ML20116G607
| ML20116G607 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Neely Research Reactor |
| Issue date: | 06/26/1996 |
| From: | Desai P AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED |
| To: | |
| References | |
| REN-I-GANE-070, REN-I-GANE-70, NUDOCS 9608080214 | |
| Download: ML20116G607 (3) | |
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D4ANb 'To f NEJV)b CCCqT[D UMRC MINUTES OF THE NUCLEAR SAFEGUARDS COMMITTEE MEETING OF ggggg February 16, 1988 Members Present:
P. Desai, 6 0. Ed = ds, B. Kahn, S.Abdel-Khalik B. Livesay, CFFICE 07 WJ.~ Mahaffey, H. Neumann, L. Petherick, J.M. Puckett, T.L., Thomas and 00CKEIN; < J.TVickery 5%m Others Present:
R. Boyd, R. Karam, R. Macdonald and D. McDowell Chairman Bernd Kahn called the meeting to order at 3:07 p.m.
I 1.
Minutes of the February 4 meeting were distributed and approved with the following changes:
- 1) Include R. Macdonald on the list of 'others present' and correct the spellings of his and L. Petherick's names.
- 11) In item 5 add a statement after the first sentence to read: "The committee expressed a consensus opinion that the incident was considered to be minor from a radiation safety perspective".
i 2.
R. Karam distributed a revised draft procedure 3107, which included modifications suggested by the committee members on the previously distributed draft.
Item II b on the draft, which modified existing procedure was discussed further.
It was considered that one hundred m rem / hour at two inches from rabbit's surface was safe.
The committee recommended that the draft procedure 3107 be used for about three months before another reevaluation.
k 3.
R. Karam distributed draft procedure 3109.
Modifications to the draft were discussed.
Further discussions were tabled pending revisions of the draft by R. Karam.
4.
The committee discussed the advisability of having two operators in the reactor room, only one of the two being a licensed operator, to cover emergency situations.
It was pointed out that although the unlicensed operator will not be able to independently operate in case of emergency, he will take proper action to bring immediate attention of his supervisors to the emergency.
The committee agreed in principle with such an arrangement.
5.
R. Karam distributed a review of the Cadmium incident that was previously distributed to the media, the committee inquired about the progress on drafting the Georgia Tech response to NRC order modifying the license.
R.
Karam informeo the committee that he expected the response to be ready and sent to the NRC by 23rd February.
A brief discussion on the possibility of cadmium melting followed.
B. Livesey informed the committee ab~out his experiments on Sublimation of Cadmium from coated partially open cavities at temperatures significantly below the melting temperature. A question was raised regarding records of all similar unexpected results in the past which would prove to be very beneficial to new principal investigators.
D. McDowell informed the committee that NNRC kept a record of all unexpected events at the center, including equipment O
malfunction.
The committee recommended that the NSC and P.I.'s be made aware of such records of past incidents. A question regarding inspection for possible cracks, oxidation, etc.,
of the control blades was raised.
The committee was informed that no such 9608080214 960626 PDR ADOCK 05000160 C
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inspection was being currently carried out.
It was suggested that boroscopic examination of the cor. trol blades be carried out.
6.
R. Macdonald discussed personnel problems at the NNRC in great details.
He described the concerns raised by the NRC regarding the Health Physics personnel and the issue of incomplete or inadequately kept records.
He intimated to the committee the lack of cooperation from the Health Physics staff in interpreting the cryptically kept records. He further informed the committee about the interviews of the H.P.
personnel by administration--appointed industrial psychologist, who concluded that the rift between the Operations and the H.P. groups was irreparable.
He informed the committee about the meeting with Dr. Stelson, V.P.
of Research, regarding the hostility of and lack of control over the H.P. personnel, which led to firings of Messers Sharpe and Millspaugh.
A question was raised regarding
"@e the lack of any previous intimation of the H.P.
personr.el's incompetency over the past many years of reactor operation.
J.M.
Puckett related that to the relatively lax attitude of the NRC staff in inspecting research reactors in the past. He also pointed to the increasing seriousness with which the NRC staff lately reviewed all research reactor inspections.
7.
R. Karam related some of the proceedings of his interviews with the NRC inspectors in which they commented on the lack of responsiveness and up-to-date knowledge on the part of the H.P. personnel.
In response to a question on the tendency of the operator in not O
immediately reporting the cadmium
- incident, R.
Karam conceded possible mistakes on parts of all concerned. He pointed out further that in spite of such mistakes.there were those who were willing to change for the better and those who were not.
Each member of the committee then proceeded to express his opinion on the whole affair when asked by B. Kahn.
8.
B. Kahn. suggested that the committee consider temporarily suspending all approval of experiments and tests on the campus (statement attached), excepting those with immediate health and safety impact, or with major research significance.
The committee decided to postpone action on it until the next meeting.- The committee asked that chainnan Kahn send memos regarding all happenings between meetings which need to be reported to the committee at a succeeding meeting.
9.
The committee went on record expressing concern regarding the ability of the current staff in maintaining safety records of all relevant experiments'on campus.
The committee recommended that the director provide a survey of all such experiments and indicate. those for which support cannot be maintained, so that the latter category of experiments may be suspended immediately.
The next meeting of the committee was not scheduled at this time.
Respectfully Submitted, tw +w Prateen V. Desai
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