanout of Standpipe Systems 5-3 Hood Velocity Measurements 5-4 X-Ray Unit Surveillance 5-5 Absolute Filter Manometer Readings 5-G Changing Controlled Area Vacuum Cleaner Filters 5-7 00P Testing of HEPA Filters Disposal of Autoclave Water 5-8 Cutomatic Cleanout - HP Coverage 5-9 5-10 Removal / Packaging of B-South Autoclave Coupons 5-11 Disposition of Sectioning Area Pickling Acid Section 6 Environmental Monitoring 6-1 Ambient Air Sampling for NO 6-2 Ambient Air Sampling for Alpha / Gamma Radioactivity 6-3 Sampling of Site Test Wells 6-4 Surface Water Sampling 6-5 Water Level Readings in Test Wells 5-6 Process Pond Discharge Sampling 6-7 Norwich City Water Sampling 6-8 Septic Tank Sludge Sampling 6-9 Septic Tank Effluent Sampling 6-10 Soil Sampling 6-11 Wind Recorder Operation 6-12 Calibration and Testing of pH Meter
6 b.
SUPERVISOR'S HEALTH PHYSICS GUIDE Division 1 General Regulations 1-1 Responsibility for Control of Contamination and Radiation Hazard 1-2 Health Physics Surveillance 1-3 Health Physics Evaluations 1-4 Classification of Health Physics Controlled Areas 1-5 Basic Building B Contamination Control Regulations 1-6 General Rules for Handling Radioactive Materials 1-7 Vendor or Contractor Indoctrination 1-8 Visitor Indoctrination Health Physi's Records Gen'erated and Retained 1-9 c
Division 2 Radiation Control 2-1 Surface Contamination Control 2-2 Airborne Contamination Control 2-3 External Radiation Control 2-4 Bioassay Program 2-5 Protective Clothing 2-6 Smoking, Eating and Drinking in Controlled Areas Division 3 Environmental Control 3-1 Liquid Waste and Effluent 3-2 Solid Waste The licensee is conducting review of the respiratory protection program.
Review of the above procedures did not identify any items of noncompliance.
Observation of work performed throughout the facility did not identify any failure to follow procedures, guides or standards.
5.
Instruments and Eouipment a.
Ventilation Systems and Hoods The License Application, Section 4.4.2 " Health Physics Standards -
Ventilation" requires that air flow shall be from contamination free areas into potentially contaminated areas and from areas of lower to areas of higher contamination.
The minimum face flow velocity is 50 fpm for fume hoods and 100 fpm for general purpose hoods and local exhaust equipment.
Except for inert atmosphere
7 systems, gloveboxes are to be maintained with slight negative pressure. All process exhaust systems that receive greater than 25% mpc are to discharge through > 99.95% efficient HEPA filters, and the filters are to be changed when the flow re-sistance (AP) reaches 4 inches H 0.
Scrubbers preclean the 2
exhaust from the sectioning area and from fume hoods in the Chemistry Lab.
Quarterly checks and followup on maintenance and modifications are also provided to assure that these standards are maintained.
The inspector observed the status of ventilation sy:tems through-out the facility and surveyed each roof vent.
The inspector used an NRC velometer to confirm the direction and velocity of air flow at each hood and ventilated work area.
The inspector also sampled the records of licensee surveillance and maintenance.
No improperly operating or neglected equipment was identified.
The inspector has no further questions on this item.
b.
Monitoring Eauipment The inspector toured the facility and observed the status of the air samplers, portable survey instruments and friskers.
The inspector observed the instrument response to check sources and where alarms were provided, the trip set point.
No mal-functions were identified.
The inspector reviewed records of the periodic instrument cali-brations and servicing.
No items of noncortpliance were identified.
c.
Building Addition The inspector toured a building addition that was in construction.
Review of the planned use of the facility did not identify any problems.
8 6.
Exposure Controls a.
External Exposures The inspector toured the facility to observe working conditions and to measure the radiation dese rates in the facility. The inspector also verified that protective clothing, shoe covers, gloves and eye protection (and respiratory protection equip-ment) were available and were used where appropriate.
The inspector reviewed the licensee's dosimetry records for the two calendar years 1977 and 1978 and the lost badge reports.
Except for a badge that was reported to have fallen off in an X-ray room during November,1977, receiving 520 mrem, the badge reports indicated that the accumulated whole body dose during either calendar year to any individual was less than 400 mrem.
Neutron badges were routinely issued to 12 individuals during 1977 and to 14 during 1978, whose job assignments involved po-tential or actual neutron exposures.
Review of these records and records of badges used as area monitors did not identify any significant personnel exposures.
The area monitor badge exposures generally were in agreement with the radiation survey results using portable monitoring instruments.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
b.
Internal Exposures 10 CFR 20.103 " Exposure of individuals to concentrations of radioactive materials in restricted areas," and Section 4.2.2, 4.2.3 and 4.3 of the license application require limits on personnel exposures to airborne radioactive materials, perform-ance of routine and special bioassays, in vivo counting, air sampling and the use of appropriate respiratory protection equipment.
(1)
Equipment for Control of Respiratory Hazards The inspector during tours of the facility observed the availability of air samplers, protective clothing, friskers, respiratory protection equipment, lavatories, showers and eating and smoking areas.
The inspector noted that continuous air monitoring was not provided in an area where thoriated tungsten welding electrode tips were ground. No grinding was done while the inspector was in this area, and no items of noncompliance were identified.
This operation will be observed on a subsequent routine inspection during grinding (371/79-03-01).
9 (2) Urinalyses The inspector reviewed licensee records of urinalyses performed during 1978.
No excessive uptake was reported for any of the plant personnel.
Review of investigations and job restrictions indicated that the licensee 50 dpm/ liter and 100 dpm/ liter urinalysis action levels were observed. The maximum reported urinalysis result was 247 i 12 dpm/ liter for any of the plant personnel.
The inspector has no further questions on the above results.
The urinalysis result reported for a job applicant was 3,681 1 51 dpm/ liter, which signific.antly exceeded the above values.
The licensee representative contacted the applicant to obtain a second specimen and also recom-mended that the applicant obtain the advice of a physician.
The applicant declined to provide another sample and also failed to return to the site.
The licensee plans no further action on this item.
No licensee responsibility was identified.
The inspector has no further questions of the licensee on this matter at this time.
Review indicated that the job applicant had previously been-in military service.
On February 13, 1979, the Chief of Health Physics, U.3. Anny DARCOM, was informed by telephone of the above urinalysis results.
A U.S.
Army representative stated that the case will be reviewed and appropriate action will be taken.
(3)
In Vivo Determinations Review of reports of 42 in vivo determinations performed (on an annual basis) during October 23-25, 1978, indicated that 29 were less than the minimum detectable quantity and the six highest results that persisted through a recount ranged from 50 to 63 micrograms of U-235. This is 20% to 25% of the permissable body burden.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
7.
Posting, Labeling and Control of Radiation Hazards Part of the inspection effort was to review the licensee's compli-ance with requirements of 10 CFR 20.203 to post signs, label containers and control access to radiation hazards.
10 During tours of the facility the inspector observed tile storage and the movement of radioactive materials, component processing and waste management.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
8.
Surveys and Source Leak Tests Part of the inspection effort was to review licensee compliance with the requirements of 10 CFR 20.201 " Surveys" to make such evaluations as are necessary to comply with other requirements of 10 CFR 20, in-cluding dose rate determinations to control personnel exposures, deter-minations of the contents of containers in order to label and control the containers of radioactive materials, and determinations in order to post and control access to radiation areas, high radiation areas and airborne radioactivity areas.
The inspector performed confirmatory surveys throughout the facility and also around the exterior of the buildings, as well as the con-trolled area. No contamination and no radiation dose rate was identi-fied outside the buildings and the parked transport equipment in the area.
The inspector reviewed source leak test records and survey records.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
9.
Notifications and Reports Part of the inspection effort was to review file copies of reports to individuals pursuant to 10 CFR 19.13 and to the NRC pursuant to 10 CFR 20.407.
Review of these records did not identify any items of noncompliance.
- 10. Waste Manacement a.
Liquid Effluents Waste water frcm the sanitary supply flows to either the septic system or the liquid radwaste treatment system wnich is discharged through a filter to the septic system after sampling and upgrading
11 as appropriate.
The septic system effluent is carried to a septic field.
Observation did not identify any surface effluent from the septic field.
Cooling water generally is drawn from plant wells and discharged into a cooling pond system after use. The pond system outfall is to the natural surface drainage at the site.
Surface water runoff is to a local branch into the Thames River.
Review of licensee records of effluent samples indicated that during 1978 the septic system liquid sample and the sludge sample activi-ties were no greater than a few dpm/g. The pond system outfall sample and the river samples from upstream and downstream loca-tions were indicated to be not greater than 5 dpm/ml of alpha activity.
The outfall activities appeared indistinguishable from the levels reported in samples of the sanitary water supply, and this was attributed to natural radioactivity and to counting statistics and other variabir.s.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
b.
Gaseous Effluents The ventilation exhaust from contaminated areas is through filters and the effluent is continually sampled for particulates. The exhaust from radiochemistry hood flows through scrubbers prior to filtration.
The licensee representative stated that no filter had ever blown out at this site and that no unmonitored airborne release of air-borne radioactive materials had occurred over the past 12 months.
The inspector reviewed the gaseous effluent sample records, work sheets and reports to the NRC.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
c.
Solid Waste Shipments The inspector reviewed the records of solid waste disposal during 1978.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
12 d.
Ooservation of Waste Handling Facilities and Operations, and Shipping and Receiving.
The inspector observed the condition and operations of the ventilation systems including the flow velocities at hoods and the filter a Ps.
The inspector used a survey instrument capable of detecting as low as 0.05 mr/hr during tours of the roof area, fence, ponds and parking lots.
No detectable radiation was identified in these areas.
The inspector observed the operation of the liquid radwaste collecting and treatment system.
The inspector observed the packaging and storage of solid waste, and the shipping and receiving of radioactive materials.
No items of noncompliance were identified, 11.
Packaging of Materials for Shipment Part of the inspection effort was to detemine licensee compliance with a requirement of 10 CFR 71.51 to file a description of the quality assurance program for shipping packages of radioactive material by January 1,1979, with the Director, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (NMSS).
The licensee representative stated that a timely submission was made but no written acknowledgement was received.
The inspector verified by telephone contact that UNC submission was received by the NRC.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
- 12. Exit Interview The inspector met with the licensee representatives (denoted in paragraph 1) at the conclusion of the inspection at 3:15 p.m. on February 2,1979, and summarized the inspection scope and findings.
The licensee control of uptakes of radioactive materials was reviewed (Paragraph 6).