ML20065N816

Responds to NRC Re Violations Noted in IE Insp Rept 50-160/82-02.Corrective Actions:Personnel Counseled

ML20065N816
Person / Time
Site:	Neely Research Reactor
Issue date:	10/04/1982
From:	Russell J Neely Research Reactor, ATLANTA, GA
To:	Verrelli D NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II)
Shared Package
ML20065N790	List: ML20065N816
References
NUDOCS 8210220319
Download: ML20065N816 (3)

Text

", i

>jo s,'^f acesp m a Georgia Institute of Technology goa[ t RTEEN SCHOOL OF NUCLEAR ENGINEERING AND HEALTH PHYSICS ATLANTA. GEOMGIA 30332

% nv exsu ( An nr6CAnCH 140m 094 3000 umon N-~

a

.t cr. -

October 4, 1932 z

Dr. D. M. Verrelli, Chief .c-Reactor Projects Branch 1 C Division of Project and - -

Resident Programs Nuclear Regulatory Comraission 101 Marietta St., N.W., suite 3100 Atlanta, Georgia 30303

Dear Dr. Verrelli:

Georgia This letter is in response to yours of Septembe,r 8, 1982 to Institute of Technology. So that you may bring your i r eco rds up- to-da te , enclosed is a copy of a letter of March 28, 1980 notifying the NRC Also, the appropriate title olorWthee of opera director ting unfort thugh the GTR!i. which the reactor management reports is the School of nuclcar L Cng inee r ing and licalth Physics.

As indicated by our records, and duly reported by your inspection, two incidents involving violations of our procedures and hence NRC requirements occurred during the period of the nadiation Protection review, September 15, 1978 to August-26, 1932. Following is a response as to circumstances, action and

urrent status. For reference, each citation is reproduced with' its appropt la te response.

1. 10 CFR 20.203 (c) (2) (iii) requires that each entrance or access point to a high radiation area shall be maintained locked except during periods when access to the area is required, with positive control over each individual entry. -

Contrary to the above, a high radiation area was not maintained locked or entrance positively controlled. On may 5, 1980, the doors to the process equipment. room, a high radiation area, were left open and positive control over each entry was not exercised.

B210220319 821014 W . iCa C0py

{'DR ADOCK 05000160 PDR

( 4 a.: ce n. o.am i> s,wm ee Gangia j An Equa Edt.cahon and Employment opportsrutn inst.tuh

, - -4 j .

Page two October 4, 1982

RESPONSE

The location of this incident was the Process Equipment Room, a room immediately beneath the reactor shield which houses the primary and secondary pumps and heat exchangers which deal with reactor heat. During high power' reactor operations and for a few rainutes following shutdown, the radiation levels at certain locations in the room are above 10J mr/hr which requires it to be classi fied as a. "fligh Radiation Area." The two doors to the area are normally closed and locked, and in addition are instrumented to produce an alarm in the reactor control room whep opened.

At the time of the incident, the reactor. had not been operated for eleven days because a gasket on the personnel air lock was being replaced - an activity unrelated to the Process Equipment Room either . as to -loca tion or- f unction. 1 On the day of the incident, several ma nag eraen t ,- health' '

physics, and operating personnel had access to the Process-Equipment Room area prior. to discovery of the open, unguarded door. On investigating a few days later iso one recalled deliberately leaving the door open.~ The importance l of the procedure was discussed at .a - staff meeting the f.ollowing week. To management's knowledge the incident has not been repeated. ,

2. Technical Specification. 6.4 requires- that procedures for

. radiation and radioactive con tamina t ion control. shall bc l provided and utilized. Licensee procedures state that a !!ealth

Physics survey is required during the removal 'of'any material

from a penetration of the biological shield of the reactor.

I Contrary to the above, the requireraent that a llealth Physics

~

survey be made when removing material trom the reactor was not

~

~~

!. uet in that on Nay 13, 1982 an individual removed. irradiated l material from oiological shield penetration 11 - 1 2 without. a i

llealth Physics survey.

l l

, nl:SPONS E ,

The incident involved a routine sacasurement of flu'x in'a 1

phantom located in a shielded cavity at a beam port _ position i.

i<

~

t

7 . .-

t Page three October 4, 1982 outside the reactor shield. Investijation at the time of the incident pointed to a breakdown of communication.

The seriousness of the matter was discussed with all parties involved, and personnel were reassigned. The matter appears to be resolved.

Yours truly, O.y f &W Jo hn L . Russell, Jr.

Director J R/ jwh ,

Enclosures cc: Dr. Walter Carlson Dr. Thomas Stelson Mr. John Wilson '

Nuclear safeguards committee 0

8 1