ML20148S466

IE Insp Rept 70-0025/80-11 on 801118-21.No Noncompliance Noted.Major Areas Inspected:Internal Review & Audit,Safety Committee Activities,Operations Review,Emergency Planning & Radiation Protection

ML20148S466
Person / Time
Site:	07000025
Issue date:	12/24/1980
From:	Book H, Thomas R NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION V)
To:
Shared Package
ML20148S463	List: ML20148S459 ML20148S466
References
70-0025-80-11, 70-25-80-11, NUDOCS 8102040756
Download: ML20148S466 (7)

Text

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e O U.  ! . ':i'CLT \R RECU!ATORY CC10iISSIO!!

O FICI 0F I!:SPECT!0:i A!!D E!!FORCEME!u i l

REGION v 1

Report No. 70-25/80-11 Docket No, 70.-25 ucense no. SNM-21 safeguards croup 1 2.icensee: Energy Systerrs Group

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Rockwell 1.nternational Corporation F. U. tioX 309 Canoga Park, California 91304 Facility Name: Headquarters Site, and fanta Susana Field Laboratory Inspection at: Headquarters Site, and Santa Susana Field Laboratory Inspection conducted: Novetcer 18 - 21, 1980 Inspectors: 2 6 ,0.. ~) O .U,, /.1/.U//0 W. J. Cooleyr Fuel Facilities Inspector Ddte Signec Dato Signec 4 Approved By:  ?%MD M R. D. Thomas, Chief, !!aperiais Tsadiological Dat6 signed Protection Sectio g ' 5* . / ~3&t '/\

, r, / s. n Approved By: 1 2. / J. k d u H. E. Scok, Chief Date ' signed Fuel Facility and l'atorials Safety Branch Inscoction on Ncvencer 10 - 21, 1980 (Report No. 70-25/80-11)

Areas Insoocted: Internal review and audit; Safety Conmittee activities; operations review; emergency planning; radiation protection; radioactive waste management; followup on inspection-identified problems.

The inspection invched twenty-five inspector-hours onsite by one NRC inspector.

Results: No apparent items of noncompliance or deviations were identified witnin the subject areas inspected. -

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DETAILS ,

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1. Persons Contacted

• R.LG. Jones, Vice-President and Controller, Firance and. Administration

• R.: J. Tuttle, Manager, Radiation and Nuclear Safety. HSRS-

- V. J. Schaubert, Manager,' Nuclear Materials Management and. Safeguards . -HSRS J.' D Moore, Engineer, Radiation. and Nuclear Safety. HSRS

, F. F. Couture, Emergency'. Coordinator, Rocketdyne F. E.cBegley, Health Physics Representative, Building 001, HSRS

• Denotes those attending the Exit Interview.

2. Internal Revie'w and Audit .

1 The following licensee reports of reviews and audits were reviewed by the-inspector as a part of this inspection.

a. ' Annual' Review.of Radiation Controls for 1979.

b. Quarterly Review for Radiation Safety at Buildings 001, 055, and 020 for the 2nd Quarter 1980.

c. Reports of Criticality' Audits and Inspections ~ performed on a Quarterly and Weekly Basis, d.- The licensee's- Quality Assurance Department audit of Energy Systems' Group conformance with 10 CFR Part 71 and the Quality Assurance Depart. ant's audit of, filter changes performed;for building:004 and buildir 001.

The licensee has now completed annual . reviews of radiation controls =for the years 1975 through'1979. The annual report presents annual summaries-for the De Soto Avenue and Santa Susana sites of external exposures, positive bicassay results for both federal and-' state licensed materials,--

radiation levels in working areas, air sample results in working areas, annual effluent monitoring results.. environmental program measurements.

results (soil, vegetation, and surface water), ambient air radioactivity data, ambient radiation dosimetry data. 'The report also includes a summary of unusual events which have occurred in each of buildings 055, 001, 020 and 004.

A secticn of the annual review is devoted to trends from 1975 through 1979 in the employee population external dose and average employee external dose, and discharge effluent ~ radioactivity (air and liquid).

A section of the annual review is devoted to anticipated activities involving radioactive materials during the ensuing reporting period.

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'An. appendix to ths annual report summarizes the devices and analytical procedures used in the measurements listed above as well as the estimated sensitivities of those measurements.

3. Safety Comnittee Activities  ;

- Among the activities of the Fuels. Committee were the reviews of criticality

-inspections performed prior to start-up and ir.Tnediately after start-up of the EBR-1 decladding operation at building 20. The Fuels Committee also approved the criticality safety analysis for the EBR-1. decladding operation'.

4. Ocerations Review This inspection included a visit to the Health Physics Office located in building 001-at the De Soto Avenue facility. It was observed that a copy of the Radiation ana Nuclear Safety Plan for work presently being .

perforn.ed in building 001 was available to the Health Physics Technicians  !

at that office. - The latest revision to that document was' dated October 19, 1980. The document was comprehensive and included the~ responsibility of all parties involved including the Health Physicians Technicians.

Among many other details it specified posting requirements, contamination limits, survey and survey records, facility ventilation parameter limits, airborne activity limits, personnel monitoring and bioassay requirements protective clothing requirements, eraloyee training and qualifications, decontamination procedures, filter clanging procedures, emergency plans, and waste handling procedures.

' Instrumentation required to conduct the Health Physics Technician function was available in the Health Physics Office. 'This included a Nuclear '

Measurement Corporation gas proportional counter, Model ACS-7, equipped with a printer. That instrument is checked for operability on a weekly frequency for alpha and beta activity using a standard source. It is calibrated annually by the licensees instrumentation group. Six portable Technical Associates scintillation counters were available for use ifn the manufacturing areas. Portable survey instruments included Ludlum, Nucleer Chicago, Eberline alpha and beta gamma detectors equipped with appropriate probes use to evaluate contamination levels. These instruments are checked with standard sources as required and calibrated quarterly.

Also available at the Health Physics Office were' alpha scintillator detectors with scaling equipment for wipe survey evaluations.

All the above instrumentation appeared to be operable and currently calibrated.

The Health Physics Office also had numerous personal (lapel) air samplers j available along with battery charging equipment. Portable air sampling  ;

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5. -Emercency Plans and Procedures l The licensee's coordination with offsite institutions which might be  !

called upon in the event'of an emergency was discussed with the Emergency Coordinator. .

The agreement with West Hills Hospital to accept contaminated patients i in emergency cases was updated in 1980.

The Los Angeles Fire Department was last contacted on November 10, 1980 by the licensee. . A' representitive of the Ventura County Fire Department accompanied by the County Sheriff'and members of his staff toured the ,

licensee's facilities on June'25, 1980. The Ventura County. Fire Department was contacted and visited on its own behalf during 1980 and the Fire

• pre-plan was discussed for purposes of updating it.

Approximately two or three years ago a fermal mutual aid agreement was -

made between the Ventura County Fire Department and the Energy Systems Group. As a result of recent grass fires (one involving approximately ten acres) the Energy Systems Group (Rocketdyne) Fire Department at Santa Susana manned the local Ventura County Engine House during the County's  ;

efforts to comoat those fires. Additionally the helicopter pad at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory was used by the Ventura County Fire Department for water loading the helicopters in its fire fighting efforts. Six, inch i diameter aluminum water lines (approximately five thousand feet) have been made available to Energy Systems Group by the Ventura County. Fire Department in the event they might be needed. .,

Drills and tests of emergency equipment are conducted annually by the licensee in each building at the De~Soto" Avenue ~ and~ Santa' Susana Field--

Laboratory sites. The drills are invariably for a criticality emergency rather than fire. They are conducted on an unannounced basis, The last drills conducted at the De Soto Avenue facility were on tiarch 11, 1980 with representatives of the Los Angeles Fire Department observing.

Critiques of those drills were written. ,

A meeting was held on October 6,1980 at which plans were developed for similar criticality drills to be held at the Santa Susana Field Labnratory.

Scenarios contemplated for various buildings were: fire in 3 locked vault building 064; fire and explosion in building 020; critict.lity in building 022; glove box incident in building 055; reactor core leak in building 093 (L-85 reactor). Details of those scenarios were to be developed.

Fire inspections by Energy Systems Group Fire Protection personnel are conducted at four levels. The first level is a two hour Detex patrol by Protective Services personnel. The second level is conducted at a weekly to monthly frequency by professional firemen 'and the results of those inspections are reported to the Security. Department. . The reports are signed by the Fire Inspector and his Shift Commander. The reports are in the form of check off lists and the inspections M' -

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4- j are addressed to ccmbustible metals, housekeeping,' no smoking areas, )

, acids and oxidizers, food preparation areas ~, ovens and furnaces, welding .

. operations, electrical equipment, paint 3 pray booths, fire protection i equipment, radioactive materials storage, storage areas 'in general, fire ,

4 prevention regulation . posting, and new construction. '

The licensee has a computerized list of fire extinguishers along:with the insoection and test frequencies for those extinguishers. That information-is used in the level 2 fire inspection.

The level 3 fire inspection is regarded as a high level inspection of the type which might be performed accompanying a liability insurance inspector.

The.4th level . inspection is a high level special fire inspection which would be addresseo to special problems sucn as those arising from repetitive deficiencies coserved in 'ievel 2 inspections.

American Nuclear Insurers make inspections of_ the licensee's nuclear facilities at'least annually. The last ANI. inspection at the De Soto Avenue facilities was conducted about Novemoer 5,1980. The last ANI inspection at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory was conducted on April 3-4, 1980.

The Pmtective Services Department of Rocketdyne provides monthly fire systems ing2ctions and supervisory tests and records the results of .

those inspections and tests. The tests include valve and hydrant operability and drain flow rates.

This inspection included reviews of sever' a l level'2 inspection reports; a review of the two American Nuclear Insurers reports; and the August and October,1980 Protective Services fire system inspection reports.

It is noted that all Energy System Group buildings are sprinkled and ,

supervised. Supervision includes alarms on closed valves and headers and smoke detector activation which read out at the control centers at the two ESG sites.

6. Radiation Protection ,

This inspection includcd a brief review of quarterly film badge dosimetry j results. No exposures in excess of the limits of 10 CFR 20 had been incurred from the use of NRC license material for the year 1980 through-October.

One film badge exposure of 1490 millirem per. quarter had occurred to a centractor visitor. That exposure film badge indication could only have ,

occurred from the contractor's use of tantalum 182 and was. therefore  !

a matter under the State of California jurisdiction. The licensee had '

investigated the matter and reported it to the State of California authorities.

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1 5-This inspection included a review of the licensee's bicassay program l results- for the year 1980 throuqh Octob r. Records indicated hat five l of- thirty-seven lung counts had given positive results. The maximum l percent'of maximum pemissible lung burden of U-235 as measured by lung count 'was 20% corresponding to 49 micrograms. Seven of 184 uranium fluorometric uranalysis results gave positive results. Two of 174 uranium radierotric uranalyses indicated positive results.

The bioassay program did not indicate any exposures in excess of established

- limits.

7. Radioactive Waste Management / Monitoring Ponds and Retention Tanks Containing Radioact1ve L1guias A review of the licensee's use of liquid waste retention tanks and evaporation ponds was made during this inspection.-

At the De Soto Avenue facility the licensee maintains two 1500 gallon steel tanks which are submerged in.a concrete vault. Both tanks are sampled before discharge to the sanitary sewer at a frequency ranging from once each ten days to once each two weeks. During those samplings inspections of the tanks are made for leaks. The tanks are located adjacent to building 1 at the De boto Avenue and serve to retain liquid discharges from fuel manufacturing operations.- .

An acditional open-top, steel tank (450 gallons). submerged in a concrete vault is used for. the retention of non-radioactive liquid waste .

which is also sischarged to the sanitary sewer after sampling. . The-sampling is conducted for radioactive content because of the possibility of receipt of radioactive materials'notwithstanding' administrative ~ controls' to prevent their discharge through'that tank. The tank serves chemistry laboratories located in building 4 at De Soto Avenue. During periodic checks on the continuous proportional sampler serving that tan ( the concrete vault and tank are visually inspected for leaks.

There are no submerged tanks serving liquid discharges from building -

055 at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory. Tanks of that nature are.

counted above ground and equipped with concrete sumps providing easy access for leak inspections.

A 3,000 gallon steel tank serves radioactive liquid waste discharges from building 020 at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory. It is located in a submerged concrete vault and .is. inspected for leaks at a frequency of once per week to once each two weeks.

A 5,000 gallon stainless steel retention tank'is mounted in the radioactive .

materials decontamination facility which is under the jurisdiction of the Department of Energy at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory. Two ponds

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i serving' buildings 022 and 028 are under the jurisdiction of the: Department of Energy at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory. Those ponds are sampled

.for radioactive content before discharging to the environment. An_ additional pond serving the SRE Reactor has been cleaned out and is no longer in

'use. It'had been monitored over the years. using three surveillance wells (30. feet to.90 feet deep).

It appears that retention tanks under the jurisdiction of HRC licensing-

.are adequately nonitored for leaks to determine any effect they might have on local ground water supplies. There is no indication that the

'NRC license facilities have contributed _ to ground water contamination.

8. DOP Testina of HEPA Filters by the Licensee / Procedures and Calculations The licensee was found deficient with resoect to dioctyl ohthalate testing of high efficiency particulate air filters as reported in Inspection Report 70-25/79-10 dated April 18.L1980. Since that time the licensee j has taken steps to improve the details of test procedures which include the calculational metnods usec to cetermine_ filter efficiency. That ,

matter has_ oeen followed by the NRC Inspector as reported in Inspection Report No. 70-25/80-08~ dated Septemoer 15, 1980 and-during the presently

. reported inspection.

A revised set of DOP test procedures were prepared on September 12, 1980 which are clear and detailed and which include: recommendations offered by the licensee's Quality Assurance Department as a result of the Quality >

Assurance audit mentioned in section 2 above of thisireport. Additionally, the form used to report the numerical results of each test, including- .,

required calculations, has been revised. The method'of recording test data also takes into account recomendations made by the' licensee's -

Quality Assurance Department made as a result of the audit mentioned q

above.

The matter of DCP test procedures and filter efficiency calculations is closed.

9. Manacement Interview The scope and results of the inspection were discussed with licensee representatives on November 21, 1980. Those persons were informed that no items of noncompliance with NRC rules and regulations and conditions .

of the license were observed within the scope of the inspection.

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