ML20044C419
| ML20044C419 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Aerotest |
| Issue date: | 02/23/1993 |
| From: | Pate R, Qualls P BRC Pinnacle LLC, NRC Office of Inspection & Enforcement (IE Region V) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20044C417 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-228-93-01, NUDOCS 9303230011 | |
| Download: ML20044C419 (6) | |
Text
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h U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGION V i
Report No. 50-228/93-01 Docket No. 50-228 License No. R-98 Licensee:
Aerotest Operations, Inc.
3455 Fostoria Way San Ramon, California 94583 i
Facility Name: Aerotest Radiography and Research Reactor (ARRR)
Inspection at: San Ramon, California Inspection Conducted:
January 13 - February 4,1993.
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Inspector:
-/7P) C /./fug T-P. M. Qualls~.
D'ats' Signed Reactor Inspector Approved by:
//)') O
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E3 Robert' J. Pate, Chief Date Signed Safeguards, Emergency Preparedness and Non-Power Reactor Branch E
Summary:
Inspection on January 12 - February 4, 1993 (Report No. 50-228/93-01)
Areas Inspected:
Routine announced inspection of ARRR operations,. including organization, review and audit, experiments,. reactor operator requalification training, environmental monitoring program, procedures, radiation protection 1
activities, transportation activities emergency preparedness program and drills, a tour of the facilities and discussions of relevant Information Notices and Generic Letters.
Inspection procedures 30703, 40750, and 86740 were used.
Results:
In the areas. inspected,.the licensee's programs were fully capable i
of meeting their safety objectives. No violations or deviations. were identified.
i 9300GE30011 SK)D223
- {INI AEK)CK 05000228 PDR
3; DETAILS 1.
Persons Contacted
- H. G. Simons, President, Aerotest Operations (AO)
R. Tsukimura, Radiation Safety Officer (RS0)
S. Warren, Quality Assurance Manager
(*)
Denotes those individuals present at the exit interview.
In addition to the individuals identified above the inspector met and held discussions with other members of the licensee's staff.
2.
Class II Research and Test Reactor Operations (407501-The licensee's reactor operations program was reviewed for compliance.
with the requirements of 10 CFR Parts-19, 20, 50, 55; including the Technical' Specifications (TS) and licensee procedures. The inspection included a review of reactor operating records, tours of the licensee's
-t facility and the review of selected procedures.
A.
Reactor Operations A review of licensee records and discussions with staff members established that no new experiments have been performed.
Reactor operations have been limited to neutron radiography and sample irradiations.
B.
Organization The licensee's organization is as specified in TS Section 12. The inspector observed that no changes in the organizational structure i
have occurred since the inspection documented in report number 91 -
01.
s i
On February 3,1993, the NRC. Region V office received a call from j
the President of Aerotest' noting that he was being replaced by-the President of ET, Incorporated.
The inspector returned to the i
facility on February 4, 1993, and verified that,-after the l
proposed staffing changes, the organization' would still comply-
-l with their technical specifications and ANSI Standard 15.4.
j C.
Operations and Maintenance Records A review of reactor operating logs such as startup and shutdown-check lists and maintenance records for the period of May 1991 through December 1992 was conducted. 'The reactor operating ~1ogs, check lists and maintenance logs were adequately filled out and i
were consistent with facility operating procedures and TS requirements. The inspector concluded that reactor' operations met the conditions prescribed in the TSs.
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2 Preventative maintenance activities had been factored into the facilities operating procedures. The inspectors concluded that the licensee was implementing an effective maintenance program.
D.
Procedures The inspection disclosed that the licensee maintains in effect -
reactor operating procedures as described in Tss. The inspector reviewed the licensee's operating procedures.
The inspectors noted that the procedures are routinely reviewed and wheneven changes occur that may require revisions.
E.
Chances Discussions with the Reactor Supervisor and the review of reactor operating records for the period of July 1991 to. December 1992 disclosed that no changes were made to the facility.or procedures.
that would require a safety evaluation pursuant to 10 CFR Part 50.59. A modification was made to the licensee's demineralize system and received proper review.
F.
Experiments The inspector verified that no new experiments were conducted since the last inspection. No discrepancies were identified.
G.
Surveillance Records for the surveillance prescribed in Tss were examined. All surveillance were performed at the frequencies specified in the TS. The inspector reviewed completed check off sheets for the period: January 1992 through. December 1992.
No deficiencies were identified.
H.
Review and Audit-
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Reactor Safeguards Committee minutes for the period of May 1991 through December 1992 were reviewed.
The review and discussions disclosed that members of the committee
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were conducting routine audits of the facilities activities. The audits were broad in scope and were designed to assure that the activities were performed in accordance with the Technical Specifications. None of the audit findings appeared to represent; a significant safety finding. Audit findings were effectively.
corrected in a timely manner. The. inspector concluded that the.
licensee's review and audit program met and/or exceeded the i
requirements prescribed in Section 12 of the Technical y
Specifications.-
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1.
Reactor Operator Recualification Prooram j
The licensee's implementation of the NRC approved Reactor Operators requalification program, dated April 12, 1974, was examined.
Annual written examinations that were administered since the previous inspection were reviewed. No problems were noted.
l Records of each Reactor Operator (RO) and Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) operations are maintained by the Reactor Supervisor. These i
records are reviewed by members of the Reactor Safeguards-Committee for compliance with the licensee's approved SR0/R0 requalification program. The inspector concluded that the records that were reviewed in this subject area demonstrated that the-SR0/R0 requalification program was consistent with 10 CFR Part 55 and the licensee's approved program of April 12, 1974.
The licensee's performance in this area appeared to be fully capable of meeting its safety objectives.
J.
Radiation Protection Prooram The licensee's radiation protection program for assuring compliance with 10 CFR Parts 19 and 20 and the Technical i
Specifications was examined.
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Records involving personnel dosimetry, contamination surveys, radiation measurements and measurement of airborne concentrations obtained at the reactor facility since the previous inspection were reviewed.
The inspector noted that posting and labeling practices were consistent with 10 CFR-Part 19.11 and 20.203 and radiation measurements were consistent _with the requirements of.10 CFR Part 20.201.
Licensee records continue to indicate that radiation levels at the reactor facility are low and that contamination l
levels and airborne concentrations are essentially undetectable.
Personnel exposure records were reviewed for calendar year 1991 and the first 10 months of calendar year 1992; The maximum l
f individual exposure for 1991 was 4.92 rem and the maximum dose received by an individual in the first ten months of 1992 was 3.78 The licensee has made several modifications to decrease the 1
rem.
personal dose in accordance with ALARA practices. These changes i
include changing the material in the holding trays that get irradiated and increasing the number of N-Ray photography cassettes such that the activated aluminum can partially decay j
prior to the technician handling the tray. The licensee has had l
to reduce the staffing hence there are fewe. persons that receive the exposure from the activation products and individual doses remain relatively high.
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The inspector conducted a survey of the reactor room and outside areas and found no discrepancies with licensee surveys.
Portable radiation measurement instruments and pocket ionization chambers used by the reactor facility were observed to be in current calibration.
The licensee's radiation protection program was determined to' be' capable of protecting the health and safety of the reactor staff and the public.
K.
Emergency Preparedness ?rogram The licensee's capability for responding to emergencies as specified in their NRC approved Emergency Plan (EP) and for 7
demonstrating compliance with 10 CFR Part 50.54 was examined.
Based on the review of records and the discussions, the inspector noted that the licensee appeared to have an adequate EP program.
and drills appeared to have been properly performed. The inspector also noted that emergency response equipment.was being -
properly maintained. No additional concerns were identified in this area.
L.
Facility Tour 4
The inspector toured the licensee's facility.
Posting and labeling were found to be consistent with 10 CFR Part.19.11 and 20.203 requirements.
All fixed and portable radiation monitoring instruments were in current calibration and the reactor facility cleanliness was.
adequate.
M.
Annual Reports The licensee's annual reports covering the period of July 1,1990 through June 30, 1991 and July 1, 1991 through June 30, 1992 were i
reviewed. The reports were submitted in accordance with Technical-Specification 6.7(e) and summarized plant operations, changes, tests, experiments, surveillance and maintenance activities..The information was found to be consistent with the inspectors' observations discussed in this report..No errors or anomalies were identified.
3.
Transportation of Radioactive Materials (86740)
The licensee's program for assuring compliance with Department of Transportation, 49 CFR Parts 171 through 178, and 10 CFR Parts 20.205, 20.311, 61 and 71 requirements associated with tha packaging and shipment of radioactive materials was reviewed.
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Discussions <'th the licensee's staff 'and the review of records disclosed that transfer and/or shipment of radioactive materials from-the reactor facility are made through the licensee's State of California radioactive material license. No concerns were identified in this area.
l The licensee ~seemed to be maintaining their previous level of performance in this area and their program appeared. capable of l
accomplishing its safety objectives.
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No violations or deviations were identified.
a 4.
Exit Interview The inspector met with the individuals denoted in paragraph I at the conclusion of the inspection on January 14, 1993. The scope and.
findings of the inspection were summarized. The licensee was informed' that no violations or deviations were identified. The inspector concluded that the facility was being operated in a safe and conservative manner.
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