ML20214F665

Intervenor Exhibit I-ROREM-108,consisting of Undated Ltr Re Cable Spreader Room Problems & Problems Getting Possible Violations Corrected

ML20214F665
Person / Time
Site:	Braidwood
Issue date:	09/09/1986
From:	AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED
To:	AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED
References
OL-I-ROREM-108, NUDOCS 8705260209
Download: ML20214F665 (4)

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. I'am writting in regard to certain events which have been happening to me, here at the Braidwood Nuclear Station. This all stems frce events that started on 2-26-86. On 2-26-86 7 found violations of safety cables in the 463'-5" cable spreader room, unit II. I notified

. / lead and 2nd shift supervisor of the problem. I was then instructed to write a memo to ,

the MC 2nd shift supervisor of the problem. I did not feel this problem should be addressed in this way but I did as I was instructed and wrote the memo. This was a nonconforming cond-ition. I asked the 2nd shift supervisor why I could'r.t write this up on an NCR now. He felt that maybe scmeone else should look at the problem. As a level II inspector I can make an evaluation of an item being nonconforming or not. Why my evaluation of this problem wasn't good enough, I do not understand.

It wasn't until 3-19-86 that this problem was brought up again, when I was asked to take and show Tony Simile (MC), Rod Peterson (IEC), and Jim Pirrazo (CECO) the problem in the 463'-5" spreader room.At this time I was instructed to write an NCR on the entire cable spreader room, as a generic problem. I still felt that all cables in violation should be identified also, on an NCR. I did not agree with the way the NCR was written because it only addressed the basic problem and not the individual cables that were in violation and damaged. The only reason I got frcxn MC on why they wanted it addressed this way was that it wasn't in there budget to spend the manhours and that it was out of their scope of work be-cause the cables were turned over to CECO.

On 3-20-86 I talked to CECO QA (Mark Diederich) 2nd shift about the problem and asked him if he wanted to take any action or write up the damaged cables? He said he'd let me know. There was no more response from CECO QA on this matter.

On 6-4-86 I felt this problem and several other problems should be brought to the attention of the NRC and hopefully resolved. I contacted the NRC 6-4-86, during a period frcxn 6-4-86 to present, I've been trying to get transferred to ist shift.this is due to family matters. I had put several requests in, plus I had talked to the 2nd shift supervisor and local union 306 2nd shift steward. Even though several personnel were transferred to ist shift, I was not selected. I was given no ansvers to my requests or any reasons why was not transferred to ist shift.

Also during this period I was picking up information from a friend on 1st shift, of things that were told to him, that concerned me. One of these statements was "There's people out to get my ass". Weather fact or hear say these things add up.

All of this was scxne what confirmed by the MC 2nd shift supervisor on 6-24-86. I was told I wouldn't be transferred to ist shift and the reasoning behind it was that MC knew I had went to the NRC. The 2nd thing I was told and cy understanding of it was, If there were to be any lay-offs in the near future, I'd be a prime candidate for the 1st one.

All of these events started to really frustrate me and I felt it may start to effect my job preformance and this would give MC a chance to get rid of me. On 8-14-86 I talked to Pete Lasage, MCIS 2nd shift supervisor about the situation. He told me to talk to Tom Cartelli MCIS project manager. I talked to Tcc Cartelli about the situation and told him that either I was being discriminated against or all of this was rumors that had gotten cuo of hand. I personally don't feel that all this was brought on by rumors. I had also contacted the NRC for their advice they told me I should file a ccanplaint with the u.s. department of labor and my union.

The reason I decided to bring this out in the open, is because I felt it could be solved in-house without filing a ccznplaint. Tcxn Cartilli asked me if I would like to talk to J.

Gieseker and M. Dougherty of CECO, about the situstion, I concured.

After our discussion, I told them I just wanted to get this situation solved. So there was a meeting set up for 8-19-86, with people attending to be, J. Gieseker, M. Dougherty (CECO),

R. Seltman, Tony Simile (MC), Tcxn Cartelli (GE/MCIS) George Nem/th (L.U. 306 2nd Shift Stewa R. Westburg (U.S. NRC) and myself. I had high hopes that this meeting would solve these problems.

On 8-19-86 the meeting was held, I was very disapcined and I felt as though I were on

' rial. It seems instead of being open mined, everyone was defensive and had an excuse for erything, none of the problems were solved.

The meeting turned into some what of a shouting match and show down. I brought up alot of the frustrations that inspectors feel out here. Although my problems were never really answered. This is what I was told. There was no answer to the question of shif t change.

, a regard to the 463'-5" speader room, MC said that at the time it would have consumed to mch man power and beside the cables would be assressed at a later date. The things that cmesto mind here is that cost is governing quality and what would it matter if the cable vere indentified now or later, you'll still have to use the same man power regardless of when it is done. During this meeting the h7C inspector made it aware that my name had come out during the investigation and that the investigation was just about complete, He said

.at several of :he allegations were disregarded due to the fact that other inspectors cid'nt share my views or at least the inspectors interviewed did'nt share my veiv's. I feel the choice of inspectors interviewed was a bad selection and I have valid reasons to this opinion.

I told everyone at this meeting that inspectors at this site were afraid to voice concerns because they feel, they might be shortening their jobs or even put it in jepordy.

G C'S response was "we have never fired or laid off a person for reporting quality concerns" mis may be true, I don't think anyone in this poistion would fire or lay-off a person for reporting quality concerns because there are federal laws against it. There are other ways to intimidate a person without firing or laying off a person, matter in fact you don't have to say a word to the person. If you ride scmeone long enough, He's more than likely to quit and if he doesn't quit, you could move him to a different area (displine) of inspection. The h7C inspector asked me why don't these inspectors ccme to us or quality first with these problems ? I told them the fact that, the inspectors don't trust them. I think the biggest reason for the distrust is because nothings resolve and your identidy is not kept confidential, at least this seems to be the general feeling, The reason I didn't go to quality first is because I've heard nothing is resolved through quality first. But even now with the way this whole situation has been handled by the h7C, I, like others will just do my job the best I can, cover my rear and if there are any quality concerns, I'll write it up, turn it in and if the response is insufficient, to the problem even though it may be a concern I'll let it rest on there shoulders. This is what the inspectors feels, what alternatives do I have after seeing what happens after you do voice a concern like with me now. others have been through it and told me it wouldn't help but just get you on a black list, This is just about the way it is happening I stated that a inspector may be moved into a different discipline after they had brought o problems in their current discipline. This way an inspector can be neatly moved and the aasons given as "a shift in man power". here are inspectors out here that feel this has been done to them.

I had also stated at this meeting that I felt certain violation were being over looked.

I An example of this is the unit I remote shut down panel room, during a cable pull discovered a separation violation inw ling 42 safety cables. This voi3ation had not been address up until now, why? well M C's answer at the meeting was "well maybe the non safety cables weren't there at the time of the safety cable pulls" his statment is not realistic, Thnre were 65 non-safety cables that were in violation with the safety cables, also I myself hava missed this on previous pulls not that I didn't notice it but because of production pressures, I'am not trying to find a excuse for this but there is a feeling of this pressure amoungest the inspectors. I don't want this statement taken the wrong way, were aware of the normal construction pressures but we're given the feeling that everybodies in a hurry and we should be too. I've seen construction supervisor raise hell because an inspector had problems with somethimg and was holding the pull up. I also think the pressure is felt differently amongst the inspection force, it really depends on whay area your in. No one wants to lost thair job and by this misconception an inspector may over look something without doing it intentona11y.

Me nuclear industry in this country is ccming to a stand still as far as the construction plase, This effects all of us and this alone can cause problems. jobs are harder to get and nobody wants to lose there job. There are even people who think there is an industry black lis It takes a lot of money to build one of these plants and if you do address to many problems, you might not be welcome by another outfit. who wants scuebody that might slow things down even if he is doing his job. be it rumor or fact, these things are felt amongest people in 1 this industry.

It has also been brought up that some people (inspectors) feel "I'am out here for the money" his question was asked at the h7C investigation of my allegations. no one in their right minc vould tell you this, even if they were joking, let alone being seriuos, and especially not to l l

h3C inspector. During this meeting the subject was brought up. MC's ccments were"well isn't that what were all really out here for anyway , to make money?" yes we are out here to make

.; e en icney but we also have a job to :,, you can either do your jcb correctly cr just put your hours in and do just enought tc get by.

I was told at this meeting tha . all this is just talk"you need facts" well fact is theres more than one way to intimidate a person, you don't have to fire him, lay him off, you don't have to say a single word to him and you can drive this person into quiting, The blacklist

'n work the sara way, you dcn't need a little black book with names in it. now, how can you

.ove this?.

Many of these problems cculd te solved but it seems that nobody wants to admit that any problems exsit and they just want it left alone. as my 2nd shift supervisor told me to do when I asked him what he thought about setting up a meeting with LKC, CECO, and NRC., He told me to leave it alone, let it lay, stay on 2nd shift, you'll be out of sight out of mind. I don't feel I should have anyone to hide frce and I want to be able to do my job without having it held against me. I don't feel this way here, nor do others.

It seems sometimes its like a battleground here, every ones fighting against one another, trying to write each other up, Blaming one another, it is hard for me to belive that CECO has been building and operating plants 30 years and let a job get this way, its not only CECO'S fault but everybody involved. No wonder people don't want this plant built, All of us involved hara should be striving to tackle and eliminate all of these problems, now more than ever, because the nuclear industry is in the lime ' light. Unfortunately this isn't happening here and this meeting proves it.

I've worked other jobs, one coc:cleted in six years, There everybody seemed to work together and problems were solved and not swept under the carpet. If people would only listen,cerm:unicatr and take suggestions seriously I belive many problems would be solved, but some people like to be the star of the show and take all the credit, this is follish. Example: at this meeting the L.U. 306 2nd shift steward and me suggested putting up a suggestion box, LKC said "no"! We hava ccumtuication here, in the fcrm of memo's meetings and letters but this is kind of a one way line of cor:munication. this negitive attitude about the suggestion box only reaffirms my opinion as well as others that ncbody is instested in any suggestions that may help out or have concerns brought up that need to be solved. This attitude brings out that "I'am here for the money only" attitude amongst instectors. Problems are still being found on unit I. On items that have been accepted, it was cnly luck that these problems were found and wrote up. I'am t going to get into this any further, because I'am not the inspector handling it, but it is

.a examples of problems that do exsit, as for anyone to say that there are no problems here this would be an understatenent.

If people would just take care of these problems and quit ignoring them, things would straighten out. I'am not putting anyone down or accusing anyone of not doing their job, but screthings is wrong scmewhere, or I would not be writing this letter.

It may be said that many of these problems exsit through out the industry and have for years then isn't it time we started solving these problems and if we choose not too, I myself will be in doult of the credibilit of =any of the plant on-line today as will others, and the public will have reasons to fear the nuclear industry.

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