ML20215H960
| ML20215H960 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 10/02/1986 |
| From: | Adamovitz S, Cline W NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20215H955 | List: |
| References | |
| CON-NRC-29-83-622 NUDOCS 8610240235 | |
| Download: ML20215H960 (5) | |
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OCT 1 4 1986 PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL.
NRC/ STATE CONTRACTS FOR ENVIPONMENTAL MONITORING CONTRACT NUMBER:
29-83-622 CONTRACTOR:
State of Tennessee DATE OF PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL:
September 18-19, 1986' CONDUCTED BY:
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,U Date Signed REVIEWED BY:
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W. E. ClinF,~ Chief Date Signed Radiological Effluents and Chemistry Section SCOPE:
The appraisal was performed by a review of reports, correspondence, day-to-day contacts, and evaluation of the promptness and judgement exercised in the resolution of any unusual situations or problems which arise in the program.
The annual appraisal was culminated by a visit to the State laboratory to inspect facilities and equipment, review records, and discuss aspects of the program with State personnel. This report is prepared as a basis for contract renewai and any recommendations.for program improvements.
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STATE OF TENNESSEE CONTRACT APPRAISAL AND REVIEW 0F THE ANNUAL REPORT On September 18 and 19,1986, a representative of the U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission met with representatives from the State of Tennessee's Division of Radiological Health to review activities conducted under Contract No. 29 s3-622 for 1985.
This contract provides for a cooperative program for measuring concentrations of radioactivity and radiation levels in the environment around the following NRC licensed activities located'within the State:
Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc.
Sequoyah Nuclear Power Plant Watts Bar Nuclear Power Plant Attendance at this meeting is presented in the Enclosure.
Overall Program Status This. appraisal. incorporated a review of the 1985 annual report, an inspection of the State Radiation Laboratory and a preliminary review of the State's performance under the 1986 contract.
The State of Tennessee has adhered well to schedules for sample collection and generally met most contract requirements for sample. analysis.
Specific problem areas are discussed in detail under
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Performance.
Staff The State of Tenne ee's Radiological Environmental Section was expanded during 1986 to include.one new Environmental Specialist position.
The Environmental Section staffing Gas brought to a total of four specialists, and the section was
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actively recruiting to fill this' new position.
During 1986 the Environmental Laboratories Radiochemistry Section filled the vacant laboratory supervisor's.
position by an. internal promotion of a laboratory chemist and successfully recruited to fill the vacated chemist's position.
Total laboratory staffing remained constant with two full-time chemists and one part-time chemist.
Training
'During 1985, one environmental specialist from the Radiological Environmental Section attended a Basic Radiation Principles course at the University of Texas Research Hospital, and two environmental specialists attended the Hazardous Materials Advanced Tactics course offered by the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency..
During 1986,. environmental specialists attended the Oak Ridge Air-Sampling Methodolcgy course and an Environmental Radiation Surveillance course ' offered by Havard. University.
Chemists from the Environmental Laboratories Radiochemistry Section did not attend independent courses in radiochemistry or instrumentation during 1985 or 1986.
Laboratory management advised that they plan to send one chemist during February 1987 to the five-week Introductory Health Physics course at Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
Also, arrangements were being made to send laboratory personnel to the Environmental Protection
e 2
Agency's laboratories in Montgomery, Alabama for training in radiochemical anilyses and nuclear instrumentation.
The NRC representative encouraged
- participation in available courses for radiochemistry and nuclear instrumentation for laboratory personnel. Although the present staff has had on-the-job training in the radioanalytical field, additional training is required to maintain the level of expertise necessary to conduct radiological laboratory and count room operations satisfactorily.
During the appraisal, State personnel inquired about the status of the Radiological ~ Environmental Sciences Laboratory (RESL) course in Idaho Falls, Idaho, and the Reactor Operations - Theory and Emergency Planning course in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
The RESL course was not offered during 1985 or 1986 to state personnel due to budget restrictions and the Reactor Operations course was offered only once.
The State has encouraged staff participation and would send staff members if the courses were again available.
Facilities and Equipment The Radiochemistry Laboratory was moved to a newly renovated building during December 1985.
The new laboratory facilities were well-planned with ample space to perform wet chemistry and count room operations.
Future plans to upgrade laboratory equipment during FY87 included a second alpha-beta proportional counter with an automatic ~ sample changer.
Although a Nuclear Data 6700 gamma spectroscopy system and computer software were acquired during 1985, the germanium-lithium detector was not replaced.
Continuing problems with the detector resulted in missing analyses for various NRC contract samples and prohibited use of the new computer software which would automatically reduce data relating to identification and quantification of radionuclides.
It should be noted that continuing inoperability of gamma detection equipment would prevent the laboratory from meeting contractual requirements.
Provisions for backup capabilities were discussed with State personnel.
Performance The NRC Environmental Monitoring contract requires the State of Tennessee to submit an annual report including a summary of all aMyses.
The annual report also includes comparisons of. results of the State m'. licensee environmental sample splits and results of the State's EPA cret c4.k programs for the past year.
The 1985 report was received with the ec. ed :nformation but was twelve days. late.
The' State of Tennessee met most of the contract requirements for sample collection and analysis.
The NRC representative noted a general improvement in sample collection data over the CY1984 data for air filters and cartridges.
Although some air samples were missed due to inoperable air pumps, steps taken by State personnel to rectify this situation included the replacement of all contract air samplers by August 1986, and arranging to have sample change-out performed by State personnel.
The continuing problea of missing analyses due to inoperable laboratory counting systems is in need of further management attention.
As discussed under " Facilities and Equipment," reliable instrumentation should be available and backup capabilities should be l
3 investigated in order for the State to continue fulfilling its contract requirements.
As was noted in the previous performance appraisal, the State's gross beta results for particulate air-samples were again consistently lower than the licensee's results.
State personnel-have initiated several corrective actions to deal with this situation.'
All contract air. samplers have been replaced and sample change-out is now performed by State personnel rather than by the licensee in order to ensure proper filter and cartridge placement in the air pump.
The State has also. utilized a different type of air filter which is not as susceptible to clogging by humidity.
These actions were initiated during 1985 and 1986, and it is expected that 1986 results should be in closer agreement with the licensee's results.
State personnel have asumed responsibility for contract sample collection for Watts Bar and Sequoyah.
Sample collection is either performed or periodically monitored by the Environmental Section of all facilities.
In order to track contract samples collected by the licensee and to minimize.the number of missing samples, State personnel have initiated a monthly sample check procedure.
The Environmental Section obtained copies of laboratory sample logs. These logs are compared to contract requirements and sample checks are initiated if samples are missing.
Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc. (NFS) was on Strike for most of _ CY1985.
Due to strike conditions, NFS was given relief from certain environmental monitoring requirements and State personnel were not allowed on-site access to environmental sampling points.
The CY1985 contract report was issued with the available State data but without NFS results.
Subsequently, environmental data was received from NFS and en fironmental samples, which were collected by NFS but held for State analysis, were delivered to the State laboratories.
. State representatives indicated that a revised report would be issued to include NFS data and other missing analyses.
State personnel also agreed to continue the triple split samples for the NFS onsite sewer.
The NRC TLD Monitoring Program was reviewed with State personnel.
During the past year, the entire NRC TLD network was checked against original location descriptions.
State personnel have compiled a new TLD exchange route and TLD location descriptions.
The' NRC representative requested a copy of the updated network description when completed.
The Radiochemistry Laboratory participates in the EPA Quality Assurance Program.
A review of the quality control data for 1985 and 1986 indicated that an increasing variety of samples was being analyzed with acceptable reproducibility and accuracy.
The State of Tennessee's Radiological Environmental Program was reviewed against the program operation criteria established by the NRC. Although several problem areas were identified in the 1985 report, continuation of the contract program is recommended based on continuing program improvements and on State efforts to meet all contractual requirements.
ENCLOSURE Attendance at the NRC-State of Tennessee meeting on. September 18 and.19, 1986.
State of Tennessee Michael H. Mobley, Director, Division of Radiological Health Elizabeth Steter, Supervisor, Environmental Monitoring Alan Payne, Environmental Specialist, Environmental Monitoring Ruben Crosslin, Er.vironmental Specialist, Environmental Monitoring Dr. Tom Maxson, Director, Environmental Laboratories Don Brown, Director, Administrative Services Gloria Wallace, Inorganic Supervisor, Environmental Laboratories Elizabeth Flanagan, Supervisor, Environmental Laboratories Gretchen Maxson, Chemist, Environmental Laboratories U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Susan S. Adamovitz, Radiation Specialist, Radiological Effluents and Chemistry Section
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