ML20125B366
| ML20125B366 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane  |
| Issue date: | 09/17/1979 |
| From: | Stello V NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE) |
| To: | Bradford P NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20125B361 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7911060134 | |
| Download: ML20125B366 (3) | |
Text
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UNITED STATES
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'j NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
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MEMORANDUM FOR:
Commissioner Bradford 4
THRU:
Executive Director for Operations r/'O l, "i ' /,. n FROM:
Victor Stello, Jr., Director, Office of Inspection and Enforcement
SUBJECT:
HEALTH PHYSICS PROGRAM AT TMI In your memorandum dated August 22, 1979, you had questions regarding identified deficiencies in Metropolitan Edison's health physics program at TMI and the plans and schedules which the staf f believes are necessary to remedy these deficiencies.
The following discussion and the enclosures provide the information you requested.
IE expressed its concerns regarding the health physics program at TMI in meetings with representatives of corporate management of Metropolitan Edison on July 13 and 18, 1979.
The licensee committed, in a letter dated July 18 (see enclosure 1), to implementation of corrective action with regard to the following specific aspects of the radiation protection program:
. organization,
. QA audits,
. control of high radiation areas,
. air sampling program,
. comprehensive bicassay program, and
. personnel exposure procedures.
In letters to the Director, NRC Region I, dated August 6, 13, and 16, 1979, the licensee updated the status of actions committed to in the July 18 letter (see enclosures 2, 3 and 4).
The following summarizes the current status of the identified areas of the health physics program:
. The organization of the radiation protection program remains deficient in that:
(a) functional areas and responsibilities are not clearly defined, and (b) there is no one person with the responsibility of coordinating CONTACT:
E. D. Flack, IE 49-28188 l
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Commissioner Bradford *
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atation-wide radiation protection policy, and there is no objective evidence that the Unit 1 and Unit 2 radiation protection supervisors have an effective communication system to accomplish such coordination.
Action was scheduled to be completed by September 15, 1979.
The implementation of their QA program relating to the radiation protection program has not yet been accomplished.
Action was scheduled to be completed by September 15, 1979.
The revision of written procedures for high radiation areas was developed early in August 1979, but the work was of poor quality.
As of September 4, 1979, the revised procedures have not been issued.
This item is lon0 1
- overdue, l
Action should be completed within the next few days.
The procedure containin0 written criteria for evaluating air samples had not been implemented as of September 2,1979.
rhis item is long overdue.
Action should be completed within the next few days.
The licensee's review and implementation of a bioassay program remains incomplete.
Procedures related to this pro 0 ram were formulated on August 17, 1979, but were found by the flRC to be inadequate.
tiew proco-dures are being developed.
Training of people in these procedures should be complete a week af ter procedures are issued.
Action should be completed by September 30, 1979.
The Jicensee developed procedures for evaluation of an individual's exposure to airborne radioactive materials; this was completed August 17, 1979.
The NRC found these to be inadequate, and the 1icensee is currently preparing a revision.
Action was scheduled to be completed by September 15, 1979.
Please note that while we are aware of the flus report and its criticisms of the TM! health physics program, we have not specifically discussed that report and findings with the licensee.
We have, however, reviewed the NUS findings and the results of our inspection program and find them to be generally consis-tent.
There are certain aspects covered by the flVS report that are not covered specifically by regulatory requirements, nor have they been included specifically in detail in our inspection program.
These items are related generally to the organization, communications and coordination within the health physics starf; whereas our attention has been devoted primarily to inter-organizational coordination and communication, e.g., between health physics and operational staffs, and between the staffs of the two operational units.
We believe the dariciencies in this latter area (overall coordination, communications and oversight and management controls) contribute in large part to the problems
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A Commissioner Bradford experienced at the site, and we are focusing our attention toward achieving corrective actions in this area.
The NUS report, however, has focused our attention on other areas and we will follow these more closely in the future.
In summary, there are still deficiencies in the health physics program at TMI, and occasional lapses which result in exposure and contamination incidents.
Improvements have been and continue to be slow.
Our onsite inspectors are monitoring daily the actions of the licensee in meeting the commitments for improvements and in routine operational aspects of worker protection.
As deficiencies are identified they are pointed out to licensee management, discussed in periodic meetings with licensee management representatives, and summarized in monthly formal reports of inspections.
Please let us know should you have any further questions concerning the above subjects.
As in the past, we will continue to keep the Commission and its staff informed in a timely manner of incidents and newsworthy events that occur at the TMI site.
td Jr 1
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Director Office of Inspection 1
and Enforcement
Enclosures:
1.
July 18, 1979 ltr from Metropolitan Edison 2.
August 6, 1979 Itr from Metropolitan Edison 3.
August 13, 1979 ltr from Metropolitan Edison 4.
August 16, 1979 ltr from Metropolitan Edison cc:
Chairman Hendrie Commissioner Gilinsky Commissioner Kennedy Commissioner Ahearne S. J. Chilk, SECY A. Kenneke, PE L. Bickwit, OGC l
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Dear SL:
--~aree y.ile Isi
> Uuclear Station, Units 1 and 2 (~DfI-1 and TMI-2)
Operati=g Licence No. DFF.-50 and D?2.-73 Decke: No. 50-289 and 50-320
?.ad'ation ?:otection Progra::
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?:: vide a description cf the organizational changes in thn a.
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?:::e::'c: ?:cgra= at the Three Mile Isla.ed S:ction.
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?r. vide a defic.1: ion of the functional areas of the P.adiation Pr
?::gran c:d the specifi: responsibilities accociated vi:h each, Ide :ily the ind'viduals responsibic for each functional area cnd the c.
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v the Me:ropolitan Idico: Cc:pany organization,
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Prcvide a defini: ion of the geographical area:
the ?adiation Protection Staff accigned to Uni:of re.sponsibility for 1 and Uni 2.
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37 Augus: 15, 1979, as 1:. rele:e.s to providing fer regular audi:n of the P.adiation Pro:::= by individuals who are independent of day-to-day radiological protecti
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27 Augus: 2, 4
1979, Me:-Id vill review and re-ic' sue writ ten procedures for con:rol of high rzdiction a:eas.
for con:rol of key:
These procedurec will include specific c:cp:
- V h'.gh radia: ion areas and for ensuring 'that such areas a
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ty !.ugu:t 3,1979, Me:-Id vill issue a procedure centaining wri ten criteria f: c. a.'.ua ting air c =ple rasul:: vith respect to beta -
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Met-Ed vill review adequacy of existing requiremente for i '5.
Ey July 27, 1979, cur bica.ssay pregrz=, and by August 17, 1979, Met-Ed vill have i=ple=ected revised procedures as necessary to assure a co=p:chensive bioassay pro'g :=.
17, 1979, Met-Ed vil.1 review and imple=ent necessary change to 3y.a.ugust 6.
4,1 expo sur e the procedures which define the progr:.s that evaluates the potent of individuals to concentrations of airborne radioactive =sterials as recuirc by 10 CI? 20.201(b).
Sincerely, 7/s s
J. C. Ecrbein Vice President--Generar. ion y
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