ML19330B168
| ML19330B168 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 02700047, Hatch |
| Issue date: | 06/19/1980 |
| From: | Lacey L, Stohr J, Woodruff R NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19330B163 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-366-80-14, NUDOCS 8007300580 | |
| Download: ML19330B168 (8) | |
Text
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D UNITED STAT 2S 8
- 'n NUCLEAR REGUL ATO'iY COMMISSION E
REGIOF.11 i
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0, 101 MARIETTA sT., N.W., sulTE 3100 ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30303
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Report Nos. 50-321/80-14 and 50-366/80-14 Licensee: Georgia Power Company 270 Peachtree Street Atlanta, GA 30303 Facility Name: Hatch Docket Nos. 50-321 and 50-366 License Nos. DPR-57 and NPF-5 Inspection at Chem-Nuclear disposal site near Barnwell, South Carolina and Plant Hatch near Baxley, Georgi M
G!/hfro Inspectors:_h. L. Woodruff, Radiation Specialist Date Signed FF&MS Section (Details I)
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- /nho L. R. Eac'ey,'Radi5 tion Specialist Date Signed RS Section (Detail I)
Approved by:_
M G 1/ito G. L. Tro' Act/ng Chipf, W Section Date Si ned I
& 5.
de eo J. Philip StohrO' Chief FF&MS Branch Ddte Signed
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SUMMARY
This was a special inspection of a radioactive waste shipment from Plant Hatch to the Chem-Nuclear disposal site near Barnwell, South Carolina. The inspection was conducted on March 19, 1980 at the disposal site and on April 29 and 30, 1980 at the Hatch site near Baxley, Georgia.
Areas Inspected A routine inspection was conducted on March 19, 1980 of licensee-shippers for compliance with Department of Transportation (DOT) and Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) regulations for shipping paper requirements, DOT placarding requirements, radiation levels, removable contamination, marking and labeling of packages and prohibited articles or contents. A special inspection was conducted on April 20-30, 1980 at the Hatch site in the areas of radioactive waste shipping procedures, shipping documents, shipping surveys, technician qualifications and training, and portable instrumentation calibration. Details I addresses inspec-tion activities at the waste disposal site. Details II addresses inspection activities at the Hatch site.
80 07300580
Summary O ;,
Results Of the. eleven areas inspected, no items of noncompliance or deviations were identified in ten areas; one item of noncompliance was found in one area (severity le. vel II - radiation levels in vehicle cab in excess of regulatory limits - Details I, paragraph 6).
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DETAILS I 1.
Persons Contacted R. Sappington, South Carolina DHEC 2.
General The NRC inspection consisted of a review of the shipping papers, radiation survey of the vehicle, contamination surveys and radiation level surveys of selected packages.
General surveys and observations were conducted to determine if the vehicle had proper placards, proper seals, and if any obvious safety hazards existed. The contents of the vehicles were inspected for appropriate marking, labeling, tightness of seals, integrity of package construction or any evidence of leakage.
Chem-Nuclear assigns a control number for each shipment upon arrival at the site. These numbers were called " shipment survey report numbers" (SSR No.)
and were used by the inspectors to identify licensee-shippers during this inspection.
3.
Shipments Inspected This shipment was inspected on March 19, 1980.
4.
Shipping Papers The shipping papers were reviewed for completeness and to ascertain if the contents of the shipment were properly identified, and if emergency notifi-cation procedures and instructions were included as required under 49 CFR 172, Subpart C.
Specific requirements for shipping papers were reviewed as follows:
Material shipping name 49 CFR 172.100/172.200/172.202 Material class 49 CFR 172.200/172.202 Name sequence 49 CFR 172.200/172.202 Total quantity (volume) 49 CFR 172.200/172.202 Limited quantity 49 CFR 172.200/172.203 Name of each radionuclide 49 CFR 172.203 Physical and chemical form 49 CFR 172.203-Activity in curies 49 CFR 172.203 Category or label 49 CFR 172.203 Notation of NRC/ERDA
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package' approval 49 CFR 172.203 Proper certification 49 CFR 172.204 No items of noncompliance were identified.
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5.
Each vehicle was inspected for conformance with DOT placarding requirements (49 CFR 172, Subpart F and 49 CFR 173.392). The veaicles were also inspected for comp?iance with the following:
Maximum transportation index of 50 - (49 CF.P 177.842)
Loaded so as to avoid spillage (49 CFR 177.842)
Properly blocked and braced (49 CFR 173.392/177.842)
LSA vehicle survey (49 CFR 177.843)
No items of noncompliance were identified.
6.
Maximum Radiation Levels This truck was surveyed for maximum radiation levels in the normally occupied portions of the vehicle, in a plane at the edge of the flat bed or at the surface of the closed vehicles, in a vertical plane six feet from the sides of the vehicle where possible, and on the surface of a representative package.
A radiation level of 2.6 to 3.7 mR per hour was detected in the drivers seat area where the driver's head and shoulders would normally be positioned.
Readings were taken with a Xetex, Model 305B, SN07609, calibrated at factory on February 5, 1980. Readings were taken with an Eberline ES20 at 2.5 mR per hour by the South Carolina representative, and readings were taken by Chem-Nuclear representatives of 3.5 mR/hr and 3.0 mR/hr using G.M.-type instruments having respective serial numbers of 85202CN and 5986CN. The i
radiation level in the sleeper part of the cab was measured at 4.5 mR/ hour; the driver did not occupy that part of the cab. The carrier was identified as Tri-State Motor Transportation Company, Trailer No. 544134 loaded with 72 drums of LSA material, Tractor No. 534. The licensee survey shows the cab reading to be 1.5 mE/hr. The driver stated that he was on the road from 3:30 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. on March 18, 1980. Shipment was assigned SSR No. 019175 upon receipt.
This is a severity level II noncompliance of 49.173.393 (j )(4), (321/366/80-14-01),
7.
Contamination Smears Each vehicle and a representative sample package was surveyed for removable contamination by smearing over a 300 square centimeters area of the surface.
No more than two smears were taken from any package or vehicle.
Smears were taken from areas that would most likely be contaminated. The smears were checked for gross Beta-gamma contamination at the site.
No smears were found to be contaminated in excess of 49 CFR 173.397 limits.
8.
Packaging A representative sampling of packages from each shipment was examined for conformance with DOT marking and labeling requirements. External features of the packages were examined for conformance with DOT and NRC requirments as noted below:
Low specific activity (LSA) packaging 49 CFR 173.392 Tight packages - Itd. Qty.,
49 CFR 173.391 or 173.392 No release of. material 49 CFR 173.392/173.393 Radioactive material markings 49 CFR 172.310 Security seals 49 CFR 173.393 Gross weight requirements 49 CFR 172.310 Proper shipping name 49 CFR 172.100/172.300 LSA labeling 49 CFR 173.392 No items of noncompliance were identified.
9.
Verification of Package Contents Due to the lack of facilities for properly opening packages at the site, the criteria for opening packages was restricted to those packages containing solidified waste (to verify the absence of free-standing water) and/or where there was evidence of leakage.
No items of noncompliance were noted.
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DETAILS II 1.
Persons Contacted Licensee Employees
- M. Manry, Plant Manager
- J. Greene, Assistant Plant Manager
- W. H. Rogers, Health Physics Superintendent
- C. R. Miles, QA Field Supervisor
- H. W. Dyer, Operations Supervisor
- T. R. Collins, Laboratory Supervisor
- M. T. Squires, Health Physics Foreman
- G. E. Spell, Jr., Senior QA Field Representative
- W. B. Thigpen, QA Field Representative R. Anderson, Health Physics NRC Resident Inspector
- R. Rogers, NRC Senior Resident Inspector
- W. H. Barron, NRC Resident Inspector
- Attended exit interview 2.
Exit Interview The inspection scope and findings were summarized on April 30, 1980 with those persons indicated in Paragraph 1 above. Licensee management acknowl-edged the item of noncompliance but stated that they were not convinced that a limit had been exceeded due to uncertainty as to the calibrated accuracy of the instruments used at Barnwell. The inspector stated that the accepted calibration accuracy for GM instruments is 20%. This toler-ance establishes the range of readings; the entire range exceeded the DOT limit of 2 mrem /hr.
3.
Licensee Action on Previous Inspection Findings Not inspected.
4.
Unresolved Items Unresolved items were not identified during this inspection.
5.
Radioactive Waste Shipping Procedure The inspector reviewed Procedure HNP-8016, " Shipment of Radioactive Material."
The procedure did not detail how the radiation survey should be taken in the vehicle cab.
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6.
Shipping Documents The inspector reviewed the records of shipment 80-42 that arrived with the shipment on March 19, 1980 and also a set of records supplied by the licensee.
A licensee representative stated that, while a Teletector had been used for the initial survey, a backup survey was taken with an R0-2A because the radi-ation level in the cab was unusually high. He further stated that the Telector read "slightly less than 2" millirem per hour. The latter reading was not recorded on either set of documents. The " Truck Survey Map" supplied by the licensee did show that an R0-2A had been used in the survey in addition to a teletector. This information had apparently been entered at a later time; however, as it was not on the copy which arrived with the shipment.
7.
Shipping Surveys The inspector interviewed three licensee representatives, including the individual who took the survey on March 18, 1980, as to survey techniques used on shipments.
The technician who took the survey stated that he took one reading in approximately the middle of the back of the driver's seat. The inspector stated that all positions in the cab which the driver could reasonably be expected to occupy, inclu-ding the sleeper, should be surveyed. A licensee representative stated that they had recently received a communication from Chem-Nuclear to that effect, but noted that in this instance the sleeper was apparently unoccupied.
8.
Technician Qualifications and Training The inspector reviewed the qualifications and training of the technician who surveyed shipment 80-42 on March 18, 1980. The individual has a B.S.
degree in Chemistry, and has completed a six week contractor administered health physics training course. He has approximately 1700 hours0.0197 days <br />0.472 hours <br />0.00281 weeks <br />6.4685e-4 months <br /> of work
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experience in the health physics field. In January he completed a two day course on D.O.T shipping regulations. The inspector had no further questions.
9.
Portable Instrument Calibration A licensee representative stated that a calibration check had been performed on the two instruments used in the March 18, 1980 survey of shipment 80-42, and that both were within specificaitons.
The inspector reviewed the calibration records of both instruments, which appeared acceptable.
The inspector also reviewed procedures HNP-8137, HNP-8101, and HNP-8115 with respect to calibration of the two instruments, and they also appeared acceptable.
10.
Licensee Enforcement Conference Attendees at the Georgia Power Company - Nuclear Regulatory Commission a.
meeting on May 15, 1980, at the NRC Region II office ware:
Georgia Power Company W. E. Ehrensperger, Sr. Vice President - Power Supply R. J. Kelly, Vice President - Power Generation
..i M. Manry, Plant Manager - Plant Hatch W. H. Rodgers, Health Physics Supervisor, Plant Hatch Office of Inspection and Enforcement, Region II James P. O'Reilly, Director, Region II J. Philip Stohr, Chief, Fuel Facility and Materials Safety Branch R. C. Lewis, Acting Chief, Reactor Operations and Nuclear Support Branch H. C. Dance, Chief, Reactor Projects Section No. 1, Reactor Operations and Nuclear Support Branch G. L. Troup, Acting Chief, Radiological Effluents and Waste Section, Fuel Facility and Materials Safety Branch P. A. Taylor, Reactor Inspector, Reactor Projects Section No. 1, Reactor Operations and Nuclear Support Branch b.
Conference Summary-(1) On May 15, 1980, representatives of Georgia Power Company met with Region II personnel in Atlanta, Georgia to discuss the radioactive. waste shipment of March 18 found to have high radi-ation levels in the vehicle cab. The item of noncompliance (see Details I, paragraph 6)was discussed with emphasis on adequacy of surveys. The Region II staff discussed transportation problems at' other facilities which were attributed to inadequate surveys.
1 (2) Georgia Power Company management acknowledged the item of non -
compliance and the generic implications and discussed proposed corrective measures with the Region II staff. With regard to the specific concerns about surveys, the licensee staff discussed plans for assuring more thorough surveys and reviews prior to release of the shipments.
(3) - The plant's previous enforcement history and recent operational events were discussed. Georgia Power Company management acknowl-edged the comments of the Region II staff in these areas.
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