ML20135F275
| ML20135F275 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07001374 |
| Issue date: | 12/09/1996 |
| From: | Scarano R NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV) |
| To: | Kunze J IDAHO STATE UNIV., POCATELLO, ID |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20135F279 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9612120473 | |
| Download: ML20135F275 (4) | |
Text
.
I g"%g UNITED sT ATES fi It NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
,,, j REGloN IV S ,' f 611 RYAN PLAZA DHivE, SulTE 400 i
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+..../ AR LINGToN, TEXAS 76011-8064 I
December 9,1996 Dr. Jay Kunze, Dean .
School of Engineering !
Idaho State University Pocatello, Idaho 83209-0009 l
SUBJECT:
NRC INSPECTION 70-01374/96-01 AND NOTICE OF VIOLATION
Dear Dr. Kunze:
l l
On October 25,1996, the NRC conducted an inspection at the subcritical assembly facility in Pocatello, Idaho. At the conclusion of the on-site portion of the inspection, the inspector discussed his findings with you and members of your staff. After discussing the inspection findings with our licensing staff in Rockville, MD, the inspector conductrid a j telephonic exit briefing with Dr. John Bennion, Idaho State University's Reactos ;
Administrator, on November 25,1996.
As discussed with Dr. Bennion during the exit briefing, two violations were identified I during the inspection. The first violation involved the failure to ensure that required contamination surveys and leak tests were conducted prior to each experiment. The second violation involved a failure to notify the NRC and obtain approval through a license l amendment before designating new individuals to serve in positions identified in a letter '
dated March 13,1991, as having direct resnonsibility for operation of the subcritical 1 assembly.
These violations are cited in the enclosed Notice. Please note that you are required to i respond to this letter and should follow the instructions specified in the enclosed Notice when preparing your response. The NRC will use your response, in part, to determine ;
whether further enforcement action is necessary to ensure compliance with regulatory i requirements.
1 The second violation is of concern because it could lead to general confusion amongst members of your staff and failures to implement regulations and license commitments !
. important to protect the health and safety of your staff and the general public. Currently, I the license identifies three specific individuals in the School of Engineering as having direct j responsibility for operation of the subcritical assembly. One of these individuals previously i served as the radiation safety officer (RSO). However, these individuals no longer hold any l of the positions identified in the license, and the individual currently serving as the RSO is not even a member of the School of Engineering faculty. Although you have secured the j
. services of a qualified individual to serve as the RSO, as explained to Dr. Bennion during the exit briefing, individuals responsible for operation of the subcritical assembly are identified by name in documents incorporated by reference in the license and must be approved by the NRC via amendment of the license. Therefore, your corrective actions should address this oversight.
9612120473 961209 PDR ADOCK 07001374 C PDR
School of Engineering, ISU l During this inspection, the inspector did not identify any violations with health and safety consequences. However, the inspector did notice that there was some confusion about the meaning of license commitments concerning leak tests and general area contamination surveys, along with some conflict over who was ultimately responsible for conducting audits and annual reviews of the radiation safety program. Although the annual radiation safety program teviews were not documented, as required, for 1994 or 1995; the inspector vaified that independent reviews of different aspects of the licensed program conducted by the current RSO and the current Reactor Supervisor, together, constituted a suffident, if undocumented, review.
In accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the NRC's " Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter, its enclosure (s), and your response will be placed in the NRC Public Document Room (PDR). To the extent possible, your response should not include any personal privacy, proprietary, or safeguards information so that it can be placed in the PDR without redaction.
Should you have any questions concerning this inspection, please contact William H. Radcliffe at (817) 860-8151 or Linda L. Howell at (817) 860-8213.
4 Sincerely, hbOA k.
YRoss A. Scarano, Director Division of Nuclear Materials Safety Docket No.- 70-01374 License No.: SNM-1373
Enclosure:
Notice of Violation cc w/ enclosure:
Idaho Radiation Control Program I,
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- RIV Nuclear Materials File - 5th Floor l "W/lFS Form I
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DOCUMENT NAME: G:\NMIS.O\WHR2\01374NOV,611 To receive copy of docurrwmt, indicate in box: "C" = Copy without enclosures "E" = Copy with enclosures "N" = No copy RIV:NMI&FC/DB C:NMi&FC/Dy l ADD:DNMS D:DNMSf
'WHRadcliffe LLHgwell g' CLCain% RASS,#sno 12/ /96 12///96 [/ ' 12/f /96 12T /96
- Previously Concurred '
OFFICIAL RECORD COPY I20003
School of Engineering, ISU bec w/ enclosure to DMB (IEO7) bec w/ enclosure distrib. by RIV:
LJCallan SJCollins CLCain DBSpitzberg
- LLHowell FAWenslawski
- WHRadcliffe t
- NMI&FC\DB
' MIS System
- RIV Nuclear Materials File - 5th Floor
- W/lFS Form DOCUMENT NAME: G:\NMIS.0\WHR2\01374NOV.611 To receive copy of document, indicate in box: "C" = Copy without enclosures "E" = Copy with enclosures "N" = No copy RIV:NMI&FC/DB C:NMI&FC/Dy l ADD:DNMS l D:DNMS / l
- WHRadclif f e LLHowell @ CLCaintgc. RAS 3arsno 12/ /96 12f//96 (/' 12/f /96 127 /96
- Previously Concurred OFFICIAL RECORD COPY