ML20245F815
| ML20245F815 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07000398 |
| Issue date: | 08/01/1989 |
| From: | Bores R, Roth J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20245F809 | List: |
| References | |
| 70-0398-89-01, 70-398-89-1, NUDOCS 8908150084 | |
| Download: ML20245F815 (8) | |
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l U S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION j
REGION I Report No. '70-398/89-01 Docket No.70-398 License No.
SNM-362 Priority 1 Category UHRD Licensee:
U. S. Department of Commerce National Institute of Standards and Technology i
Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899 Facility Name:
National Institute of Science and Technology Inspection At: Gaithersburg, Maryland Inspection Conducted: July 10-13, 1989 Inspectors:
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Ra tionProtectionSection,YRSSB,DRSS Approved by:./
67) h'G/ M R. J. Bores,g hief, Effluents Radiation date Protection 54ction, FRSSB, DRSS Inspection Summary:
Inspection on July 10-13, 1989 (Report No. 70-398/89-01)
Areas Inspected:
Routine, unannounced inspection by one region-based inspector of the licensed program including review of operations, nuclear criticality safety, safety committees, facility changes and modifications, radiation protection, non-routine events, transportation and licensee action on previously identified enforcement items.
Results: No violations or deviations were identified. However, the inspector determined that the licensee had not developed a portable surve' instrument tracking system to maintain control of the use and calibration of portable survey instruments (paragraph 7.C).
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DETAILS 1.
Individuals Contacted L. E. Pevey, Chief, Occupational Health and Safety i
T. G. Hobbs, Chief, Health Physics L. A. Slaback, Jr., Reactor Supervisory Health Physicist H. L. Rook, Deputy Director, Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, Vice Chairman, Radiation Safety Committee W.. A. Cassatt, Deputy Director, Center for Radiation Research B. L. Frey, Health Physics Secretary The above individuals were contacted during the inspection and also attended the exit interview.
The inspector also interviewed other members of the staff during this inspection.
2.
Licensee Action on Previously Identified Enforcement Items 1
(Closed) Inspector Followup Item (70-398/82-05-03) Reexamine the practice of averaging air velocity values over the face of a hood and definition of the term " nominal air velocity" in hoods.
Through a review of licensee records, the inspector determined that the licensee was no longer recording only the average air velocity measurement for each hood evaluated.
In addition to this value, individual measurements ootained from each of nine segments across the hood opening and their numerical average were recorded. These measurements provided the licensee with information with regard to air flow at varicus locations within the hood opening.
In addition, the licensee discontinued use of the term " nominal air velocity" with regard to hoods.
In accordance with license requirements, the licensee reevaluates the use of each hood when the average air flow is below 100 linear feet per minute (ifpm) and stops work in the hood when the average air flow is below 75 Ifpm. The inspector bad no further questions on this issue.
(Closed) Inspector Followup Item (70-398/87-02-01) Licensee to evaluate the need for a formal document control system to cover investigators' radioactive material handling procedures. Through a review of licensee records and discussions with licensee representatives, the inspector determined that a document controi system had been established and implemented to control the writing, review, approval, revision and issuance of laboratory procadures for the handling of radioactive material by investigators working in the " Radioactivity Divisien" at the NIST.
The inspector had no further questions on this issue.
(Closed) Inspector Follewup Item (70-398/87-02-03) Follow licensee actions to assure continuation of the NIST-SNM Standard Reference Material certification program. Through discussions with licensee representatives ano review of licensee shipping records, the inspector determined that all
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of the special nuclear' material formerly associated with the Standard Reference Material program had been transferred to the' New Brunswick -
Laboratory (NBL).
New Brunswick Laboratory has also assumed responsibility for certification of'the standards, as required. NIST will be requested by NBL to perform analytical work when required, to assure certification of each standard. The inspector had no further questions in this area.
3.
Review of Operations The inspector examined all areas of the site.where radioactive material is handled to observe operations and activities in progress, to inspect the nuclear safety aspects of the facility, and to check the general state'of cleanliness, housekeeping, and adherence to fire protection rules.
a.
SNM Inventory.
The inspector determined the quantity of SNM in each laboratory and the inventory of SNM at NIST was within the limits authorized for License No. SNM-362.
b.
Housekeeping.
The inspector observed that housekeeping in the Building 245, Shipping-Receiving Area (Room B131-135 complex), had improved significantly since the last inspection of this area. All significant quantities of radioactively contaminated trash had been removed from the area.
c.
Building 245-Low Scatter Room During examination of the Building 245, Low Scatter Room, the inspector noted that there was no panic button installed inside the controlled area. A panic button would allow an individual..ho inadvertently remained in the controlled area when a californf um-252 source was raised from the storage cavity to immediately drop the source.
Licensee representatives described the current procedures for assuring that no individuals are left in the area when the source is raised. These procedures appeared to be adequate. However, the licensee will evaluate the need to install a panic button in this
. area.
d.
Postings During examination of the Building 245, Room B-141 source calibration area, the inspector observed a 55 gallon shielded source container which was not properly iabeled with a Caution-Radioactive Material sign. The container was labeled with a yellow III shipping label
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-which.isznot an: approved sign for the identification of the' presence of radioactive materials in a storage container. The container war also labeled.with a sign which.provided-information with regard to the source identification, strength, radiation levels, etc., as required by 10 CFR 20.203(f)(2). The inspector verified that the container held a californium source.
Licensee representatives
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immediately replaced the shipping label with a Caution-Radioactive i
Material sign. The inspector had no further questions in this
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Alpha Laboratory and Building 222 Vault During examination of the Building 222 Alpha Laboratory and Vault, the inspector observed that all radioactive material had been removed from the Alpha' Laboratory and that only about five kilograma of depleted uranium remained in the vault. Upon' removal'of the depleted uranium from the vault, the licensee expects to initiate cleanup of both areas.
Following clear,up, the licensee will perform a contami-nation survey in accordance with a written survey plan. Since the licensee intends to release these areas for unrestricted use, the inspector requested that the licensee provide the NRC with a' copy of tha survey plan and the.'esults of the survey upon completion.
Upon r
completion'of: the survey by the licensee, the NRC' expects to conduct a verification survey of each area to facilitate removal of-these areas from the license as approved areas for use of radioactive mnterials. The licensee expects to have the remaining radioactive material removed from the vault by August 15, 1989 and will complete the final surveys of both areas by December 31,.1989. This is an
' inspector followup. item (70-398/89-01-01).
4.-
' Nuclear Criticality Safety
'The inspector verified through observations,- that the licensee was maintaining the. nuclear safety controls necessary to assure that no more than 300 grams of SNM were stored or used in any one area and that there were at least three feet separating each 300 gram batch of SNM, as required by the facility license.
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Radiation Safety Committee The inspector examined the minutes of six meetings of the Radiation Safety Committee held between January 13, 1988 and April 19, 1989. Topics reviewed by the Committee included audits conducted by the Radiation Safety Review Subcommittee, procedures for the shipment of spent fuel from the~NIST reactor facility and the 1987 and 1988 Health Physics Annual Reports. No inadequacies were identified.
6.
Facility Changes and Modifications i
The inspector observed that the Building 235 Rad Waste Annex modification had been completed..The modifications consisted of the addition of new
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L storage bins, a drum lifter, a concrete mixer for the solidification of L11guid wastes and fire detection and suppression systems.
In addition, y
new building. exhaust fans were installed and the e> 4aust system from the compactor was improved. Work on these modifications.was completed during 1
the week ending November 11, 1988..During examination of the'HEPA filters installed.in the waste compactor exhaust system, the inspector noted that there was no pressure guage installed.across the filter to provide l
information with regard to. dust loading on the filter.
In addition, the inspector determined through' discussions with licensee representatives that there were no plans to conduct DOP tests on the filter system after filter changes or annually to assure proper installation of the filters.
Licensee representatives stated that a pressure gauge (magnehelic) would be installed across the filter and that DOP tests would be conducted to assure proper' installation of.the filters.
The inspector stated that this area would be. reviewed in a subsequent inspection.
During examination of the facilities in Building 235, the inspector observed that the licensee was proceeding with the construction of a major addition to the building.
This addition will increase the size of Building 235 by about 50 percent and will contain a cold neutron facility using neutrons generated by the reactor.
The inspector observed as a-contractor initiated drilling one of seven cold neutron beam ports through a twenty-five foot thick shield wall surrounding the reactor.
7.
Radiation Protection-a.
Source Leak' Tests
-The inspector reviewed leak test records for various sealed sources
. maintained by the licensee for the period June 16, 1987.through June 20, 1989. The inspector found that the sources were leak tested at the intervals required by license conditions. -The reviewed records indicated.that no leaking sources were identified.
b.
Smear Surveys The inspector examined weekly smear survey data for the period January 5,1988 through July 12, 1989. The data indicated that corrective actions were taken whenever the contamination levels exceeded 10 dpm/100 cm2 alpha and/or 100 dpm/100 cm2 beta.
c.
Instrument Calibration The inspector reviewed the licensee's portable survey instrument calibration records for the ceriod October 1,'1986 through June 14, 1989.
In several cases, which were identified to the
?icensee during the course of this inspection, the inspector wae unable to trace the calibration history of the identified periouie survey instruments. The licensee uses many portable survey
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instruments for' contamination detection rather than as dose rcte measurement devices. The licensee's records were not annotated to provide information on the use of-individual instruments. Therefore, neither the inspector nor the' licensee could determine whether the instruments in question were required to be calibrated because they were to measure radiation levels.rather than to detect contamination.
The inspector expressed concern that the licensee had not developed a portable' survey instrument tracking system'in order to maintain control of the use and calibration of portable survey instruments to ensure that those instruments used to measure radiation levels were properly calibrated. This was discussed at the exit interview during which licensee representatives stated that an appropriate tracking system would be developed. This is an-inspector followup item (70-398/89-01-02).
d.
Waste Compactor Air Sampling The inspector examined the records of air samples taken during operation of the waste compactor from September 23, 1987 to December 9, 1988. No air samples in excess of about 10% of the maximum permissible concentrations specified in'10 CFR 20, Appendix B, Table 1, Column 1, for unknown alpha or mixed fission product activity, were identified.
e.
Ventilation i
- The' inspector reviewed velometer data for the period December 1987 through May 1989 for all hoods used for operatfons with radioactive material.
The records indicated that the linear face velocity required by the license was being maintained or exceeded on all hoods..The inspector observed that the'magnehelic gauge across the filter in the hood ventilation system in the' Alpha Laboratory, Building 222, Room A-344 indicated a high pres.ure differential. A velometer check conducted at the request of the inspector indicated almost no flow when the hood window was opened to the operating level. However, at the time of this inspection there were no operations with radioactive materials being conducted in the hood and recent contamination surveys on the inside surface of the hood indicated that there was no significant removable contamination present.
The licensee immediately prepared a work order to have the hood filter rep 1 Iced.
The inspector had no further questions in this area.
- f.
Liquid Waste The' inspector examined the liquid waste area located in the basement of Building 245. This area houses two large storage tanks that contain-liquid radioactive contaminated waste collected from the varicus laboratories in the building. The last discharge was made on June 22, 1989 and the measured concentration amounted to about l
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'I 3.85 percent of the maximum permissible concentration for unknown isotopes identified in 10 CFR 20 Appendix B, Table 2, Column 2.
8.
Nonroutine Events The inspector determined through a review of licensee records and discussion with licensee representatives that there was one nonroutine event at this facility within the scope of this inspection since the last inspection. The event was not required to be reported to the NRC.
On November 16, 1988 a package containing 10 millicuries of yttrium-90 was received for acceptance testir; prior to release to the ultimate user.
Radiation and contamination sur veys were performed and no significant radiation or contar!ution was observed on the outer package or its contents. The package was released to the user who found that the inside of the package and its inner container were contaminated.
The licensee assumed that contamination on the inside of package was missed during the initial surveys. Through investigation by the licensea, it was also determined that the individus1 performing the receipt tests did not wash his hends following the tests nor did he conduct a hand and foot contamination survey. Actions taken to prevent recurrence of this type of incident include: modification of the survey procedure to require monitoring of hands prior to leaving the test area, and retraining of all potential package testers to assure that appropriate procedures are used to detect contamination and to prevent the spread of contamination.
The inspector had no further questions im i,his area.
9.
Transportation Activities a.
Radioactive Material Receipts The inspector examined licensee records for the receipt of radio-active materials for the period January 11, 1988 to June 27, 1989.
Smear and external radiation surveys were conducted on each package received by the licensee in compliance with the monitoring require-nents of 10 CFR 20.205.
b.
Radioactive Materials Shipments j
The inspector reviewed' licensee records for the shipment of l
radioactive materials for the period January 10, 1989 to July 11, 1989.
Shipping records indicated that all shipments were labeled, marked, placarded (if necessary), monitored for radiation and contamination, and documented as required by federal regulations.
Radioactive Waste Shipments The inspector reviewed licensee records for shipment of radioactive waste.
Between April 12, 1988 and April 29, 1988, the licensee made twc shipments of radioactive waste. The inspector determined from the records that each package was properly marked and labeled in l
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7 accordance with U.S. 00T regulations, 10 CFR 61, and the burial site requirements.
For each shipment, the waste manifest appeared to properly identify the radioactive material, chemical form, activity, and stability, as required by 10 CFR Part 61.
d.
Spent Fuel Shipments The licensee made a series of eine shipments from the reactor facility to the Department of Energy (DOE) Savannah River Plant between April 10, 1987 and September 11, 1987. A Certificate of Compliance No. 5942 Model GE-700 cask was used for each shipment.
NRC personnel observed as the first shipment was prepared for release.
This observation was previously described in Inspection Report No. 70-398/87-04. Through discussions with licensee representatives and a review of licensee records the inspector determined that each shipment took place smoothly and without incident. The inspector had no further questions in these areas.
- 10. Exit Interview The inspector met with the licensee representatives indicated in paragraph I at the conclusion of the inspection on June 13, 1989.
The inspector summarized the scope of the inspection and the findings.
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