ML19289E714

Reg Guide 1.134,Revision 1, Medical Evaluation of Nuclear Power Plant Personnel Requiring Operator Licenses

ML19289E714
Person / Time
Issue date:	03/31/1979
From:	NRC OFFICE OF STANDARDS DEVELOPMENT
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Shared Package
ML19289E711	List: ML19289E710 ML19289E714 ML19289E719
References
REGGD-01.134, REGGD-1.134, NUDOCS 7905290018
Download: ML19289E714 (2)

Text

Revision 1

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REGULATORY GUIDE 1.134 MEDICAL EVALUATION OF NUCLEAR POWER PLANT PERSONNEL REQUIRING OPERATOP LICENSES A.

INTRODUCTION Working Group ANS-3.4 of Subcommittee ANS-3, Reactor Operations, of the American Section 55.10. " Contents of Applications "

Nuclear Society has devekped a standard pre-and s 55.33, " Renewal of Licenses," of 10 CFR scribing minimum requirements necessary to Part 55 " Operators' Licenses," require that determine that the physical condition and i

each application for an initial or renewal opera-general health of nuclear reactor operators are tor or senior operator license contain a report not such as might cause operational errors.

of medical examination by a licensed medical This standard was approved by the American practitioner in the fom prescribed in S 55.00, Natio.Tal Standards Committee N 18, Nuclear

" Examination Form." Section 55.11. " Require-Design Criteria, and was subsequently ap-ments for the Approval of Applications." and prcred by the American National Standards In-s 55.33 of 10 CFR Part 55 state that an appli-stitute ( ANSI) on April 12, 1976. The criteria cation for an initial or renewal operator or presented in ANSI N546-1976,3 " Medical Certi-senior operator license will be approved if, fication and Monitoring of Personnel Requiring among other things, the physical condition and Operator Licenses for Nuclear Power Plants."

general health of the applicant are not such as should provide an examining licensed medical might cause operational errors endangering practitioner with a basis for determining if an public health and safety. This guide describes abnormal health condition exists and if that a method acceptable to the NRC staff for pro-condition is potentially disqualifying. Estab-viding the information needed by the Ccmmis-lishing minimum health requirements should aid sion for its evaluation of the medical qualifica-in the more uniform and complete preparation tions of applicants for initial or renewal opera-of Form NRC-396 and should reduce instances tor or senior operator licenses for nuclear when the NRC has to request additional medic. '

, power plan t s. The Advisory Committee on information. However it should be recognizen Reactor Safeguards has been consulted con-that although it is the licensed medical practi-cerning this guide and has concurred in the tiener's responsibility to identify and evaluate

, regulatory position.

potentially disqualifying physical conditions, the final determination of the applicant's medi-B.

DISCUSSION ca: qualification is made by the NRC.

Section 55.60 of 10 CFR Part 55 requires the Section 3.2 of ANSI N546-1976 requires that licensed medical practitioner and the applicant the facility operator forward to the designated ;

for an initial or renewal operator or senior op-medical examiner a report on each employee erator license to complete and sign Form NRC-referred for a reactor operator medical exami-396 " Certificate of Medical Examinatier.

The nation prior to the examination. This section examination form is then sent to tne ahC and ges on to recommena that the report address :

becomes part of the license application. The such areas as work performance, attendance, '

NRC often has to request additional information and behavioral changes noted since the pre ;

because the licensed medical practitioner's vicus evaluation. It is recognized that the re-i evaluation of the apphcant's medical history or porting of pertinent observations tt a licensed !

t.D physical condition is not sufficiently detailed to medical practitioner by facility supervisor) !

determine an applicant's qualification.

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UsNRC REGULATORY GUIDES Co'- ems s ound t,e sent to the secretary of the commason. U s Nuciear CI Regulator Gu oes s'e issued to oescr ee and mese avenable to t"e public s

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N memoos acceptabee to the P,RC sta" o' implementing specit: paqs of the Commiss on s reguistons. to oenneste technsoues used by the sta" in evalu.

T e g,oes are asued in tne tono *mg ten broad divosons ateg seemfic probiems or postuiste: acceents. or tc provice gucance to appacams Regsatory Guces are nc* substitutes for reguet.oas a^d com

• Nae Rea: tors 6 Products phance a in tnem a not requ ed Memods and soluto's d:*'erent troce teose

Resea*:n sad Test Reacto's 7 Transportaten e

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set out + t$e guices win be acceptabe d taev provide a bas.s fo* tme feongs recuss*te to tee esuance or contm.,aace of a permit or bcease D.

tne 8 K 'C**"ta and sitq 9 A itstrust and F enancial Review Commess oe.

5 Mar a s and Plant Protecton 10 General pe:.es s oe smge cooes of issued guides iwhich may tie reproouced) or for r

Comtrees sad suggestons for irnprovements in these gmoes are encosaged at p a:e we oa er automat.c c s' ration hst for senge copies of future guides a1 times saa guides win be revoed. as approprote. to accommodate comments m scec + : cvsens shouid be ma:e i* writag to the U s Nuclear Regulatory anc to re'e: new irdormatoa o. enoe ence This gusoe was rev sec as a resst Co-ss o-Was'*agton. D0 20o65 Attentee Deector. Divisori of o'substa-t ve commems re.e,ved Po-t*e pubhc and acit ona sta"

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personn( can provide valuable background in-tions of applicants for initial or renewal opera-

' formation to support the medical evaluation.

tor or senior operator licenses for nuclear

! However, there is a concern for potential power plants, subject to the followinc iabuse, in that observations by supervisory

! personnel may be biased and extend into areas

1. Section 3.2 of ANSI N546-1976 requires I not pertinent to the evaluation. In regard to that the facility operator for..ard to the the provisions of Section 3.2 of ANSI N546-designated medical examiner a report on each 1976, responsible facility supervisory personnel employee referred for a reactor opecator medi-

,should determine from the licensed medical cal examination prior to the examination and practitioner what information, including such that the report include information specified by items as those identified in Section 3. 2, is the designated medical examiner. ANSI N546-needed to make the judgments required by 1976 further presents recommendations as to l Form NRC-396 and should forward only the in-what other type of information is to be

formation specified or requested. Information addressed. The facility operator should deter ;

. provided by the facility operator should be mine from the licensed medical practitioner used only as background information and what information, including such items as those -

should be subject to evaluation.

identified in Section 0.2 of the standard are needed to make the judgments required by jhatParagraph 55.11(a)(1) specifies, in part, Form NRC-396, " Certificate of Medical Examina-i t

any mental or physic:.1 condinon that tion," and should forward only the information ;

i l might cause impaired judgment or motor specified or requested. Information submitted !

' coordinatica may constitute sufficient cause fer by the facility operator should be used only as :

denial of ca cperator license applistion. While backgrut.nd information and should be subject ANSI N546-1976 addresses in some detail the to evaluation.

physical conditions that may be cause for

! denial of an application, the standard is more

2. If, in the medical evaluation of the reactor general in identifying the mental conditions operator, there is an indication of a patentially

that may bc cause for denial. Because of disqualifying condition in areas such as those,

inherent difficulties in evaluating mental condi-specified in Sections 5.3.8 and 5.4.15 ef ANSI -

, tions and because of the broad nature of po-N546-1976. evaluation of the condition should

tentially disqualifying mental conditions pre-be conducted by a licensed psychologist, psy-sented in \\NSI N546-1976, potentially disqurli-chiatris* or physician professionally trained to -

. fying mental conditions should be evaluated by identify and evaluate such conditions.

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, a licensed psychologist, psychiatriat, or physi-cian professionally trained to identify the con-

. dition.

D.

IMPLEMENTATION None of the provisions of ANSI N546-1976 or The purpose of this section is to provide m-this guide should be construed to mean that formation to applicants and licensees regarding the reading habits, political or religious the staff's plans for utilizing this regulatory

. beliefs. or attitudes on social, economic, or guide.

political issues of an individual should be investigated or judged.

Except in those cases in which an acceptable alternative method for complying with specified C.

REGULATORY POSITION portions of the Commission's regulations is pro-posed, the method described herein will be The requirements contained in ANSI N546-used in the evaluation of Form NRC-096, 1976, " Medical Certification and Monitoring of

" Certificate of Medical Examination," submittals Personnel Requiring Operator Licenses for in connection with applications for initial or re-Nuclear Power Plants,"3 provide an acceptable newal operator or senior operator licenses method for determining the medical qualifica-received af ter June 1979.

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