ML20137Z925
| ML20137Z925 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Farley, 07000364, 07000135  |
| Issue date: | 02/27/1986 |
| From: | Jang J, Keimig R, Rabatin K, Roth J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20137Z929 | List: |
| References | |
| 70-0135-85-05, 70-0364-85-03, 70-135-85-5, 70-364-85-3, NUDOCS 8603130242 | |
| Download: ML20137Z925 (12) | |
Text
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U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGION I Report Nos.
70-135/85-05 70-364/85-03 Docket Nos.70-135 and 70-364
^
License Nos. SNM-145 and SNM-414 Priority I
Category ULD, UHD, PUD Licensee: Babcock and Wilcox Company Pennsylvania Operations Apollo, Pennsylvania 15613 Facility Name: Apollo and Parks Township Facilities Inspection At: Apollo and Parks Township, Pennsylvania Inspection Conducted: December 9-13, 1935 Inspectors:
1 3/37/P4_
J o n, Project Engir.er
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YAun 0.
4xL AIB7/W J.
, Senior Raotati. Specialist
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. t// Rabatin, Radiat" ion pecialist
' da te' (fosimetry)
M Approved by:
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R.R.Keimig,Cfief, guards Section date i
~' Division of Rddiati Safety and Safeguards Inspection Summary:
Inspection on December 9-13J985 (Combined Inspection Report Nos. 70-136/85-05; 70-364/85-03).
Areas Inspected:
Routine, unannounced inspection by three region-based inspec-tors (73 hours8.449074e-4 days <br />0.0203 hours <br />1.207011e-4 weeks <br />2.77765e-5 months <br />) of the licensed program, including:
licensee actions on pre-j i
viously identified enforcement items; operations reviaw, auclear criticality safety; safety committees; nonroutine events; radiation pr:.:ction; evacuation drills; status of the Waste Burial Site; transportation activities; and environ-l mental programs.
In addition, TLDs were placed on and around the two sites, and sludge samples were taken from the Kiski Valley Water Pollution Control Authority Sewage Plant for analysis.
The NRC inspectors were accompanied by an inspector rrom the. Pennsylvania Bureau of Radiation Protection during the l
inspection.
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_Re sul ts : The licensee was found in compliance with NRC requirements in the l
)
areas inspected.
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OETAILS 1.
Persons Contacted M. A. Austin, Manager, Technical Control D. K. Sgarlata, Supervisor, Nuclear Safety and Regulatory T. Boroman, Environmental Engineer T. E. Pollog, Nuclear Engineer, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources, Bureau of Radiation Protection 2.
Licensee Action On Previously Identified Enforcement Items (Closed) Violation (135/85-02-01):
Failure to follow nuclear safety pro-cedures.
The inspector verified through examination of licensee proce-dures and interviews of operators that the nuclear safety procedures had been modified to reflect current operations which involve the handling of small quantities of U-235 (less than about 300 grams U-235 per package).
In addition, the inspector determined that the operators were retrained in the proper techniques for handling packages containing U-235, i.e.,
spacing requirements and the number of packages authorized on each trans-fer cart.
(Closed) Unresolved Item (364/82-03-03):
Corrective actions to be taken to clear contaminated soil, identified in the 1982 Oak Ridge Associated Universitics (0RAU) survey report, from the surface of the burial site.
By letter dated February 27, 1985, the licensee informed the NRC of its intention to remove contaminated soil from the surface of the burial site.
The contamination removed exceeded radiation levels (on contact) of 20 micro roentgen / hour (above twice background) as identified in the 1982 ORAU report.
That contaminated soil was removed between May and September, 1985.
However, during removal of the ORAU identified spots, the licensee identified additional contaminated soil which will be treated or removed by the licensee.
This is discussed further in paragraph 9.
3.
Review of Operations The inspector examined all areas of the sites to observe operations and activities in progress, to inspect the nuclear safety aspects of the plant, and to check the general state of cleanliness, housekeeping and adherence to fire protection rules.
a.
Uranium Facility (1) Status of Decommissioning The inspector noted that all equipment in the Apollo facilities (chemistry laboratories, low enriched uranium processing areas and the laundry) had been dismantled, packaged for burial.and sent to an approved burial facility.
The licensee had also
3 washed down the ceiling and. walls of the facility with a high pressure water spray to remove loose radioactive contamination.
Subsequent to the wash down, the ceiling and walls were surveyed for residual fixed contamination and painted.
Some fixed con-tamination was found and was documented in licensee records..The licensee had initiated repackaging of residual low enriched (less than 5% U-235) powder for transport to an approved burial i
site. The powder was being mixed with concrete, solidified and stored in the plant prior to shipment.
No inadequacies were identified.
(2) Storage Arrays During examination of Storage Area B, the inspector observed that six shipping packages (Certificate of Compliance No. 5906) were being stored.
The nuclear safety posting in the area limited the U-235 content of each package to a maximum of 200 grams.
Two of the six packages (container Nos.154 and 177) contained 283 and 292 grams U-235, respectively.
The Certi-ficate of Compliance allows a quantity of U-235 in any package of up to 1600 grams, with no limit on the number of packages in the array.
Licensee representatives stated that they had inadvertently missed removing this posting in Storage Area B.
It was no longer needed because of the type of material and packaging involved.
This was verified by the inspector.
b.
plutonium Facilities (1)
Status of Decommissioning Activities The inspector examined the status of the Fab 4 and 5 c!eanup.
Paint has been removed from the ceilings, walls and floor of the Fab 4 and 5 areas.
Electrical conduit, wall and floor expansion joints, cracks in the walls and floor and all drain lines have been removed from Fab 4 and 5.
The licensee is currently conducting preliminary radiation and contamination surveys of all Fab 4 and 5 room surfaces and soil sampling in the trenches exposed upon removal of the drain lines to deter-mine the effectiveness of the cleanup operation. As a result of the preliminary soil sampling, additional soil was removed from various areas of the trenches. As soon as preliminary survey results indicate that the room meets the NRC release criteria, a final detailed survey will be conducted, documented and sub-mitted to the NRC for review and/or verification.
The licensee was requested not to backfill the trenches until after an NRC verification survey was completed.
4 (2) Housekeeping The inspector observed that housekeeping was inadequate in the Fab 1 area and the stud tensioner refurbishment area (backside of the former hot cells).
This was discussed with licensee
~
representatives who indicated that some equipment ~ removal from the Warm Equipment Room had recently been completed and that these areas were expected to be cleaned up by January 31, 1986.
(3) Volume Reduction Services Facility (VRSF)
The inspector examined the VRSF and noted that all construction activities had been completed.
The compactor system was instal-led and tested with non radioactive materials.
Facility modi-fications to accommodate the incinerator, when received, had also been completed. The inspector noted that a series of filters (charcoal and High Efficiency Particulate Absolute (HEPA)) had been installed between the compactor enclosure and the main plant ventilation duct. Air flowing through this duct aisc passes through an existing be.nk of HEPA filters prior to release to the environment.
(
(4) Hot Cell Ventilation Systems During examination of the pressure gauges on the hot cell venti-lation systems, the inspector observed that the change in pres-sure across the filters in the HCF-3 system was at 3.5 inches of water.
The facility license requires an evaluation of the filters at 4 inches of water and the filters must be changed at 6 inches of water.
However, it was noted by the inspector that the pres-sure gauges in use on both the HCF-2 and 3 ventilation systems would only measure the change in pressure up to 4.5 inches of water.
Licensee representatives stated that the pressure gauges would be changed to measure pressure differentials of at least 6 inches of water across the filters in these ventilation systems.
Changing of the pressure gauges was identified as an Inspector Followup Item (IFI 364/85-03-01).
(5) Nuclear Services Operations Activities The inspector observed actions taken by the licensee to monitor the decontamination and disassembly of contaminated reactor fuel pool racks.
This operation was taking place in the form?r Warm Equipment Room under the restrictions of a " Radiation /Contami-nation Work Permit" (R/CWP).
No inadequacies were identifted.
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1 4.
Nuclear Criticality Safety a.
Internal Reviews and Audits The inspector examined records of 35 internal compliance and performance reviews and audits conducted from April 3, 1935 through December 5, 1985.
These audits were conducted in the High Enriched Uranium Facility, Low Enriched Uranium Facility, Plutonium Facility, Laundry, and Shipping and Receiving Areas of the sites, and covered nuclear, radiological and environmental safety.
The inspector verified that corrective actions had been taken or initiated on each item identified in these reviews and audits, b.
Facility Changes and Modifications The inspector observed that the former Warm Equipment Storage Room at the Parks Township Plant had been modified to facilitate the decontamination and disassembly of contaminated reactor fuel pool racks as previously discussed in paragraph 3b(5).
In addition, it was noted that portions of the high enriched area floor in the Apollo Uranium Plant had been removed to recover any U-235 from the concrete in the floor. This operation was discussed, in detail, in Inspection Report Nos. 70-135/85-03 and 85-04.
5.
Safety Committees - Safety Advisory Board (SAB)
The inspector examined the minutes of three quarterly meetings of the Safety Advisory Board held between March, 1985 and October, 1985. Topics discussed included facility audits conducted by the SAB, the 1984 Health and Safety ALARA Report, and facility decommissioning activities.
6.
Nonroutine' Events i,
The inspector determined through a review of licensee records that no nonroutine events, requiring NRC notification, within the scope of this inspection, took place at these facilities since the last inspection.
However, there was one nonroutine event which took place at the Parks Township Plant which, after licensee investigation, was determined not to require a notification to the NRC. Additionally, the inspector looked into unusual activities alleged to have occurred at the plants by local residents.
[
According to the licensee's documentation, on November 18, 1985, nasal smears obtained from an operator working in the spent fuel pool rack decontamination and disassembly area indicated that the operator may have been exposed to airborne radioactivity in excess of the maximum l
permissible concentration.
The operator was wearing a full face respi-rator at the time. The operator was immediately placed on a fecal and urine sampling program.
Subsequent analyses of the samples indicated that the operator received an internal exposure to Co-60 of less than 4% of the
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licensee's action level of 120 nanocuries of Co-60.
Exceeding this action level would require the licensee to restrict the operator from additional exposure.
During November, 1985, several local residents inquired of NRC Region I personnel about white smoke coming from the Apollo Uranium Plant.
During this inspection, the inspector reviewed licensee records and interviewed licensee personnel concerning this matter.
The inspector confirmed that no unusual occurrences had taken place at this facility.
The white smoke observed by the local residents may have come from steam discharges from the plant boiler which provides heat for the plant.
A local resident made inquiries of NRC Region I representatives concerning the burning of contaminated wood and trash between April and September, 1985.
The inspector also looked into this matter during tnis inspection by reviewing licenste records and interviewing licensee personnel.
The inspector verified that trash and wood had been burned by the licensee in accordance with Parks Township burning ordinances and that all items burned had been sueleyed for radioactive contamination prior to burning.
Licensee records indicated that the material bu-ned was essentially not contaminated.
(Contamination levels were less than 5 dpm alpha plus beta gamma per 100 cm. The corresponding NRC guideline is 1,000 dpm 2
alpha or beta gamma /100 cm ).
2 In both of the preceding matters, the involved local residents were apprised of the inspector's findings.
7.
Radiation Protection a.
Uranium Facilfty_
(1) Surveys The inspector examined licensee data for floor smears and fixed contamination, general air, stack air and breathing zone air surveys performed from April 1, 1985 through December 12, 1985.
The data did not indicate any : problem with surface and airborne radioactive contamination control or any condition exceeding regulatory limits.
(2) Hood Airflow The ins.e fewed licensee records and verified that the licenses
.em cd weekly hood face airflow velocity and filter differential pressure measurements between April 1, and December 12, 1985, as required.
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4 The records indicated immediate action was taken to change filters or prohibit use of a hood if the airflow velocity was less than 100 linear feet per minute.
ft b.
Plutonium Facility (1) Surveys The inspector examined licensee data for smear, general air, and stack air surveys performed from April 1, through December 11, 1985.
The data did not indicate any significant problem with surface and air-borne radioactive contamination control or any condition exceeding regulatory limits.
- However, the inspector noted that several of the reported daily stack sample analysis results were in excess of the maximum permis-sible concentration (MPC) for alpha radioactivity (MPC=6E-10 microcuries/ml.). These values ranged from 8.3 to 53 E-10 microcuries/ml. These concentrations when averaged over one year, as authorized by 10 CFR 20.106(a), would not exceed the concentrations specified in 10 CFR 20 Appendix B, Table II.
Through discussions with licensee representatives, the inspector determined that the observed daily concentrations were recorded as less than minimum detectable concentrations.
The licensee stated that the minimum detectable concentration values were high because some of the planchets (sample holders) used to hold the samples in tne counting instrument were contaminated.
The inspector stated that the licensee must ensure that laboratory techniques are such to provide minimum detectable concentrations less than MPC. This was identified as an Inspector Follow-up Item (IFI 364-85-03-02).
(2) Room presst e Measurements The inspector examined pressure gauges located throughout the facility and licensee records of smoke tests conducted for the period January 4, to Decenber 4, 1985 to assure that air flow between various areas of the plant was from areas of lower to areas of higher potential contamination.
The inspector noted that airflow between Fab 7 and the Fab 1 hall was in the wrong direction.
Fab 7 has been cleaned up and essentially decontami-nated.
Licensee representatives stated that they will assure proper airflow in this area of the plant.
(3) Control Rod Guide Tube (CRGT) Refurbishment Activities The instructor examined license records of contamination 'and radiation surveys conducted in the CRGT refurbishment area of the plant between June 6, 1985, a?.d December 5, 1985.
The records indicated that the maximum radiation level on contact with the wall outside the building was less than 2.0 mR/hr.
8 Removable contamination smear surveys were conducted daily.
These data did not indicate any problem with surface radio-activity contamination. control or any condition exceeding regulatory limits.
(4) Dioctyl Phthalate (00P) Tests The inspector examined licensee records of ventilation system DOP tests conducted between January 29, 1982 and October 22, 1985.
The tests were conducted every six months, as required, or upon restart of ventilation systems within the plant that had been previously shutdown.
The inspector verified for each test that the ventilation system filters were at least 99.99*e efficient in removing particulate matter which was larger than 0.3 microns, as required.
c.
Radiation / Contamination Work Permits (R/CWP's)
The inspector examined several R/CWP's issued to cover work activities at both the Parks Township and the Uranium Facilities.
The inspector determined that the R/CWPs ware properly prepared and issued. The requirements specified on the R/CWPs were conservative and appeared to be adequate to protect the workers from over exposure to radiation and airborne contamination.
8.
Evacuation _ Drills l
Through an examination of licensee records, the inspector verified that the licensee conducted evacuation drills once each quarter at each faci-lity between September, 1984 and October, 1985, as required by license conditions. Annually, at least one drill at each facility was a " full dress" drill which involved local fire compar.ies, ambulance services, police and hospitals.
No inadequacies were identified by the inspector, i
During a meeting held with local residents on November 21, 1985, an inquiry was made of the NRC personnel present about the availability of current emergency plans to local and county emergency planning autho-t rities.
This was discussed with licensee reoresentatives following that meeting.
During this inspection, the inspector determined that current emergency plans were provided to local and county civil defense planning authorities.
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9 9.
Parks Township Waste Burial Site The inspector examined the Parks Township Plant (Plutonium Facility) burial site to observe work done by the licensee as described in a Februa ry 27, 1985 letter to the NRC. The inspector noted that areas of the lower slope surface (immediately behind the Metals Building) had been skimmed to remove a layer of soil.
Similar work on the upper slope, was completed during September, 1935. During removal of the contaminated soil previously identified by Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU),
the licensee identified additional spots that will be treated or removed.
In an attempt to reduce the volume of soil to.be removed, the licensee indicated, during a meeting held on October 9, 1985, that a trial in.
situ screening test on an entire grid area (25' x 25') would be conducted to see if contaminated portions of the soil can be removed.
A six inch deep cut of soil would be removed, sampled and analyzed, followed by a second six inch deep cut which would also be sampled and analyzed.
Differences between the analytical results obtained on each cut would then be evaluated to determine the appropriate depth of the cuts to be taken for subsequent efforts.
Recognizing that the quantity of soil involved in this trial was signi-ficant, the licensee would be required to use large earth moving and screening equipment.
To date, neither the equipment ncr a contractor has been located.
The licensee has identified other potentially useful pieces of equipment but has not been able to try them because of inclement weather conditions.
Depending on the success of the trial, the licensee indicated that the other involved grid areas of the upper slope would be treated in the same manner.
This was identified as an Inspector Follow-up Item (IFI 364/85-03-03).
10.
Transportation Activities a.
Radioactive Material Receipts The inspector verified through examination of licensee records that radiation and removable contamination surveys were conducted as required by 10 CFR 20.205 on all radioactive material shipments received between April 22, and September 28, 1985. No inadequacies were identified.
b.
Packaging of Waste for Shipment The inspector examined a procedure prepared for the packaging of used filters from the water demineralizer system for the Control Rod Guide Tube (CRGT) refurbishment equipment.
The packaging was performed by Chem-Nuclear personnel.
The procedure, " Filter Transfer and Encap-sulation Procedure at the B&W SPIS Refurbishment Facility", DM-0P-41, approved December 6, 1985, was reviewed, modified and approved by
10 licensee (B&W) personnel. The Chem-Nuclear personnel conducting this operation were trained in the licensee's radiation protection proce-dures prior to the start of packaging as required.
Two types of filters, cartridge and debris collection, were trans-ferred from the CRGT water tank into a type I-13 cask liner which had previously been partially filled with concrete. Upon completion of the transfer, the liner was placed into a Model CNSI-21-300-4, USD0T 7A Type A cask and then was completely filled with concrete and solidified prior to transport.
Tne maximum radiation level at the surface of the liner prior to insertion into the cask was 1.7 R/hr.
The maximum radiation level at the surface of the cask prior to transport was 19 mR/hr. USD0T regulations permit a maximum of 200 mR/hr at the surface of the cask during transport.
The empty Model CNSI-21-300-4 cask was mistakenly delivered to the Parks Township site on December 2, 1985, one week early.
It was refused at that time, by the licensee, and, subsequently, returned to the site on December 10, 1985.
Packaging of the cask was completed on December 10, 1985, and shipment to the authorized burial site was held off until December 13, 1985 to allow time to assure complete solidification of the concrete.
The maximum personnel radiation exposure to the whole body, during this. packaging operation, was 63 mR.
4 Quality Assurance Audit For Shipping c.
The Safety Advisory Board's (SAB) annual audit of the Quality Assurance Program for Shipping Packages was conducted on September 26, 1935, in accordance with checklists developed by the SAB.
Two inadequacies were identified: no program to assure that packages are designed under the control of the NRC approved Quality Assurance Program, and no test established to verify con-tinued conformance of reusable containers to original design cri-teria.
Correction of these two items by the licensee was identified as an Inspector Followup Item (IFI 364/85-03-04).
11.
Environmental Program a.
Environmental Program Review The licensee's environmental programs for.the Parks Township and Apollo Uranium facilities were examined by the inspector. No inadequacies were identified.
11 b.
NRC TLD Program Prior to this inspection, the NRC decided to locate environmental TLDs on and around the Parks Township and Apollo Uranium plant sites to measure ambient and background radiation in the vicinity of the sites.
These TLDs will be analyzed periodically by NRC to permit comparison with the licensee's measurements. A total of 41 TLDs (calcium sulfate-Tm) were placed by Commonwealth of Pennsylvania personnel at the locations described in Table 1.
Several of the NRC TLDs were co-located with licensee TLDs. The NRC TLDs will be 1
collected quarterly by Commonwealth of Pennsylvania personnel, sent to the NRC and analyzed in the NRC Region I laboratory.
4 c.
Environmental Sampling During this inspection, environmental samples from each licensee facility and the Kiski Valley Water Pollution Control Authority sewage plant, located near Leechburg, Pennsylvania, were obtained by the inspectors for independent analyses. 'The samples (7) were obtained from the Uranium facility at the weir, from the Parks Township facility release tank, and from the sewage plant (liquid influent, liquid effluent, sludge cake, 8*4 sludge and sludge ash).
The samples were taken to determine if any radioactive isotopes present at the sewage plant may have been released from the licensee's facilities.
The samples were sent to the NRC reference laboratory, DOE Radio-logical and Envircomental Sciences Laboratory (RESL), located in Idaho Falls, Idaho, The analyses to be performed include Sr-90, l
gamma scan, isotopic uranium, isotopic thorium, and/or isotopic plutonium. The analytical results of these analyses will be reported
}
in a future NRC inspection report (135/85-05-01).
J
- 12. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Inspector Accompaniment Prior to this inspection, the Region I office received a request from i
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Environmental Resources, Bureau of Radiation Protection to allow one of its inspectors to observe an NRC inspection of this licensee. As a result of this request, a Nuclear Engineer from the Bureau of Radiation Protection accompanied the inspectors during this inspection to observe the NRC inspection process.
13.
Exit Interview The inspector met with the licensee representativer. listed in Paragraph 1 at the end of the inspection on December 13, 1985.
The inspector,
summarized the scope and findings of the inspection and stated that no apparent violations were identified.
No written information was supplied to the licensee by the inspector during this inspection.
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TABLE 1 NRC TLD DIRECT RAD!ATION ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING LOCATIONS AROUND THE B&W PARAS TOWNSHIP AND URANIUM FACILITIES STATION LOCATION STATION LOCATION 1
Beaver Run Reservoir 22 Leechburg Airport 2
Perryville 23 Kiskimere 3
Salina 24 Riverview 4
Avonmore 25 Keppel School 5
Spring Church 26 East Vandergrift 6
Brownstown 27 Oklahoma 7
Orchard Hills 28 Bellvue School 8
A&G Auto Parts 29 Junction 56 & 356 9
Paulton 30 Gosser Hill 10 Washington Township 31 West Leechburg School 11 North Apollo 32 Freeport 12 Upper Mateer Road 33 356 & Bagdad Road 13 Upper Mateer & Altman 34 Metcalf Roads
- 4 Weigand Road 35 Lower Burrell Township 1E Crooked Creek Park 36 Shearerburg 16 Spruce Hollow Road 37 Weinel Crossroads 17 Gullpin School 38 Westmoreland Co.
Water Authority 18 Sober Road 39 North Washington 19 Leechburg-2nd St.
40 Markle 20 Leechburg-Main St.
41 Upper Burrell Township 21 Hungry Hollow 42 Pennsylvania Turnpike-Exit 6 j