ML20148A138
| ML20148A138 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Wood River Junction |
| Issue date: | 11/01/1978 |
| From: | Bowers C UNITED NUCLEAR CORP. (SUBS. OF UNC, INC.) |
| To: | Galen Smith NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I) |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20148A121 | List: |
| References | |
| CEB-78-216, NUDOCS 7812280240 | |
| Download: ML20148A138 (3) | |
Text
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ATTACHMENT TO LETTER C.
E.. BOWERS TO GEORGE H.
SMITHL 1lh Dated October.16, 1978 USNRC' INSPECTION 70-820/78-21 ITEM A.1 USNRC COMMENT On' September 13, 1978, supervision did'not assure themselves that suitable control measures were prescribed for the proper precautions to be taken when using contaminated gloves in that procedures have not been established to prevent the spread of contamination in the process area.
Contaminated gloves were observed being removed from process equipment without regard to contamination control practices.
UNC RESPONSE UNC-FRO feels that adequate control measures have been pre-scribed for prevention of the spread of contamination in the process area.
The nature of the operations performed in this plant is such that it is impractical to preclude the occasional dripping of contaminated materials from gloves onto the process area floor.
In recognition of that fact, procedures are in place to control the spread of contamina-tion through such activities as spill cleanups, Health Physics monitoring, and periodic cleaning.
(Reference SOP I-F,
" Health Physics", and SOP I-H, " Contamination Control".)
Unfortunately, UNC-failed to comply with these requirements in the specific case outlined by the inspector, in that the operator apparently did not perform all of the cleanup opera-tions of his area at the end of the shift.
UNC has reempha-sized, to all Operations personnel, the necessity for comply-ing with these requirements in order to control the potential-spread of contamination.
ITEM A.2 USNRC COMMENT Between January 1, 1978, and June 29, 1978, supervision did l
not assure themselves that procedures relative to radiological I
safety were followed, in that 37 of 41 transporting vehicles bringing SNM into the facility were not cleared by NIS before leaving the site and 38 of 45 transporting vehicles carrying
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SNM from the facility, were not monitored for radiation and contamination levels by the NIS Department or their authorized representative.
UNC RESPONSE Although all containers, incoming and outgoing, were surveyed 4
before the release of any transporting vehicle, the vehicles themselves were not specifically surveyed in all cases.
Per-sonnel have been instructed to assure vehicle survey and an appropriate change has been made in the survey document to specifically require vehicle surveys.
7812'280.25/o
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ITEM B USNRC COMMENT On September 15, 1978,. appropriate procedures had not been" adopted, approved, and implemented pursuant to the regulations in 10CFR 21.21.
It was noted.that the ap-propriate draft procedures were available for use by the licensee.-
UNC RESPONSE-The draft procedures, which all FRO Managers were aware of and would.have used, if needed, have now been formally approved and-implemented.
ITEM C USNRC COMMENT on September 13, 1978, signs listing approved nuclear cri-ticality safety limits were not posted so that information is readily discernible to employees on the muffle box stor-age rack, the 1-L-3B hood and the 4-L-2A hood.
In addition, two empty muffle boxes used for SNM were not identified or marked as being empty.
UNC RESPONSE The referenced signs had become detached from their respec-tive pieces of. equipment at the time of the inspection..They have now been replaced.
As the operators in the shop are all familiar with these criticality limits, there was no danger of exceeding the safe quantities.
UNC has increased the
-frequency of checks for missing or. damaged signs and is im-proving the sign construction, attachment techniques, and/or placement, where appropriate, to help preclude damage or detachment.
As indicated in the inspection report, the empty muffle boxes were promptly identified as such when the oversight was noted.
Operations personnel have been reinstructed as to the require-4 ment for identification of empty SNM containers.
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UNITED Unc NUCLEAR CORPORATION FUIL RICOVERY OPERATION / WOOD RIVI A JUNCflON. 2. l. 02894 November 20, 1978 CEB 78-224 United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission Mr. George H. Smith, Chief Fuel Facility and Materials Safety Branch Region I 631 Park Avenue King of Prussia, PA 19406 Gentlemen:
Subject:
USNRC Inspection 70-820/78-21
Reference:
Letter on Subject, C. E. Bowers to George H. Smith dated November 1, 1978 (CEB 78-216)
The following additional information is provided to supplement the referenced letter which was UNC-FRO's response to the subject inspection:
ITEM A.1 In order to provide additional assurance against potential spread of contamination, UNC will modify specific SOP's dealing with Contamination Control and/or Health Physics to include handling procedures for contaminated gloves.
This action will be completed by December 31, 1978.
l We trust that this action will satisfactorily resolve this item.
Very truly yours, UNITED NUCLEAR CORPORATION l
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C. E. Bowers General Manager Fuel Recovery Operation CEB:RJG:cag
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