ML20028A535
| ML20028A535 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07000984 |
| Issue date: | 10/29/1982 |
| From: | Book H, Brock B, Thomas R, Zurakowski P NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION V) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20028A534 | List: |
| References | |
| 70-0984-82-02, 70-984-82-2, NUDOCS 8211220270 | |
| Download: ML20028A535 (6) | |
Text
U. S. NCCLT.AR FICUL\\ TORY CCMMISSION FICION V Report No.
70-9R4/R2 n2 Docket No.70-984 License No. SNM-942 Safeguards Group V
Licensee:
Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories P. O. Box 999 Richland. Washington 99352 Facility Na=e:
Pacific Northwest Laboratories Inspection at:
Richland, Washington Inspection conducted:
September 23-24, 1982 Inspectors:
[O 2-[
b B. L. Brock, Fuel Facilities Inspector Date Signed
'W. &dd IO / tg/g 2 P. R. Zu akowski, Radiation Specialist Date Signed Date Signed Approved by:
L F. 11_. -
a c[vr [rv R. D. Thomas Chief, M terials diation Dhte Signed Protection' ectio
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E Approved by:
. _ k H.
- t. Uook, Unier, Kaololog1 Cal daTety oranco Date Signed Summary:
Inspection on September 23-24, 1982 (Report No. 70-984/82-02) l Areas Inspected: Organization, operations review, training, internal audits, criticality safety, safety committee activities, emergency l
planning, radiation protection, and radioactive waste management.
j The inspection involved 22 inspector hours onsite by two NRC inspectors.
Results: No items of noncompliance or deviations were observed within the scope of the inspection.
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[
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RV Form 219 (2) 8211220270 821029 PDR ADOCK 07000984 C
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DETAILS 1.
Persons Contacted C. R. Richey, Manager, Laboratory Safety Department D. P. Higby, License Administrator
- V. C. Asmund, Senior Development Engineer
- J. R. Berry, Manager, Radiation Monitoring M. R. Ellison, Training Coordinator
- N.
P. Nisick, Staff Scientist R. C. Schrotke, Monitor Supervisor E. Palmer, Senior Research Scientist J. M. Taylor, Senior Development Engineer.
J. D. Hudspeth, Specialist Radiation Monitoring
- Denotes those attending the exit interview.
2.
Organization The licensee's organization has been mtdified to place the Industrial Health and Safety Section, the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Section, and the Radiation Monitoring Section in the Laboratory Safety Department.
The consolidation of these safety-related functions within a single department should result in more effective commur.ica-tion and improved coordination between the sections. The change was not to correct a problem, but was the result of the licensee's continual effort to effect improvements.
Some personnel changes resulted in the loss of experienced people; however, the licensee's technical depth precludes the changes from becoming problems.
Experienced personnel are assigned to assist new hires or employees who assume new responsibilities. A Senior Technical Specialist is currently assigned criticality safety responsibilities on a part time basis pending acqu.sition of a j
Senior Engineer in nuclear safety.
3.
Operations Review The licensee's whole body counting laboratories (mobile and stationary) were visited. The equipment capabilities were discussed by the l
l Senior Research Scientist in charge. The lung counters which are housed in low background shielded rooms, are being upgraded through acquisition of GeLi detectors for their high resolution capability.
An ultrasonic thickness gauge is used to determine the thickness of the fatty tissue of the chest area over the lungs in order to provide a correction in the measurement of low energy gammas (about i
l 16 KEV) that are attenuated significantly by the fatty layer. A
(
standard phantom with lungs and other body equivalent organs tagged l
with known quantities of radioisotopes is used to evaluate the
_2-system performance. Measurement problems yet to be resolved are associated with the heterogeneity of the deposition of the radioisotope.
The significance of this problem has been somewhat reduced with the use of multiple GeLi detectors.
The Emergency Decontamination Facility in the Hanford Environmental Health Foundation Laboratory was visited. This facility wnich was designed for the safe treatment and handling of injured people was well designed and maintained in a state of readiness. Radiation monitoring equipment with current calibrations was maintained along with moveable shielding (leaded glass panes) and decontamination equipment.
A radiation monitoring technician regularly checks that the materials and equipment are ready for use.
The inventory of licensed materials increased by only 0.5 percent since the last inspection. As during the previous inspection nearly all of the licensed material is in storage awaiting shipment to a burial site.
The shipment date is uncertain because of the changing status of the anticipated burial site.
4.
Training As was discussed in Report No. 70-984/82-01, the licensee is in the process of making major changes in the training program. The changing from a centralized training function to: job specific training administered by program directors.is progressing smoothly.
See the table below.
It should be noted that each Organization Director is required to submit a detailed training criteria to the Laboratory Safety Department for approval before the training Colmlences.
Status: Safety Training,. July 28, 1982.
Organization No. of
% Criteria Complete Director Staff Members within Directorship I
(rounded off to
' ^
s nearest 10) i FINANCE - Johnston 180 100%
LAB SUPPORT - Fuquay 350 80%
PROGRAMS - Marshall 40 100%
HUMAN RESOURCES - Simpson 30 100%
LEGAL & CONTRACTS - Farmer 130 100%
PROJECTS - Richmond 250 100%
RESEARCH - Wiley 700 34%
RESEARCH - Haverfield 800 35%
A review of the Training Coordinator's records indicated almost all submitted training criteria have been approved; however, it is anticipated that all training criteria will be approved within the next several months. Although some training has already been given ~
under this new program, sufficient time has not elapsed-to properly evaluate the results. A special training facility has been set up that includes hoods, glove boxes, step-off pads, cut-a-way HEPA filters, anti-C-clothing, video tapes, TV monitors, movies, radiation detection equipment, hand and foot monitors, respiratory protection masks, overhead projectors, and a meeting room. Other training aids as well as the use of specialists in the particular training areas are arranged by the Training Coordinator.
A monthly one page publication entitled " Safety Information Exchange" is now being published by the Laboratory Safety Department. The Training Coordinator has the principle responsibility for the publication.
5.
Internal Review and Audit / Safety Committee Activities All principal facilities used by the licensee are audited on a annual basis.
Most of this work is accomplished by assembling teams of experts in several safety fields (Health Pnysics, Nuclear Safety, Fire Safety, Industrial Hygiene, Industrial Safety, Training, etc) and touring the facilities using a comprehensive check off list to insure that all points are covered.
A recent safety audit which was conducted on March 4, 1982 of Building 306W was reviewed by the inspectors.
The audit covered the following activities:
Nuclear Safety Hazardous Material Shipping Waste Management Emergency Preparedness Training Radiation Protection Industrial Safety Industrial Hygiene Fire Protection
. Nuclear Safety, Waste Management, Radiation Protection, Industrial Safety, Industrial Hygiene, Fire Protection, and Training were emphasized in the audit.
Emergency Preparedness and Hazardous Material Shipping were considered in less depth.
In addition to the standard checklist items, the nine page audit report discussed such issues as corrections to last years audit findings, safety considerations for planned new projects in the building, interface with the other tenant in the building and earthquake proofing the 306W fissile storage cabinets.
The report summarized one finding and seven observations.
The finding involved the unsafe storage of compressed gas cylinders in the north side of the building.
No reportable violations of NRC requirements were identified in the report.
The report was transmitted to 306W area management on May 3, 1982.
The report stated that since safety is a line management responsi-bility, answers to questions presented in the report must be submitted by the responsible management. A due date for the answers was established as May 27, 1982. Among the people receiving copies of the reply were the Manager of the Laboratory Safety Department and the Appraisal Coordinator.
The auditing team appeared to be well organized and effective.
Timely replies to the teams observations had been submitted.
6.
Criticality Safety _
On July 22, 1982, a criticality safety audit of Building 306W was conducted.
The findings of the audit noted the existence of appropriate Criticality Safety Specifications or Isolation Facility Authorizations. Also, special nuclear material (SNM) was handled within specified limits and control. Work areas were appropriately posted with limit signs, inventory forms, specifications and special rules.
SNM was appropriately labeled so as to be easily and correctly identified.
Housekeeping was appropriate for SNM being handled. Additionally it was found that all persons exhibited sufficient knowledge and attitude towards their work regarding criticality safety.
There were no identified items from previous audits which required followup.
The facility was free'from hazards.
It was also determined that the Ceramics Laboratory area did not contain any fissile material.
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7.
Emergency Planning The licensee was participating in an emergency drill on September 24, 1982.
The licensee responded to the postulated accident by sending appropriate personnel to previously assigned duty stations. The scenario (Rockwell Exercise " Bravo") involved a collision'of a _
tank truck carrying 10,000 gallons of fuel and a train's tank car containing liqvid radioactive waste. The scene of the accident was
between the site 200 East and site 200 West areas. Since the postulated accident occurred on one of the other contractor sites the licensee did not have lead responsibility and was subsequently released.
It appeared that information moved effectively through emergency channels and emergency plans were effectively executed.
The exercise began at 8:30 a.m. and ended at 10:36 a.m.
A critique and report will define needed improvements.
8.
Radiation Protection / Radioactive Waste Management The review of radiation protection was limited during this inspection to an examination of air sampling results for the first two quarters of 1982 in buildings where NRC licensed material is used and/or stored.
The three buildings are 306-W, 231-Z and the Physical Science Laboratory.
The licensee's new computer generated a graphical presentation of the data which made it very convenient for the inspectors to look for unusual spikes and trends. Tile program is also designed to flag concentrations that exceed 1/6 MPC for releases to unrestricted areas.
In BuQding 306-W the alpha air concentration averaged less than uCi/cc.
The teta air concentration appeared.to average 5x10 about an order of magnitude more.
The air concentration averages in Buildings 231-Z and the PSL appeared to be very similiar indicating velues which were very close to natural background. All values were substantially below MPC values.
Because all values appeared to average near natural background no apparant trends were visible in the data.
The licensee's conservative basis for calculating MPC's is discussed in Report No. 70-984/82-01.
A substantial amount of licensed naterial which is considered as waste is being stored in Building 241-Z.
This was also discussed in Report No. 70-984/82-01.
However, because of political problems at the Beatty, Nevada disposal site, it is not certain when the licensee can dispose of this waste.
The inspectors were informed by a licensee representative that recent discussions with U.S.
Ecology indicated that the Richland, Washington burial site may be reopened soon for disposal of SNM. This would indicate that U. S.
Ecology is considering acknowledging it's NRC license.
If this is indeed the case, the information would be of significant value to many Region V licensees.
9.
Exit Interview The scope and results of the inspection were discussed with representa-tives of licensee management at the conclusion of the inspection on September 24, 1982.
The licensee was informed that no items of noncompliance and no deviations were observed within the scope of this inspection.