ML20041B781
| ML20041B781 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07000398 |
| Issue date: | 11/09/1981 |
| From: | Clemons P, Knapp P NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20041B779 | List: |
| References | |
| 70-0398-81-05, 70-398-81-5, NUDOCS 8202250198 | |
| Download: ML20041B781 (4) | |
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U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT REGION I Report No. 70-398/81-05 Docket No.70-398 License No.
SNM-362 Priority 1
Category Pu-Ur Licensee:
U. S. Department of Commerce NBS Washington, D.C.
20234 Facility Name:
National Bureau of Standards Inspection At:
Gaithersburg, MD Inspection Conducted:
October 14-16, 1981 Inspectors:
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P. Clemons, Radiation Specialist
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Approved by:
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/l 'l+l P. 'J. Knapp, Chief, Faciyity Radiation da'te Protection Section, Techn~ical Inspection Branch Inspection Summary:
Inspection on October 14-16,1981 (Report No. 70-398/81-05)
Areas Inspected: Routine unannounced inspection by a regional based inspector of the Radiation Protection Program including:
procedures for opening packages, receiving radioactive material, posting, smear surveys, liquid waste, source leak test, instrument calibration, environmental monitoring.
Shortly after arrival, areas where work was being conducted were examined to review radiation control procedures and practices. The inspection involved 19 inspector hours on site by one regional based inspector.
Results:
No apparent' items of noncompliance were identified.
Region I Form 12 (Rev. April 1977) 8202250198 820210 PDR ADOCK 07000390 C
DETAILS 1.
PersonsContactg
- Dr. W. Cassett, Deputy Director, Center for Radiation Research
- Mr. J. Hobbs, Chief, Health Physics
- Mr. L. Pevey, Chief, Occupational Health and Safety Division
- Mr. L. Slaback, Supervisory Health Physicist-The inspector interviewed several other employees during the course of the inspection including a Nuclear Engineer, a Standards Coordinator, and a Supervisory Health Physicist.
- Denotes those present at the exit interview.
2.
Source Leak Test Condition No.14 of SNM-362 requires that sealed plutot:ium sources be leak tested at intervals not to exceed six months.
The licensee has two plutonium sources and the inspector reviewed leal. test data for the period December 1980 - September 1981 which indicated that the sources were tested at the required frequency.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
3.
Procedures For Opening Packa m 10 CFR 20.205(d) requires each licensee to maintain procedures for safely opening packages in which licensed material is received. The inspector reviewed procedure No. HPI 4-2, " General Opening Instructions for Radio-active Material Packages" which was recently developed by the licensee for safely opening packages.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
4.
Receiving Radioactive Material 10 CFR 20.205(b)(1) requires each licensee to monitor the external surfaces of each package of radioactive material upon receipt.
The inspector reviewed documentation of approximately 15 receipts of radioactive material during the period January - July, 1981, to determine if the licensee was in compliance with the monitoring requirements.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
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Liquid Waste The inspector toured Building 245 on October 14, 1981, to examine the Liquid Waste area. This area houses two large storage tanks that contain liquid radioactive waste collected from the various laboratories in the building.
The inspector noted that according to the Discharge Log, a discharge of approximately 650 gallons had been made on September 11, 1981.
The total activity present in the discharge was 9.4 microcuries gross beta. Alpha emitters were not present.
The last previous discharge to the environs was mad) in June 1974.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
6.
Smear Surveys Smear surveys are performed throuchout the licensee's facility to detect the presence of radioactive material.
The inspector reviewed weekly smear survey data for the period January-July, 1981. The data indicated no areas where contamination exceeded 100 2
disintegrations per minute per 100 cm.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
7.
Posting The inspector reviewed the licensee's facility for posting as required by 10 CFR 19 and 10 CFR 20.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
8.
Environmental Monitoring Condition No. 10 of SNM-362 incorporates the licensee's application dated December 18, 1975.
The NBS Radiation Safety Manual, submitted as an attachment to tae December 18, 1975 application, requires that an environ-mental monitoring program be conducted at some frequency (Section i-B-5).
The perimeter of the site is required to be monitored monthly with thermoluminescent dosimeters.
Other types of environmental samples (soil, water, grass, particulates, etc.) are required to be collected and analyzed periodically.
The inspector reviewed data for tne period January-September, 1981, to determine if the environmental samples were being collected and analyzed as required.
The data indicated that the samples were being collected and analyzed as required.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
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9.
Instrument Calibration Section 1-B-2(e) of the NBS Radiation Safety Manual states that the Health Physics Section is responsible for providing, calibrating, and repairing radiation survey instruments.
The inspector randomly selected three portable alpha survey instruments and determined that they had been calibrated in a timely manner.
The inspector discussed methods of documenting calibration dates to permit rapid verification of current calibration and to serve as a reminder of when calibration is due.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
10.
Exit Interview The inspector met with licensee representatives (denoted in Paragraph 1) at the conclusion of the inspection on October 16, 1981. The inspector summarized the purpose and the scope of the inspection, and the findings as presented in this report.
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