ML20083B042

Responds to 950327 Request for Info Re Events at Facility, Including Allegations Re Incidents in Which Individual Appeared to Be Under Influence of Alcohol.Formal Policy & Procedures Now in Place & Have Been Widely Disseminated

ML20083B042
Person / Time
Site:	University of Missouri-Columbia
Issue date:	04/25/1995
From:	Rhyne J MISSOURI, UNIV. OF, COLUMBIA, MO
To:	Mccormickbarge NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III)
References
NUDOCS 9505110245
Download: ML20083B042 (6)

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- I Research Reactor Center Resea c'1 Pa K Cor: a. fAssoun 65211 II Telec :-e (314) 882-4211

AX [314] 882=3443 UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-COUJMBIA April 25,1995 O{'

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J. W. McCormick-Barger U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Region III 801 Warrenville Road Lisle, Illinois 60532-4351

REFERENCE:

Docket 50-186 University of Missouri Research Reactor License R-103

SUBJECT:

Reply to a Request for Information Dated March 27,1995

Dear Sir:

This is a written statement requested by letter dated March 27,1995 concerning events at the University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR).

CONCERN NUMBER 1 We were aware, prior to your March 27 letter, of the allegations regarding two separate incidents in I, which the same individual appeared to be under the influence of alcohol. In both instances, the individual left the Reactor Center before Reactor Operations staff could act to determine whether formal action should be taken to confirm or refute the allegation. The possibility ofhaving any individual at the Reactor Center whose abilities are compromised by alcohol or other chemical substances is taken very seriously. Both the Director of the Reactor Center and the Vice Prcrost for Research, independently and separately, have spoken about the allegations and the seriousness of such a problem with the individual, who has categorically denied being impaired and who completely agrees that impairment by alcohol or any other chemical substance is both a seri:us safety violation and professionally totally unacceptable.

To better position the Reactor Center to deal with the problem of an individual who at the Esactor Center is thought to be under the influence of alcohol, several actions have been taken by Reactor Center management: (1) On May 17,1993, the Director issued an alcohol and drug use po2cy to all persons with access to the Reactor Center (attached). This policy was sent to all individuals with access and was posted in several conspicuous locations, including the entry doors to the Cer.:er. (2)

In July 1993, an alcohol breath analyzer was purchased, and staff at the Reactor Center have been trained in its use. Thus, the Center now has both policy and written procedure for promptly determining impairment due to alcohol incorporated into the formal Reactor Center policy or. alcohol and drug use as of September 1, 1994. (3) The procedure was further modified on September 16, 1994, and February,1995, as a result of suggestions made by stafT to improve the policy.

In summary the Center now has formal policy and procedures in place that have been widely disseminated to increase their effectiveness as a deterrent as well as an objective means for testing persons to verify or refute suspected impairment from alcohol.

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J. W. McCormick-Barger April 25,1995 Page 2 CONCERN NUMBER 2 DESCRH'flON OF EVENT On February 23,1995 a Health Physics Technician cleaned out a storage locker containing radiation protection equipment. Some of the material in the locker was no longer useful and was surveyed using a thin window GM pancake probe as it was placed in a box to be discarded. No contamination was detected by this survey. The box of trash was left in the corridor for the custodial stafito take to the dumpsters located on the MURR loading dock. On the morning of February 24,1995 a custodian picked up the box, and as he was trained to do, passed it through the portal monitor. The portal monitor alarmed and the custodian placed the box in the appropriate storage location and notified the Health Physics oflice.

Using an Eberline RM-14S with an HP-260 GM pancake probe, the same Health Physics Technician surveyed the box and its contents. The trash was removed from the box and surveyed separately.

The technician found no evidence of radioactive material and the box was given to the custodian for disposal. The custodian again took the box of trash through the portal monitor and again it alarmed. The Health Physics Technician was notified that the box would not pass a portal monitor survey. The technician informed the custodian that the material had been surveyed, no activity was found, and the box should be disposed of as non-contaminated waste.

The custodian then brought the situation to the attention of a Health Physicist. The Health Physicist, using a frisker, performed a routine survey of the trash in the box and could not locate the contamination. He then divided the trash into smalllots and surveyed the material on the portal monitor. He was able to locate a single spot of contamination on' a piece of elastic strap. Using a frisker he measured the contamination level on contact and found it to be 200 cpm above background. Background radiation level was 100 cpm With the frisker probe at greater than 1 d inch from the strap the radiation level was background. Using a conservative calibration conversion of 10'Tr the activity of the contamination was estimated to be 2000 disintegrations per minute (dpm).

l The strap was disposed of as radioactive waste. The remainder of the trash was placed in the original box and passed through the portal monitor without alarm.

ANALYSIS OF EVENT l

A thorcugh survey of materialleaving the facility using a thin window GM pancake probe is an appropriate monitoring technique and provides adequate sensitivity for beta / gamma emitting j isotopes. It is the monitoring technique along with swipe samples for removable contamination used fcr most of the items removed from restricted areas in the building. Due to the inconvenient location and the size of the portal monitor it can only be used to survey a small fraction of the material and equipment removed from restricted areas. Although the Health Physics Technician had already used an appropriate survey method to evaluate the box of trash and found no evidence of contamination,he/she did not respond correctly to the second portal alarm. The box of trash should have been segregated for further evaluation.

The custodian performed the correct surveys and responded to the alarms properly. Custodians at MURR are considered radiation workers and receive initial training and annual retraining on survey protocol for removing suspected non-radioactive trash from the building. The custodian also responded as he was trained to do by bringing the matter to the attention of senior Health Physics personnel.

The event was thoroughly discussed with the technician involved, the rest of the Health Physics Group and the custodial staff. The retraining emphasized that when the results of two equally

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. J. W. McCormick-Barger April 25,1995 Page 3 valid evaluation methods disagree, the more conservative of the two should be accepted.

The section of the MURR Policy and Procedures Manual entitled " Removal of Items From MURR"'

was reviewed and found to be adequate. A new Health Physics Standard Operating procedure was written to clarify appropriate survey protocol.

While the more conservative path was not taken, the radiological health consequences of this incident were minimal. The activity involved was well below the acceptable contamination levels for unconditional release listed in Regulatory Guide 1.86. In fact, the activity was less than the regulatory limit for removable contamination on a package offered for shipment. Appropriate actions were taken by custodial staff and senior Health Physics personnel and no radioactive material was released from the facility to an unrestricted area.-

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James J. hyne Director ENDORSEMENT:

Reviewed and Approved

' N&SL chn P. McCormick Interim Vice Provost for Research

% and Dean of the Graduate School

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11 Tetepnene (314) 682-4211 PAX :314) 5E2 635" UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURl-COLUMBIA May 17,1993 TO: All persons with access to MURR-FROM: Jim Rhyne ((y RE: Alcohol and drug use policy All our staff and outside users of the Research Reactor Center should be aware that entry into or performing work at the Center is not permitted while they are physically or mentally impaired because of alcohol or drug use (prescription or other).

Individuals giving the appearance or other evidence of impairment to co-workers or supervisors should be reported to the Reactor Shift Supervisor who will request they leave the building. The Reactor Manager should be notified of such incidents D as soon as possible and will then forward them in writing to the Director's Of6ce.

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MURR CENTER ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE POLICY

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All uur staff and outside users of the Research Reactor Center should be aware that entry into or performing work at the Center is not permitted while they are physically or mentally impaired because of alcohol or drug use (prescription or other).

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_ Individuals giving the appearance or other evidence ofimpairment to co workers or supervisors should be reported to the Reactsr Shift Supervisor.

Persons who appear to be impaired by alcohol will be subject to testing for Blo'od Alcohol Centent (BAC). The most objective symptom that an individual may be impaired is the '

smell of alcohol on the breath. This syruptom, as a minimum, may be used as criteria for testing. .;

Test Procedure Testing for BAC will be performed by Reactor Operations personnel designated by the f Reactor Manager and trained to use the equipment. The determination of the need to perform a test will be by the Reactor Shift Supervisor or by the lead senior operator. . ,

Persons subject to testing will receive a consent / refusal form which gives them the "

cpportunity to declare any medication or conditions that may have given the appearance of impairment.

The actual test takes about 10 to 15 minutes to perform-an initial test is followed by a .

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"' ccnfirmatory test if the results are positive. The test requires the individual to breathe into the testing equipment mouthpiece. [A new sealed mouthpiece is attached bercre each test.) -

.Results/ Consequences I

Any person who tests positive (greater than .04% BAC) or refuses to be tested will be asked to ) "

leave the Research Reactor Center. Suggest to the person that he/she not drive, and otter to ).

previde transportation. If the individual refuses your offer, contact the Campus Police

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452-7201) and let them deal with the potential problem.

If this individual is authorized unescorted access to'the Center, a record of the test or test . -) j refusal will be placed in the MURR access authorization file with a warning that a second

esitive test or second test refusal would be grounds to remove the person's access l

authorization to enter the Research Reactor Center. I Extenuating Circumstances

)9 When you are called to come to the facility because of an unexpected emergency or - j equipment failure, you should inform the Reactor Shift Superviser if you have been consuming alcohol or are on medication. Inform him/her right away of your condition on the phone, so he can decide whether to call in an additional person. Please remind him/her cfyour condition when you arrive. The Shift Supervisor may choose to waive the test procedure and use discretion in determining the level of your involvement in assisting with the emergency or equipment failure.

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