ML20202F549
| ML20202F549 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07000984 |
| Issue date: | 07/11/1986 |
| From: | Brock B, Thomas R NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION V) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20202F500 | List: |
| References | |
| 70-0984-86-01, 70-984-86-1, NUDOCS 8607150190 | |
| Download: ML20202F549 (6) | |
Text
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i U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 1
REGION V 4
70-984/86-01 Report No.
Docket No.70-984
- License No. SNM-942 i
i Safeguards Group: V I
Licensee: Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories P. O. Box 999 Richland, Washington Facility Nare: Pacific Northwest Laboratories I Inspection at: Richland, Washington 4 Inspection Conducted: June 23-26, 1986 Inspector: nC &
B. L. Brock, Fuel Facilities Inspector 7 /
Date Signed
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Approved by: / I R. D. Thomas, Chief D6te' Signed Nuclear Materials Safety Section
- Summary
Inspection on June 23-26, 1986 (Report No. 70-984/86-01)
- Areas Inspected
- A routine unannounced safety inspection was conducted of
! management organization and controls, criticality safety, operations review, radiation protection, transportation, and emergency preparedness.
J During this inspection, the procedures covered were 88005, 88015, 88020,
! 83822, 86740, and 88050.
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j Results: No violations were identified in the six areas inspected.
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8607150190 860711
! PDR ADOCK 07000984
! C PDR i
f DETAILS
- 1. Persons Contacted
- J. T. Denovan, Manager, Laboratory Safety Department i *J. R. Berry, Manager, Radiation Protection Section
- S. C. Hawley, Manager, Hazardous Materials Safety
- D. E. Lucas, Manager, Radiological Engineering P. H. Burke, Hazardous Material Transportation
- V. C. Asmund, Senior Development Engineer, Radiological Engineering J. E. Coleman, Electron Microscopist J. C. Dunn, Building Manager A. R. Bruce, Building Manager J. R. Abraham, Radiation Protection Technologist l
J. L. Allen, Supervisor, Radiation Protection
- M. L. Rosbach, Industrial Hygienist
- J. D. Hudspeth, Sr., Supervisor, Radiation Protection P. M. Hickey, Safety Training Coordinator 3
L. L. Belt, Radiation Protection Technologist t
W. Henkel, Radiation Protection Technologist M. Hensyel, Technical Specialist J. E. Lester, Senior Technician
- Denotes those individuals attending the exit interview.
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- 2. Management Organization and Controls The licensee is authorized to use Special Nuclear Material (SNM) under license SNM-942 in accordance with the statements, representations, and conditions contained in Part 1.0, " Criteria and Administrative Procedures," of the licensee's application dated May 9, 1979.
A. Organization Structure Section 1.3(A) of Part 1 of License SNM-942 requires that the
. licensee maintain a unique department responsible for the establishment and conduct of all radiation protection and nuclear safety programs. This department will be separate from the l operating departments.
The Laboratory Safety Department remains separate from the operating departments although some reorganization has occurred. Within the Laboratory Safety Department reorganization has resulted in the
, development of a fourth section. This new section, Hazardous Material Safety, acquired experienced personnel from both the i Industrial Health and Safety Section as well as the Radiation and 4
Nuclear Safety Section. The former Senior Engineer Nuclear Safety is now Manager of the Hazardous Materials Safety Section and the former Technical Leader of the Nuclear Safety Section is now Manager of the Laboratory Safety Department.
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2 B. Procedure Controls Section 1.3 (page 6) of Part 1 of License SNM-942 requires that the license maintain formal administrative procedures for radiation protection and criticality safety.
The licensee appropriately reviewed and approved the criticality i safety manual which was issued in January 1985. Changes made since then have been subjected to the same review and approval before implementation. This closes item (85-01-01).
4 C. Safety Committee t
Section 1.3(E) requires the licensee to maintain a Safety Review Council as established in Management Guide 12.7 to review program j designs and safety analyses where the direct or indirect consequences of a credible accident are deemed to be of substantial magnitude.
The recommendations by licensee's Triennial Safety Review Board (TSRB) are being addressed. Additional personnel are being hired to strengthen areas identified by the TSRB. The recommended development of a Manager's Guide to Safety Manual is progressing. A draft of the manual had been circulated for review. Comments have been incorporated and the manual will be issued in September 1986.
, Item (85-01-02) will remain open pending completion of the response
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to the TSRB.
1 1 The licensee pointed out that unusual occurrences and corrective actions are documented and circulated to areas where similar incidents could potentially occur. This action effectively alerts those with a need-to-know, and helps preclude similar occurrences in their areas.
No violations were identified.
- 3. Criticality Safety Section 1.3 (page 7) of Part 1 of License SNM-942 requires that for work involving fissionable material, the licensee follow the Two-Contingency Policy and maintain formal procedures for implementation of the policy.
1 The principal procedure for control of fissionable materini is the Criticality Safety Specification (CSS), which provides limits that ensure criticality safety in specific operations with. fissionable materials.
j A. Criticality Safety Analyses No criticality safety analyses were required for licensed materials since the last inspection.
(1) The inspector reviewed the fint.1 report of the potential Off-Normal-Event at the receiving facility (Building 231-Z). ,
Final measurement data indicated that the Isolation Facility 1
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Limit had not been exceeded. The licensee expeditiously and
! appropriately resolved this item. This closes item (85-01-04).
(2) The new Senior Engineer Nuclear Safety (SENS) is conducting the required criticality safety audits. The SENS's background includes a Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering and over 20 years of experience at Hanford. The SENS recently attended meetings on Criticality Safety at Savannah, Georgia, and Knoxville, Tennessee. The former SENS is still available as a resource.
No violations were identified.
- 4. Operations Review Section 1.1 (page 2) of Part 1 of License SNM-942 provides the criteria j and administrative procedures set up to assure the maintenance of high j quality health and safety conditions for all Battelle-Northwest work
- performed under this special nuclear material license.
A. Conduct of Operations
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The inspector toured the two buildings storing licensed special nuclear material (SNM). Ninety percent of the licensed SNM is not being processed, it is stored in the vault in Building 306-W. The
- remaining ten percent is stored in the Physical Science Laboratory
, (PSL). The PSL SNM inventory consists of metallographic mounts 1
containing portions of pellets that have been prepared for metallographic analysis. These mounted samples are being retained as historical samples for future comparative measurements. No poor health physics practices were observed.
B. Housekeeping i The areas visited in both Building 306-W and the PSL were clean.
i The inspector also noted that the housekeeping in the vestibule just outside the Building 306-W storage vault was much improved. The i area was orderly and clean.
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, No violations were identified.
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! 5. Radiation Protection 1
f' Protection against radiation hazards associated with licensed activities is required by 10 CFR Part 20.
- A. Bioassay Program Performance j
, The licensee's home delivery and pickup of sampling kits is an improvement. Minor problems encountered in implementation have been overcome. 1 The study of the group of workers (machinists) with slightly j elevated bionssay results is continuing. A report of the results of l the evaluation of their work place and operations was reviewed. The '
4 report was thorough and included investigations of air sample counting, particle size distribution, lung solubility of particles, in vivo counting results, bioassay results, work place, ventilation system and uranium toxicity. Several recommendations were developed. They included engineered controls, administrative controls, and monitoring program improvements. Of particular note was the suggestion that frequency of lung counts and counting times be increased in consideration of the possible chronic nature of the exposures. The licensee's report indicated the problem was under control. This closes item (85-01-05).
The inspector's review of the computer bioassay records indicated the bioassay program was functioning properly with resampling done as required.
During the tour of facilities storing licensed SNM, the inspector noted that the calibrations of the survey instruments and air monitors were current. Hood air flow rate measurements were also current.
Failure of a Radiation Protection Technologist (RPT) to measure three air samples within the fifteen days required was identified by the licensee. No data were lost because the air samples were subsequently counted. The licensee's corrective action met the l requirements of 10 CFR 2, Appendix C, Section V.A., thus precluding l an NRC citation.
No violations were identified.
- 6. Transportation / Radioactive Waste Management /10 CFR Part 61 Transportation of licensed materials is regulated by 49 CFR 100-177, 10
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CFR 71 and 10 CFR 20.311. Additionally, 10 CFR 20.301 to 20.401 )
regulates s,te disposal. 10 CFR Part 61 requires that all radioactive
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vaste prepared for disposal be classified in accordance with Section 61.55 and meet the waste requirements in Section 61.56.
The responsibility for these activities remains with the Hazardous M_rerials Transportation Officer. The procedures are unchanged since the 1 -
mspection.
icensee had not made any Special Nuclear Material (SNM) waste shipments since the last inspection.
No violations were identified.
- 7. Emergency Preparedness Section 1.3 (page 20) of Part 1 of License SNM-942 requires that emergency procedures for each separate facility conform to the plan for that plant area regardless of which Hanford contractor may operate the facility.
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A. Fire Protection During the facilities tour the inspector checked fire extinguishers for the licensee's compliance with the monthly inspection schedule.
All fire extinguishers were found to have been inspected monthly as }
required. Access to the fire extinguishers was uncluttered. l l
j No violations were identified. I l 8. Exit Meeting The results of the inspection were discussed with the licensee's staff
- identified in Section 1.
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) The topics included:
i l The areas inspected; I *
- The status of open items;
. Closure of three open items:
l (85-01-01) Review of the approva of revisions to the criticality safety manual; (85-01-04) Review of the final report of the off-normal-event j involving two glove boxes of license exempt i material; 1
(85-01-05) Review of the progress in the licensee's study of machinists with slightly elevated bioassay results.
Items remaining open:
4 1 (85-01-02) Review of the licensee's response to the internal j ad hoc committee report on radiological and l industrial safety; i
l (85-01-03) Review of the records of Criticality Safety
- Specification training.
j The home bioassay sampling kit utilization; !
1 The improvement in housekeeping noted near the SNM storage vault in j Building 306-W; l The thorough investigation of the work area and operations where 1 slightly elevated bioassay results were experienced; I i The need to assure compliance with 10 CFR Part 2, Appendix C l
- (Section V.A.) with regard to licensee identified violations.
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