ML20128E005

Expresses Views of Nuclear Engineers at Facility.Complete Review of Present Policies Re QA Requested

ML20128E005
Person / Time
Site:	Monticello
Issue date:	12/26/1973
From:	Heneage J AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED
To:	Ray D US ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION (AEC)
References
NUDOCS 9212070445
Download: ML20128E005 (6)

Text

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John F. Honance FLE, RR P. For $?

Fig lePe, " inn. 55300 Lec. F6, 1973 Ft. Lixia Lee Rey, Orsirwo nn H

U.S. Ato-!c tnorey Cor-irrion b

Yarnington, I,C.

Lear Ms. Bsvi n

Aro vou lirtening?

I am writing to you, directly, to excrete the viewe of i

thc nuclear eneineere at an operating plant (Monticello), there are our own views and not neceerarily those of our emoloyer, h'e are seking for a co nlete review of the orerent nolicier which tr uc accarently out uch of the nuclesr indurtry on 9 kand-lone, callision coarre with nn endleer and needlere stount of "oscer work". Tba current infatustion wit' "Run11tv Artursnce" -uet te c*.ecPed, v611e we agree that sore arnectr of riant onarstion do iniaed reactre additionni quality control, evervthine doee not need cue'.ity control (not all bB rns are re d ). I F ug:C r t thGt Vou tePe a fev r.inuter and reed Minkler'r article in the Dec. '73 1rrue of Nucice r Nove.

To Tuch valisble tier ir being verted by ouersting staff e in a futile atteint to E tav ahead cf the "nacer tiger", while taVin7 time froe the staffe actual ocoration of tre olant. (Note: sore would Esy, then the utilitcr iust exonnd their staf fe to cet the job done, trir ir an irra tion 91 etteret to lurtify continusnee of the abovo oolicier).

We wou26 live to coTrend vou end your efforte to farce the Nuclecr Industry to orovide greater lco-ortunitar for waren. Un-of tre curre-t co2icies can be d i rec tly U

fortunately, many e t trit a te d to the irrationni, eexist regulatione oreviously -

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4nA' u c +,, y. Arsin, nnether roeron why any regulation f o E te rr' d u m a r-

+be nurt bo conetent'v exerited snd rarvelunted, (en d

i n r e -t-c9 err, honefully elivineted).

Finally, I thought your "derante" of t*e nuclear industry on Face the Nation, Sunday, Lec. 30, 1977, war very good. I av indeed encouraged when I ree irrational questionE RnFYer6d in a rational, accurate isnner.

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Eincerly,

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>c achn F. sen cse Sacios t 'in c i r c e r

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John F. 1fenesge ELE, RR 2, Box ?3 Eig Lske, Minn. 553C9 Lee. 26', 1973 Fe. Lixie Lee Bay, Chairwoman U;S. AtoTic Energy Comrierion Washington, D.C.

Dear Me. Ray:

?

Are you lietenine?

I am writing to you, directly, to express the views of l

(Monticello), these the nuclear engineere at an operating plant those of our employer.

are our own views and not neceererily We are asking for a complete review of the present policies which have apoarently put much of the nuclear industry on a head-long, collision coarse with an endlese and needless amount of "cacer i

work". The current infatuation with " Quality Ar rurance" must be checked, while we agree that some nececte of clant operation do indeed require additional quality control, everything does not need quality control (not all barns are red). I suggert that you

'73 take a few minutes and read Minkler's article in the Dec.

issue of Nccice r Nave.

To much valiable time is bein wasted by operating staffs in a futile attempt to stay ahead of the " paper I

tiger", while taking time f rom the staffe actual ooeration of the

, then the utilitae Tust exoand plant. (No te : some would say i

this is an irrational attemot their etaf fs to get the job done, to justify continuance of the above col,1cies).

We would like to commend you and your efforte to force the Nucle 9r Induetry to orovide greft'er' occortuniter for woren. Un-

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directly l

fortunately, many of tre current colicies can DE i

attributed to the irrational, eexis t regulatione creviously ! *

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2 fostered uoon the industry. Again, another reason why any regulation moet be conetantly examined and reevaluated. ( and in eore caree, hocef ully elie.inated ).

Finally, I thought your " defense" of the nuclear industry Face the Nation, Sunday, Dec. 30, 1977, was very good. I a:

on indeed encouraged when I see irrational questions anevered in a rational, accurate Tanner.

Sincerly, d%l l

7, u.

John F. Heneage Nuclear Engineer e

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e MINKLER Elementary pile theory 1

. While Christmas shopping in nearDy operator. As he turned toward rne, I tion and common sense pulled us through Blightsburg last week, I decided to visit recognized Phil Litmus, XYZ's brilliant to more good products.

the XYZ Engineering Company, which senior chemist, "It also gave us more experience, and has subcontracted many experiments to "What happened?" I stammered. "Have someone said, 'Let's codify our expere.

our printely endowed Research Founda-you gone into agricultural engineering?" ence into format manuals and procedures f

tion.

" Nope," said Phil. " Procedural shock.

so we don't rnake any mistakes / So we We hadn't heard from XYZ in several Hold this bag open for me arid I'll ex-did.

months, and I 'though l'd drum up some plaln."

• By then, demand for Cur products had good will and possibly a little revenue.

As i grasped the top edges of a burlao put us on a greuling commitment sched-But as I strolled down Cesspool Ave-sack, wincing against the aroma, N.

ule, and reading the procedures Cet nue toward XYZ's main gate, i noticed said, "When our company started 30 alone trying to understand them) took so that the familiar yetow-brick administra-years ago, we were an excited, barn-much time from cesign work that some-tion building was gone. So were the storming bunch. Our technology was thing had to go, technical staff building, the two labs, new, and we made lots of rnistakes. But "The thing that went was common and the old process development shop, through sheer dedication and common sense. With rules to guide every ste;:,

in their place was a huge steaming sense, we designed good products, who needed it? But when the common mountain of fertilizer, tended by a gray.

"This gave ua onother comm0dity sense went, so did the dedication. This haired man in dirty blue covera:Is. He called ' experience,' and someone said, precipitated even more regulations, and was shoveling fertilizer into bags.

'Let's write our experience down, so we all thoughts of imagination, technical

" Hello," I called in great surprise.

don't make so many mistakes.' So we excellence, personal contribution were "Where's the XYZ Company?"

wrote reports to each other. This took buried in a bitter, deadly serlous game "This is it," said the wizened shovel time from our design work, but dedica-

.of Follow the Procedures.

"As the procedures burgeoned, they became even harder to follow And by this past September, so many signatures, check lists, and approval forms were required even to take out a library book, that work ground to a hatt. No one could move without violating some rute.

'"Then one morning we came to worn and found our entire company had col-g lapsed into the mountain of soll enrich-ment compound that you see here. Most g

of the employees went into shock, but I

as a chemist and former farm boy I'm

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used to the fragrance, and I've stayed J

on to make do with what's left.

"This is a particularly rich area we're M

standing in. Used to be the Commitment V

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' Control Audit Department, Would you like some to take bcck to your Research Foundation?"

"No thanks," I said. "We've got enougn p

i of our own."-Elli Minkler j

Readers are irmied to confNbute short nut 3r pieces, in verse or prose, for use on tNs page items should t>e sent to: iditor Nucle 3r Ngas.

"He wants to know if it's okay to go down the Rio Blanco chimney."

244 East Ogoen Ave.. Hinspe. hL ecs21.