ML20136C309

Informs of Licensee Failure to Address Major Contributing Factor to Root Cause of Incident That Occurred at Facility on 970113 Re Improper Stack Calibr.Nrc Expects Licensees to Provide Appropriate Mgt Guidance of Licensed Activities

ML20136C309
Person / Time
Site:	05000083
Issue date:	02/27/1997
From:	Mcalpine E NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II)
To:	Vernetson W FLORIDA, UNIV. OF, GAINESVILLE, FL
References
NUDOCS 9703120033
Download: ML20136C309 (3)

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February 27, 1997 University of Florida l ATTN: Dr. W. G. Vernetson Director of Nuclear Facilities 202 Nuclear Science Center l Gainesville, FL 32611-2055

SUBJECT:

ROOT CAUSE OF IMPROPER STACK MONITOR CALIBRATION

Dear Dr. Vernetson:

On January 27, 1997, you issued a letter detailing your review of an incident .

that occurred earlier that month. You indicated that, on January 13, 1997, '

your staff noted inconsistencies between the procedure for stack monitor calibration and the operations surveillance procedure typically used to calibrate the stack monitor. Because of the inconsistencies, it appeared that the stack monitor was not calibrated correctly. A meeting of the Reactor Safety Review Subcommittee Executive Committee was convened to discuss the problem. It was determined that an apparent violation of the Technical S>ecifications (TSs) had occurred and the NRC was subsequently notified. When t11s determination was made, you did not resume operation of the reactor until after a proper calibration of the stack monitor had been completed. After an investigation of the incident, you determined that the cause of the problem was failure to follow procedure. Contributing factors included the existence and inadequacy of two separate procedures _ used for calibration of the stack monitor.

The NRC staff performed a review of the incident and the documents you submitted as a result. It ap) ears that you took adequate corrective actions following identification of tie problem and properly reported the incident as was required. However, it is appears that you did not address a major contributing factor to the root causes of the incident. In your submittal to the NRC you made no mention of: 1) management's role in and responsibility for providing adequate procedures for the operators and technicians to follow.

2) ensuring that the operators and technicians were properly trained, and I

3) auditing the procedures and the implementation thereof, when they were changed in 1990, to ensure that the actions completed accomplished the desired goal, i.e., proper calibration of the stack monitor. As an NRC licensee, you are expected to provide ap3ropriate management guidance and oversight of the licensed activities like t1ose involved in this incident at your facility.

These concerns deserve your close attention both now and in the future. /

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UFL 2 If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact me at (404) 331 5547.

Sincerely,]t 1 Edward J. McAlpine, Chief l Fuel Facilities Branch l Division of Nuclear Materials Safety Docket No. 50 83 License No. R 56 cc: Dr. J. S. Tulenko, Chairman Nuclear Engineering Sciences Department University of Florida 202 Nuclear Sciences Center Gainesville, FL 32611 Dr. Ratib A. Karam, Director Neely Nuclear Research Center Georgia Institute of Technology 900 Atlantic Drive, NW Atlanta, GA 30332 Mr. Pedro B. Perez i Associate Director i Nuclear Reactor Program North Carolina State University P. O. Box 7909 Raleigh, NC 27695 7909 Dr. R. U. Mulder, Director Reactor Facility University of Virginia Charlottesville, VA 22903 2442 Lyle E. Jerrett, Acting Chief Office of Radiation Control Deaartment of Health and lehabilitative Services 1317 Winewood Boulevard Tallahassee, FL 32999 Distribution: (See page 3)

l UFL 3 Distribution: .

T. Michaels, NRR J. Caldwell, NRR C. Bassett, RII E. McAlpine, RII l G. Shear, RIII-B. Murray,.RIV.

F. Wenslawski, RIV  ;

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