ML20246A585

From kanterella
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Ack Receipt of 890424 & 0524 Ltrs Informing NRC of Steps Taken to Correct Violations Noted in Insp Rept 50-284/89-01
ML20246A585
Person / Time
Site: Idaho State University
Issue date: 06/23/1989
From: Murray B
NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV)
To: Hutchinson J
IDAHO STATE UNIV., POCATELLO, ID
References
NUDOCS 8907070031
Download: ML20246A585 (2)


See also: IR 05000284/1989001

Text

, , n,

.

- - -

- .---

- - - - - - - - - - - -

--

--

-


7--

.

,

, n;

3

}

+

.

n ,, . e f

4,I'

'. '.

-e'

J,

-

.w f

X . Docket: 150-284/89-01,

JUti 2 31989 -

In Reply Refer To:

. , , -

n

4

.

Y

1. '

..

li . -

~

<

..

.

.

.

j

,

Idaho State-University'.

,

ATTN: . Dr. John' M. Hutchinson -

Vice President for Academic Affairs

._Pocatello, Idaho 83209--

!=

Gentlemen:

lC

iThank you.'for your . letters of April 24 and May 24, 1989,- in. response to

ld

,

our. letter'and Notice of Violation dated: March 30, 1989, and the telephone

.

conversation between Mr

H. Chaney of this office and Mr. D. Levinkas of your -

'

staff.

We have reviewed your2 replies.and find them responsive to the concerns

raised in our Notice,of Violation. We will review the implementation of your

corrective actions during'a future inspection to' determine that full compliance-

'has'been achieved and will be maintained.

p>

<

Sincerely,

j

B1aine Murray,. Chief

Reactor Programs Branch

CC: .

Radiation Control Section

Department of Health'and Welfare

Statehouse

L

.'

Boise, Idaho 83720

,

l

Idaho State University

ATTN:

Dr. A. Wilson

..

Reactor Administrator

College of Engineering

Box 8060

-Pocatello.. Idaho 83209

(cc!s continued)

's

..

'RIV:FRP

C:FRPS

y C:RPB

-

D:DRSS

l

.HChane

r

RBaer

fBMurray

{BBeach

6/p89'

6/p /89

6@3/89

6SJ /89

1

8907070031 890623

%

g

'PDR: ADOCK O'5000284

7

PDC

Q

Q.

J-

- _ _ _

_ - -

-_ _

- _ _ _ _ _ _ =

_

-

.

_

.

_

..

E."

.

-

.

'

'

.6

.

Idaho State University

-2-

4

,

L

Argonne National Laboratory

J

ATTN: John H. Just, Chairman

Reactor Safety Committee

P.O. Box 2528

.

Idaho Falls,. Idaho 83403-2538-

Idaho State' University

. ATTN :

D. Levinskas

Radiation Safety Officer /

Reactor Supervisor

College of Engineering

Box 8060

Pocatello, Idhao 83209

Idaho. State University

ATTN: Dr. V. Charyulu, Dean

College of Engineering

Pocatello, Idaho 83209

r

..

bcc to DMB (IE01)

bec:

'R. Martin

Inspector (s)

C:RPSB-DRSS.

A. Adams, NRR Project Manager

DRP

Lisa Shea, RM/ALF

RIV File

MIS Coordinator

RSTS Operator

DRS

B. Beach, DRSS

C:FRPS

R. Hall-DRSS

RPB-DRSS

1

i

l

1

u_-__m______________

_ = _ _ _

_

('.

s

.

.

~ 0 ft$ f f(

-

'

,

'i

i d%

.

0

'

.

5.7

MAY3i!@

f

,ny

,J

.

Idaho State University

yV

- 'i,

Focatello. Idaho

}

_

'

83209-0009

"

CoHege of Engineering

May 24, 1989

Box 8060

(206s 236-2302

Mr. H.D. Chaney

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Region IV

611 Ryan Plaza Drive

Suite 1000

Arlington, Texas

76011

!

t

Dear Mr. Chaney:

During our phone conversation on May 15, 1989, you requested ad-

ditional information regarding our response to the notice of

violation issued to Idaho State University as a result of your

inspection conducted February 26 to March 1,

1989.

The Reactor Safety Committee, at its meeting on May 2,

1989, de-

cided that an audit of the Emergency plan would be conducted by

the committee in conjunction with each drill, and documented in

the minutes.

Items in the plan that are not covered by a drill

will be checked separately, and documented by a report to the

committee to be attached to the minutes.

,

With respect to the issue of keys to the reactor lab and suo-

critical facility, the following situation exists.

All keys to

these two areas are accounted for.

The reactor supervisor and

the reactor administrator each have one set.

One spare set is

being stored in the reactor lab to be issued to a qualified reac -

j

tor operator when he becomes available, and if the security plan

revision authorizing him a set is approved.

All other keys to

the reactor and suberitical facility have been destroyed.

The university locksmith maintains a record of who has been is-

i

sued each key on campus.

He has been given a list indicating the

disposition of the existing keys.

The locksmith has also been

!

notified in writing that he will only make new keys for these

facilities upon written authorization signed by the Reactor

Administrator.

1

-

@ 9 Q) p k h -

gww6

M9

isui, ,,en ,o ,,o,,

,,,r e- ,io,.,

__

>

- - - , - _ - _ - - , _ _ _ _ - _

_- ..

-

- - -

.

<

s ing 3

,

gj::f;J

, ' ^

,y.

.

,

-

O .

.

+ g :. ,

. . = ,

-

'

"

e . .:

(

' f, ,;

. p, .

i ;Mr. H.D.'.'Chaney-

Q:y? ,

May 24,: 1989'

.

. 9-

p

. p,g4 2 '

i :n.

/

.If you.nsed any further information, please contact ne at 208-

236-2902.-

,

,

Sincerely,: .

-

, , i / - (.5 -, - (, jur

-

.

lh

>, \\

m

"!

L. . -

!R

-

A.E. Wilson

ie

Reactor Administrator

i

L AW/tw.:

,

.v

4

l

!

s

.

l

= _ _ _ _ _ . - - - _ - - -- __

-

-_

. _ _ _ _

>

flyfi g y

_=.

'

Idaho State University

.

C
mpus Box 8053 * Pocatello. ID C3209-0009 + (208) 236-2362 FAX (208) 236-4000

.

'

'

Academic Affairs-

n

%[8@$N!

[

li5

4

9

aw=g-

April 24, 1989;

_ _ . .

Mr. Blaine Murray, Chief

,

Reactor Programs Branch

-

'U.S.

NRC, Region 4

.

L..-

611-Ryan Plaza. Drive,. Suite 1000

Arlington, Texas'(76011

,

Dear Mr. Murray:

Ref:-

Docket 50-284/89-01

Enclosed is a response to the violations found during the NRC

inspection of' February 26 - March 1,

1989, as detailed in the

l

Notice of Violation sent to us March 30, 1989.

The response was

prepared by Mr. David:Levinskas, Reactor Supervisor; and reviewed

and approved by Dr. A. E. Wilson, Reactor Administrator.

The

Reactor Safety. Committee for our facility will formally meet on

May 2,

1989, to discuss the Report and this response in detail.

After that meeting and.the actions taken by the Committee, we

will be in full compliance.

If you have any further-questions regarding the response you may

contact Mr. David Levinskas, 208-236-2311, or Dr. Albert Wilson,

'208-236-3933.

S

c rely,

[,

W

ohn M. Hutchinson

Vice President for

Academic Affairs

'

JMH:kvt

Enclosure

hE@(NWDT

<

,,. Q .

ff *

ISUis An EqualOpportunny Employer

-

- _ __- _____

,

_

_-

_

_

_

- - _ _ _ -- - - - - - - - _ _ .- - - - _

y

}W

.

.

..

,

t

'

't

RESPONSE TO NOTICE OF VIOLATION

IDAHO STATE UNIVERSITY

This is the response to the Notice of Violation issued to

o

Idaho State University, Docket No. 50-284, License No. R-110, cn1

30 March, 1989.

Item 1:

Failure of the Reactor Safety Committee to observe-

p

reactor' operation by each licensed operator at least

k ,,,

once per calendar year.

.

.This violation'was the result of weaknesses in the opera-

,

tor requalification program identified as an open item in Part d.

of' Appendix B of the notice of violation.

The lack of a docu-

mented means to track requalification activities resulted in the

omission of the requirement for committee member observation of

. operators from the schedule board used to insure surveillance

items are accomplished as required.

i

The Reactor Safety committee will meet on May 2,

1989.

At

that time both SRO's who have active licenses will be observed

operating the reactor by a member or members of the committee.

The requirement to perform these observations has'been added to

the surveillance schedule to insure its timely performance in the

future.

We anticipate that these actions will bring us into com-

piance on May 2,

1989.

Item 2:

Failure to conduct a drill of the ISU Emergency Plan

during 1987.

An investigation of our records and operations for 1987

indicate'that the Emergency Plan drill was not conducted due to

-

_ _ _ _ _ _ _

_-- -

,,

,

,

he following circumstances.

First, the drill was scheduled for

'

the spring of 1987, however, it was not authorized at the-spring

l

meeting of the Reactor Safety Committee because the committee

limited its actions at that time to those necessary to address

!

~

violations and open items from the NRC inspection of February,

1987.

Furthermore, the drill was not conducted during the summer

because the absence of staff personnel during that time would

have resulted in little benefit as far as experience for people

who would be involved during the normal school year.

Also during

.

the spring and summer of 1987, the individua1 hired for the Reac-

_

tor Supervisor position failed to qualify for a license.

As a

result his employment was terminated and a replacement was hired.

The change of personnel was a contributing factor to the viola-

i

tion in that it appears the fact that the drill had not been con-

ducted was overlooked during the transition.

Finally, since the

RSC did not meet again until 1988, the omission was not discov-

ered until it was too late to correct it.

The 1988 drill was conducted on' September 7.

Future

drills will be conducted in-the' fall'of each year-to insure that

new staff and students will gain experience with emergency pro-

cedures early in the school year.

Item 2 B: '

Failure to audit the Emergency Plan at least once

every two years.

During each Emergency Plan drill, and at the drill

critique immediately following, the entire Reactor Safety Commit-

tee (RSC) conducts a complete examination of the Emergency Plan

l

l

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . _ _ _ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

,,

.

.

,

_

and our conformance to it.

While this procedure is not docu-

Lmented as angaudit, it does

in'our' opinion, perform the func-

l

'

g

  • tions;of'.the. required audit.- This procedure was followed for the

drill of May, 1986, and again in September, 1988.

The use of the above procedure, and performance of associ-

ated. documentation, as a means to meet the audit requirements

will be addressed'at the RSC meeting on May 2,

1989.

Item 3:

Failure to obtain NRC approval and submit Physical

.

Security Plan changes to the NRC.

An. audit of Rev.1 to the Physical Security Plan (PSP)

revealed that the physical description of the facility contained

in Rev.1 was incorrect.

Revision 2 to the PSP corrected the er-

rors and authorized possession of facility access keys by li-

censed operators.

Access keys were issued to three new operators

when they received licenses from the NRC.

Neither the physical

configuration er the security procedures of the facility have

.been changed, and as such, the effectiveness of the PSP has not

been decreased.

Licensed operators are authorized to be present in the

facility in the absence of both the Reactor Administrator-(RA)

and the Reactor Supervisor (RS).

Possession of access keys by

licensed operators was deemed necessary to permit the operators

to lock the facility when operations not requiring the RS or RA

were completed.

In effect, possession of keys by operators was

authorized to maintain the effectiveness of the PSP, and does not

decrease its effectiveness.

l

l

l

\\

l

- _ _ _ _ - - _ - - -

-

-

1

mt uj

1 -

l:

_ ,

'f l._lI . ;

'

'

,

.

!

l

, ....:

'

,

(;>

The" keys issued to the reactor operators were returned to'

j

" 6

fthe.RSLon March'l,L1989'. .~ Revision 2 to the PSP was submitted to

.

,

g

I!'

ithe NRC'by' registered mail on March 10, 1989.

These actions

L .-

bring us.'into compliance with the currently authorized PSP Rev.l.
only;the RS.and'RA will-hold keys until formal notification of

action onIRev.2cis' received.-

l;

L- Q'.

i

i

t

,

l

t

' f

_t

qr..

.e

,.).'.'