ML20154M062

Insp Rept 99990002/98-01 on 980327-0904.No Violations or Deviations Noted.Major Areas Inspected:Facts & Circumstances Surrounding Removal & Subsequent Damage to Generally Licensed Exit Sign Containing Tritium

ML20154M062
Person / Time
Issue date:	10/14/1998
From:	NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II)
To:
Shared Package
ML20154M038	List: ML20154M035 ML20154M062
References
REF-QA-99990002-981014 99990002-98-01, 99990002-98-1, NUDOCS 9810200156
Download: ML20154M062 (8)

Text

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U.

S.

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGION II Docket No.

999-90002 License No.

N/A (General License)

Report No..

999-90002/98-01 Licensee:

U. S. Department of Agriculture Location:

Forest Service Facility Franklin. North Carolina Date:

March 27, 1998 - September 4. 1998 Inspectors:

Jay L. Henson, Senior Radiation Specialist Michael L. Fuller Radiation Specialist Accortpanied by:

Roger D. Hannah. Public Affairs Officer Approved by:

Thomas R. Decker, Chief Materials Licensing / Inspection Branch 1 Division of Nuclear Materials Safety RETUP.N ORIGlHAL TO 9810200156 981014 fiEGION I REQ 1 GA999 EUSDOA 99990002 PDR

EXECUTIVE

SUMMARY

U. S. Department of Agriculture NRC Inspection Report No. 999-90002/98-01 This special inspection was conducted to determine the facts and circumstances surrounding the removal and subsequent damage to a generally-licensed " EXIT" sign containing tritium at the U. S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Forest Service facility in Franklin, North-Carolina.

On March 27, 1998, the State of North Carolina reported to NRC Region II that a tritium " EXIT" sign had been broken by some youths at a USDA Forest Service (Job Corps) facility dormitory in Franklin, North Carolina.

The State of North Carolina had been informed of the incident by the Forest Service staff

'at the facility.

Initially, it was reported that the sign and some of the vials contained therein, had been broken during the previous weekend.

It was later determined that the actual date that the vials were broken'was Tuesday, March 24.

NRC Region II informed the Radiation Safety Staff (RSS) of USDA of the incident on March 27. 1998. This notification was done because it was known to Region II that the USDA possesses a large NRC multi-region broad scope license.

USDA made a recuest to U. S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Oak Ridge Institute for Science anc Education (0 RISE) and the DOE's Radiological Assistance P.rogram (RAP) team for an -initial assessment of any potential contamination and uptake.

The RAP team res)onded to the facility on Saturday, March 28, performed direct surveys of t1e dormitory living areas collected and analyzed contamination sam)1es (swipes), and collected urine samples for bioassay analysis (by ORISE) from five individuals.

The preliminary results indicated that at least one area of the dormitory (public telephone area) exhibited readily detectable contamination.

On Tuesday, March 31. USDA contracted with New World Technologies (NWT). a State of California licensee, for further analysis and decontamination of the facility.

NWT responded to the facility on Wednesday, April 1, performed additional surveys, successfully decontaminated the facility, and collected urine samples from the remainder of the dormitory residents.

USDA received a report from ORISE on April 17, 1998. The report indicated that the five individuals sampled had received a total effective dose equivalent (TEDE) from uptake of tritium ranging from 1.4 mrem to 27 mrem (based on a uptake on March 24, 1998).

-USDA received their contractor's report on July 22, 1998.

This re) ort confirmed the areas of contamination, initially identified by the MP team, and'found that all of the residents of the dormitory had received some uptake of tritium. The TEDEs ranged from less than 1 mrem to approximately 30 mrem.

These doses are well below the regulatory limit to individuals members of the public of 100 mrem.

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2 USDA provided a report of the incident to NRC Region II on September 4. 1998.

This report summarizes the USDA response to the incident and includes, as enclosures, the ORISE report and the NWT report (attached).

From the time of the incident until the time the report was sent to NRC Region II, USDA kept the region informed of their activities, as well as, the activities of their contractor.

No violations of regulatory requirements were identified during the inspection.

Attachments:

1.

List of Persons Contacted 2.

Inspection Procedures Used 3.

Licensee's Report w/ enclosures l

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L REPORT DETAILS INSPECTION OF BROKEN TRITIUM EXIT SIGN (87103) a.

Scope This special_ inspection was conducted to determine the facts and circumstances surrounding the removal and. subsequent damage to a generally-licensed " EXIT" sign containing tritium at the U. S.

Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Forest Service facility in Franklin.

North Carolina.

The inspection activities were performed to determine the cause of the incident and the adequacy of the licensee's actions in response to it.

b.

Observations and Find 1nas The inspectors, accom)anied by the Region's Public Affairs Officer (PAO). responded.to t1e Forest Service facility in Franklin North Carolina on Saturday. March 28, 1998. The PA0 accompanied the inspectors because in case of any.significant public or media interest in the incident.'the PA0 could provide the appropriate response to that interest. :In actuality, there was no public or media interest at the l

site.

In addition, the Department of Energy's (DOE) Radiological Assistance Program (RAP) team res)onded to the facility with a mobile laboratory that provided the capa)ility to assess the facility for contamination.'

The inspectors observed the activities of the licensee and the RAP team.

The licensee made areas of the facility (Jackson Hall Dormitory).

available to the RAP team by instructing the residents to vacate certain areas, as needed for the performance of the surveys. The areas surveyed included, the downstairs television lounge, the public telephone area, the upstairs television lounge, a portion of the sleeping areas, and certain of the residents lockers.

Emphasis was placed on areas identified as those where the vials containing tritium were broken. A gas proportional probe was used to perform direct surveys, and wipe samples (swipes) were collected and analyzed using a liquid scintillation counting system onboard the mobile laboratory.

Approximately 40 swipes were collected and analyzed. Also, at this time, five of the residents who had been identified as individuals who had handled the sign's tritium vials, and possibly broken some of them, were requested to provide 24 hour2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> urine samples for bioassay analysis.

. All five individuals complied with the request.

Initial results indicated readibly detectable contamination of the public telephone area, and to a much lesser extent, one of the dormitory vacuum cleaners. The area with the highest measured contamination levels was the shelf below.the phone which measured approximately 2

L 230.000 disintegrations per minute (dpm)/100 square centimeters (cm ),

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The vacuum measured approximately 2400 dpm/cm. Once identified as contaminated by the RAP team, the licensee took prompt action to secure l

the area around the public telephone, prohibiting entry by residents and secured the vacuum cleaner in a locked closet.

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On Monday. March 30, 1998. the USDA's Radiation Safety Officer (RS0)

L informed the inspectors, by. telephone, that, based upon the initial survey results, the decision had been made to contract with New World l

Technology (NWT) to provide certain services to USDA at the Franklin.

North Carolina facility.

Specifically NWT would conduct further surveys, and decontaminate areas contaminated with tritium.

The inspector determined by review of pertinent documentation, that NWT was l

a State of California licensee, who was licensed to provide such services.

Furthermore, the USDA's RSO also informed the inspectors that i

they expected to have a staff member arrive on-site on Wednesday.

A)ril 1, 1998, and that the contractor was expected to arrive on T1ursday. April 2, 1998.

l On Thursday. April 2.1998, the USDA's RSO informed the inspector that i

NWT was on-site, and that survey and decontamination efforts were l

underway. Also, the RSO informed the inspector that he had received preliminary, verbal information from ORISE that all five urine bioassays l

for tritium had been positive.

It was explained that further analysis l

would be performed before results with great certainty could be i

provided.

However. ORISE representatives had stated that the uptake levels had no medical significance.

At this time, the RSO decided that l

urine bioassay analyses should be performed for all of the dormitory l

residents.

On Friday. April 3. 1998, the RSO informed the inspector that a number of facts about the incident had been determined by their investigation at the site.

Specifically, they had learned that only one sign had been involved (earlier reports had speculated that as many as two may have been involved).

They also learned that the exit sign had been removed because it was due to be replaced because of its age, and placed in the dormitory office. Ap)arently, one or more of the rasidents had taken it l

from the office, not (nowing that it contained radioactive material.

They took it apart and removed the vials, thinking that they were " glow

. sticks" similar to items one would see at an amusement 3 ark.

One of the students learned from an electrician at the facility (wlo was replacing some of the exit signs) that the signs were potentially " dangerous" and i

radioactive.

The student became " anxious" and told one of the facility's staff members that some of the vials had been passed around and some had been broken.

It was shortly after that time (the next day) that the staff member informed the State of North Carolina.

The State of North Carolina then informed NRC Region II.

On Friday April 17. 1998. USDA received from ORISE a report containing l

the estimates of whole body (TEDE) dose received by the five individuals who originally provide 24 hour2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> urine samples to the DOE RAP team.

Based

. upon the assumed date of intake of March 24, 1998, the doses ranged from 1.4 mrem to 27 mrem. The report states that the estimates are i

potentially high due to a) parent chemical luminescence in the samples.

In any case..the Section

_eader Medical Services, states in the letter transmitting the report to USDA that. "These are seen to be very small and should have absolutely no medical sequelae."

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3 On Wednesday July 22, 1998. USDA received from NWT its report of the decontamination of the facility as well as the results of the subsecuent urine bioassays.

According to the report, the areas decontaminatec were considered " clean" based upon guidance provided in NRC Regulatory Guide 1.86.

Specifically, the areas were decontaminated until the removable levels of contamination were measured to be less than 1000 2

dpm/cm The report indicated that the vast majority of the areas were measured to be.less than the minimum detectable concentration value.

The decontamination was performed using absorbent cloths, hydrogen aeroxide (3% solution) and commercially available cleaning agents.

The aioassay results indicated that all of the residents had received some u)take of tritium.

The highest individual concentration correlated with tie results from the ORISE analysis.

The doses ranged from a high of approximately 30 mrem to a low of less than 1 mrem.

21 of the 24 residents ingested less than 10% of the highest level of ingestion.

NWT packaged and sent to a manufacturer of tritium exit signs the remaining undamaged vials that were recovered from the subject exit sign.

The decontamination activities created approximately 1 cubic foot of waste. The activity contained in the waste was estimated to be approximately 01 microCuries.

The waste was packaged'and labeled, and is secured at the site, awaiting eventual transfer to a licensed burial site.

On September 4,1998 USDA provided a report to NRC that described their

-investigation into the cause of the incident and their response to it.

As enclosures, the report includes the ORISE report and the NWT report.

The inspector reviewed each of the reports and determined that the assumptions and conclusions were reasonable and appropriate.

c.

Conclusions The inspector concluded that the licensee reacted appropriately and timely in response to the incident.

No violations of regulatory requirements were identified.

EXIT MEETING

SUMMARY

An exit meeting was held with the licensee representative indicated in.

The licensee was advised that no violations of regulatory requirements had been identified during the inspection. The licensee representative stated that the small amount of waste generated from the decontamination activities would remain onsite until arrangements could be made for its proper disposal.

USDA will seek clarification and explore options. considering that the waste was generated within the borders of North Carolina. a state that is currently restricted from the Barnwell South Carolina burial site.

ATTACHiiENT 1 LIST OF PERSONS CONTACTED Licensee

• +J. Jenson. Director. Radiation Safety Staff (RSS) and RSO

• D. Sharp. Health Physicist. RSS L. Carson. Program Officer. USDA Forest Service R. Kennedy. Electrician. USDA Forest S: vice DQE

+R. Ricks. DOE ORISE B. Davis. DOE Emergency Management Program Office QIBER - Lockheed Martin Energy Systems. Inc.

R. Gee. RAP team Captain R. Davis, RAP team J. Scircle. RAP team R. Utrera. RAP team

• Attended exit meeting

+By telephone

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ATTACHMENT 2 INSPECTION PROCEDURES USED IP 87100-Licensed Material Program IP'87103 Inspection of Incidents at Nuclear Materials Facilities

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