ML20052E724
| ML20052E724 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Wood River Junction |
| Issue date: | 04/16/1982 |
| From: | Clemons P, Knapp P NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20052E723 | List: |
| References | |
| 70-0820-82-03, 70-820-82-3, NUDOCS 8205110383 | |
| Download: ML20052E724 (4) | |
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i U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Region I Report No. '0-820/82-03 Docket No.70-820 License No. SNM-777 Priority 1
Category JR Licensee: linited Nuclear Corporation Fuel Recovery Operations Wood River Junction, Rhode Island 02894 Facility Name: UNC Fuel Recovery Operation Inspection at: Wood River Junction, Rhode Island Inspection conducted: January 27 - 29, 1982
@ /4-82 Inspector:
P. Clemocs, Radiation Specialist date signed
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Approved by:
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P. J. Knapp, Chief, Facilities Radiation date signed Protection Section, Technical Programs Branch
. Inspection Summary:
Inspection on January 27 - 29, 1982 (Report No. 70-820/82-03)
Areas Inspected: Routine, announced, safety inspection by a region-based inspector of the radiation protection program, including decommissiening activities, Q.A. program for shipping LSA radioactive material, survey of equipment released for unrestricted use, bioassay, dosimetry, training and surveys.
Shortly after arrival, areas where work was being performed were examined to review radiation control procedures and practices. The inspector also attended a meeting on the final closeout survey held by the licensee with a representative of the Oak Ridge Associated Universities. The inspection involved 20 hours2.314815e-4 days <br />0.00556 hours <br />3.306878e-5 weeks <br />7.61e-6 months <br /> on site by one region-based inspector.
Results: No violations were identified.
8205110383 820423 PDR ADOCK 07000820 PDR
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Details 1.
Persons Contacted Principal Licensee Employees Mr. R. Gregg, Plant Manager Mr. K. Helgeson, Manager, Nuclear and Industrial Safety The inspector also interviewed other employees during the inspection, including health physics personnel and' operating personnel.
2.
Meeting With the Licensee and a Representative of Oak Ridge Associated Universities On January 27, 1982, the inspector attended a meeting, held at the licensee's request, between the licensee and a representative of Oak l
Ridge Associated Universities.
The meeting was held to discuss various aspects of the final close-out survey of the decommissioned facilities to be performed by representatives of Oak Ridge.
Items discussed included the types of surveys that would be performed; the types of samples that would be collected; the types of analyses that would be performed, and the criteria that would be followed in determining the acceptability of sample results.
3.
Decommissioning Activities The inspector toured the Processing Area on January 28, 1982, and noted that all equipment had been removed from the area. Only girders and electrical apparatus remained in the ceiling.
The licensee had one portion of the Process Area curtained off, and employees were removing paint from a concrete block wall and the ceiling panels.
Everyone working in the area wore protective clothing, coveralls and head covers, and respirators.
In the Tower Area of the Process Area, the inspector noted that all paint had been removed from the walls.
Some of the concrete floor had also been removed.
The Manager of Nuclear and Industrial Safety stated that approximately 1/4" of the floor had been removed in the Tower Area.
A significant aspect of decommissioning activities was related to the solidification of the Lagoon sludge. This operation started during the first week of August, 1981, and was completed during the last week of September, 1981. Approximately 11,700 55 gallon drums, each containing small amounts of radioactive material, were generated in the process.
The inspector determined that the licensee intends to dispose of this material by shipping the drums to the Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee. A licensee representative stated that shipping the material to Oak Ridge probably would not begin until June, 1982.
3 i
The inspector verified that the licensee had randomly sampled 86 of the 11,700 55 gallon drums. Of these, the licensee randomly selected 14 samples and analyzed for gross alpha, gross beta, and specific fission products,in order to determine the specific activity of the material in the drums. The material was composed of lagoon sludge, Portland cement, sodium silicate, and other minor constituents.
The maximum specific activity of the fourteen samples analyzed was 0.00045 microcuries per gram of material.
49 CFR 173.389(e) defines radioactive material as follows:
" Radioactive material means any material or combination of materials which spontaneously emit ionizing radiation. Material in which the estimated specific activity is not greater than 0.002 microcuries per gram of material, and in which the radioactivity is essentially uniformly distributed, is not classed as a Radio-active material under this subchapter."
The drums are presently stored within restricted and unrestricted areas; however, all are located within a fenced area controlled by the licensee.
No violations were identified.
4.
Survey of Equipment Released for Unrestricted Use The inspector discussed the disposition of the equipment used in the lagoon solidification process with the Manager, Nuclear and Industrial Safety.
The inspector determined that the equipment was the property of an outside contractor and was returned to the contractor for udrestricted use by the licensee during the pericd of September 30, 1981 - October 9, 1981.
The inspector reviewed survey data for various pieces of equipment released to the contractor during the period referenced above and noted that the.results were within the limits specified in Annex C of License No. SNM-777, " Guidelines for Decontamination of Facilities and Equipment Prior to Release for Unrestricted Use".
No violations were identified.
5.
Bioassay Subsection 402.2 of Section 400 of the licensee's application states that the minimum bioassay frequency is monthly.
The inspector noted that at the time of this inspection, employeeswere requireo to submit urine samples weekly. The inspector reviewed data for approximately twenty-five employees for 1981, and the data indicated that there were i
no results reported in excess of the licensee's action level of 50 dpm per liter of urine.
I
4 No violations were identified.
6.
Dosimetry The inspector reviewed dosimetry data for approximately 25 employees for 198k to determine if the licensee was in compliance _with the regulations. The data indicated there were no exposures in excess of the limits cited in 10 CFR 20.101.
No violations were identified; 7.
Training During discussions with the Manager, Nuclear and Industrial Safety, the inspector determined that four temporary employees were hired around July, 1981. The inspector reviewed documents which indicated that all four employees had received training as required by 10 CFR 19.12.
No violations were identified.
8.
Exit Interview The inspector met with licensee representatives (denoted in paragraph
- 1) at the conclusion of the inspection on January 29, 1982.
The inspector summarized the purpose and scope of the inspection and inspection findings.