ML20129E318

Insp Rept 70-0371/85-05 on 850226.Violation Noted:Hole in Bottom of Drum 1-13 Containing Shipment of SNM Which Violated Requirement That Matls Should Be Packaged in Strong,Tight Packages

ML20129E318
Person / Time
Site:	07000371
Issue date:	05/10/1985
From:	Clemons P, Shanbaky M NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I)
To:
Shared Package
ML20129E306	List: ML20129E302 ML20129E311 ML20129E318
References
70-0371-85-05, 70-371-85-5, NUDOCS 8506060437
Download: ML20129E318 (3)

Text

. .

U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGION I Report No. .70-371/85-05 Docket No.70-371 License No. SNM-368 Licensee: United Nuclear Corporation 67 Sandy Desert Road Uncasville, Connecticut 06382 Facility Name: UNC Naval Products Inspection At: Uncasville, Connecticut Inspection Conducted at: Barnwell, South Carolina

-Report prepared by: // GMW

~P.E. Clemons 5[ 2 f

'da t'e Radiation Specialist, DRSS Approved by: W d M. Shanbaky, Chief', pWR, N/e/fS'

' date Radiation Safety Section Emergency Preparedness and Radiological Protection Branch Inspection Summary: Inspection on February 26, 1985 by a representative of i the South Carolina Department of Environmental Control '

Areas Inspected: United Nuclear Corporation was the originator of a waste shipment that was inspected at the Chem-Nuclear Systems, Inc. burial site.

Results: One violation was identified (Drum No. 1-13 was found to have a hole in its bottom, therefore, this was not a strong tight package as required by

.49 CFR 173.425(b)(1)).

r

[

L B506060437 850521 PDR ADOCK 07000371 C PDR

r; I

DETAILS On February 20, 1985, United Nuclear Corporation dispatched a shipment of Low Specific Activity (LSA) radioactive waste to the Chem-Nuclear Systems, Inc.

burial site at Barnwell, South Carolina. The shipment was made in fifty-eight 55 gallon drums containing 4.2 millicuries of Special Nuclear Material (SNM),

i.e., U-235 and U-238.

10 CFR 71.5, " Transportation of licensed material", states that each licensee who transports licensed material outside of the confines of its plant or other place of use, or who delivers licensed material to a carrier for transport, shall comply with the applicable requirements of the regulations appropriate to the mode of transport of DOT in 49 CFR Part 170 through 189."

49 CFR 173.425(b)(1) states that " materials must be packaged in strong tight packages so that there will be no leakage of radioactive material under condi-tions normally incident to transportation."

The licensee delivered the shipment to the burial site on February 26, 1984, L and the representative of the State of South Carolina determined that the drums were labeled " Radioactive LSA." He also found that drum No. 1-13 had a hole in its bottom and some of its contents (vermiculite) had leaked out of the drum

- onto the bed of the trailer. According to a licensee representative in a tele-phone conversation on March 20, 1985, Drum No. 1-13 contained less than 0.1 grams of special nuclear material, which represents the lowest limit of detec-tion for the instruments used in making the evaluation but yet the drum was labelled " Radioactive LSA" and the shipping documentation identified the entire shipment as " Radioactive Type -A unstable n.o.s."

The failure to have a strong, tight package that would not leak its contents represents a violation of 10 CFR 71.5(85-05-01).

The United Nuclear Corporation Manager, Nuclear and Industrial Safety was in-formed of this apparent item of concompliance with NRC requirements in a tele-

phone conversation with Mr. P. Clemons of the Region I office on March 20, 1985.

SOUTH CAROLI EPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRO P NIAL CONTROL

.-  ; Burscu cf Rcdiologicel H2cith -s Divisien cf Radictetiva Material Liccnzing cnd Complianca Radioactive Shipenent Inspection Report A. General Information: Report No. 85-02-06

1. Shipper UNC Naval Products Address Uncasville, CT

2. Carrier Tri-State Tractor # 870S Trailer # 444522 Type Hard toD

3. Type Package / Cask STC Cask Containing 55-aal. drins B. Shipping Doc 1 mentation:

1. AS# 39282 volume Allocation # 0285-060-A Permit # 0096-06-85-X

2. Shipping Name & Class: Radinactive. Tvno-A unstable n. n. s . HM Id.# UN 2912 (172.202(a)) ~

3. Total Burial Vol.: 435 ft3(172.202(c) Total Curies: 4.18 (172.203(d))

4. Radionuclides: U-235. U-238 (172.203(d))

5. Describe chem./phy. media: enmnacted/nnnenmnacted trash / solid (172.203(d))

6. Chelating Agents (%) comDound Shippers Certification: StateN DOT 'N (172.204)

7. Exclusive Use'N InstructionsN (173.425(b)) Total T.I. N (177.842(a))

8. Check for: Radiation Survey N (173.441) Contamination Levels u (173.443)

9. Compare: Radionuclides w/ resin analysis y Rad / Contamination Levels w/CNSI/BRH C. Shipment Inspection Check List:

N Shipment Braced / Blocked (173.425(b)(6) N Lids (Drum, box, cask) secure (173.425)(b) y visible Leakage (173.425(B)(1) N Visible Damage (173.425) y Pcckage Labeling: W-I. Y-II,_III(172.403) g Cask Defects / Missing Parts (b) & (c) or (Radioactive LSA3' (173.425) N Radiation Survey: Cab / sleeper, N W .cte Class. MarkedQ)B-C Stable /Unctable trailer / truck (173.441)

N Gross Weight Marked (172.310) N Contamination Levels (173.443)

ILSA Exclusive Use Exempt] N Vehicle Placards (173.425(c) (172.507)

'N (Type A3 Type B Package Marked (172.310) N Tiedowns Secure / Adequate N Tr2iler/ Tractor Defects y Offloading Discrepancies g Ptekages banded / reinforced, palletized D. Radiation / Contamination Survey: (transport vehicle or package)

(mR/hr) Surface: .1 2 meters:

Surface: Cab / sleeper Surface:

.1 2 neters: 2 meters:

Surface: 1 2 meters:

Highest contamination detected: Arrival 7 dpm/100cm4 Release dpm/100cm2 9 dpm/100cm2 dpm/100cm2 E. Results of Inspection: Summary of violations and discrepancies Upon inspection, it was found that Drim No.1-13 had a hole in the bottom and some of its contents (vermiculite) had leaked out onto the bed of the trailer. This is contrary to requirements of 49 CFR 173.425(B)(1).

Alsn. the drum had undercone considerable corrosion whigh "- <1 the ho l e. This iL contrary tn renuirements of Condition 61 of SC Rad. Material Lir . Amendment 41, issueo to Chem-Nuclear Systems. Inc.

These items of noncomoliance constitute separate violations of Department Regulation 61-83, Section 1.2.

Date: February 26, 1985 Inspector's Signature s/ Richaru S. Sappinaton

, nuc Rio /Rev.10 /Rai _

_ _ _