ML20010F373
| ML20010F373 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07000984 |
| Issue date: | 08/24/1981 |
| From: | Book H, Cooley W, Thomas R NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20010F369 | List: |
| References | |
| 70-0984-81-01, 70-984-81-1, NUDOCS 8109100106 | |
| Download: ML20010F373 (3) | |
Text
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U. S. NUCLEAR REGUIATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT REGION V Report No.
70-984/ul-01 5
SNM-942 Safeguards G roup Docket No.70-984 License No.
Licensee:
Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories P. O. Box 999 Richland, Washington 99352 Facility Name:
Pacific Northwest Laboratories Inspection at:
Richland, Washington Inspection conducted:
July 16-17, 1981 Inspectors:
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W. J. Coole9, Fu Facilities Inspector Date Signed Date Signed k
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Approved by:
R. D. Thomas, C 'ef, Materials Radiological Protection s' ate Signed 2
Approved By:
H. E. Book, Chief, Radiological Safety Branch
'Date signed i
Sucuary:
Inspection on July 16-17, 1981 (Report No. 70-984/81-01),
Areas Inspected: Organization; facility changes and modifications; internal audit and review; safety committee activities; radioactive waste management; and inventory.
Inspection involved 8 inspector-hours onsite by one NRC inspector.
Results:
No items of noncompliance or deviations were identified within the scope of this inspection.
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l RV Form 219 (2) t r
I-8109100106 810824 WDR ADOCK 07000984 l
PDR C
DET1LS 1.
Persons Contacted
- C. R. Richey, Manager, Radiological Safety and Engineering
- E. E. Oscarson, Senior Research Scientist D. E. Friar, Research Scientist P. H. Burke, Technical Specialist, Hazardous Material Transportation Officer
- Denotes those attending the exit interview.
Since the last inspection L. A. Carter, Senior Research Scientist, has termina ted. Mr. E. L. Oscarscn has assumed the licensing and NRC liaison responsibilities of Mr. Carter.
The individuals listed above are all members of the Radiological Safety Engineering Section of the Occupational and Environmental Protection Department of the Pacific Northwest Laboratories and include those contacted in the areas of radiation and nuclear safety as well as other matters of NRC interest.
2.
Facilities Changes and Modifications There has been no facility changes since the last inspection with the respect to the use of NRC license material.
The licensee plans on the construction of a clean room in Building 306W for the use of licensed material in the form of low enriched pellets.
That material will be unirradiated and the work will include the measurement of several parameters including dimensions, density, prior to irradiation.
3.
Internal Review and Audit:
The licensee's plans for reevaluating the entire area of auditing was described in Section 4 of NRC Report No. 70-984/80-02 dated February 2, 1981. Since that inspection an additional annual appraisal report for Building 231Z has been completed. The date of that report is January 14.
l 1981.
The subjects to be covered in various building annual appraisals are criticality safety; emergency pr: pareness; hazardous shipping material; radiation protection; training; and waste management.
Check lists in each of those subject areas have been prepared by members of the Radiological Safety and Engineering Section.
The check lists appear to be exhaustive l
covering all aspects of the general subject areas covered.
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I The findings of the appraisal are reduced to a written report listing observations of conditions which require attention and/or correction.
Those observations are transmitted to responsible management in the building appraised and require written evaluations and plans for actions.
In the appraisal of Building 231Z eight such observations were made including inappropriate labeling of radioactive waste containers; ambiguous documention of radiation surveys; late calibrations on constant air monitors; and the lack of establishment of a retraining program in respiratory protection.
In the report discussion of those observations the inspection team rated the building's nuclear safety overall performance as good.
The remark was included that although some i
improved performance was required, there were no serious deficiencies and only eight lesser observations were noted.
The transmittal of the results of the appraisal requiring a eply was dated January 14, 1981.
A reply was received from Building 231 management dated January 26, 1981 which addressed three of the appraisal team's observations. A reply was received on February 1S,1981 from the Health Physics component of Building 231Z addressing the remaining five appraisal team observations.
All matters were indicated as corrected in those replies.
The appraisal team had also completed an appraisal of Building 306W in June, 1981.
Results of that appraisal remained in draf ted note form.
In addition to the work of the appraisal team criticality safety audits were made in Building 231Z on January 12, 1381 and in Building 306W on March 25, 1981.
5.
Use of Licensed Mcterial in' Building 2312 Approximately 32,400 pounds of molybdenum metal boats were decontaminated in Building 231Z using an electro-polishing nethod.
That work was completed about March 1981 'at which time the. decontaminated boats were returned to the customer. Resultant liquid waste had been solidified
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and totaled 890 grams of elemental uranium at an enrichment of 2.4 percent.
That waste was contained in twelve drums in which those liquids had been solidified. An additional 61' barrels of low level dry waste had been accumulated and the total waste accumulation was awaiting shipment to a licensed land burial site.
Elemental uranium used in the_ decontamination work was approximately 12,066 grams at enrichment 2.4 percent.
6.
1.icensed use of Radioactive Material Planned for Building 306W A total af 629 grams of elemental uranium varying in enrichment from 2.53 to 9 pt.rcent was in storage in Building 306W.
That material was in tonr of unencapsulated pellets and plans included the construction of a "cleaa" room in which those pellets would be examined for physical l
properties prior tq., irradiation.
7.
Inventory:
The pellets and the waste resulting from the decontamination efforts and planned licensed work totaled 12,695 grams cf elemental uranium I
containing 328 grams of isotope constituting 10 effective grams.
That l
material represented the total privately owned and licensed material inventory as of May 31, 1981.
8.
Management Interview:
The scope and results of the inspection were discussed with members of licensee management at the conclusion of the inspection on July 17,1981.
Those persons were informed that no items of noncompliance or deviations from NRC regulations were observed within the scope of this inspection.
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