ML20246J360
| ML20246J360 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Seabrook  |
| Issue date: | 08/18/1989 |
| From: | Ronald Bellamy NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I) |
| To: | Ellen Brown PUBLIC SERVICE CO. OF NEW HAMPSHIRE |
| References | |
| IEIN-81-26, NUDOCS 8909050128 | |
| Download: ML20246J360 (9) | |
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Docket No. 50-443 AUG1STfgg 1
.Public Service Company of New Hampshire ATTN: Mr. Edward A. Brown, President l
and Chief Executive Officer New Hampshire Yankee Division Post Office Box 300 Seabrook, New Hampshire 03874 i
Gentlemen:
SUBJECT:
DEFINITION OF " EXTREMITY" FOR PURPOSES OF SETTING OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE LIMITS The purpose of this memorandum is to clarify the NRC's position regarding the definition of " extremity" for purposes of setting occupational exposure limits.
NRC inspections have shown that a number of licensees are using a definition of
" extremity" that is contrary to the provisions of 10 CFR Part 20.101, " Radiation Dose Standards for Individuals in Restricted Areas". This regulation specifies that " extremity" dose limits apply to the " hands and forearms; feet and ankles."
Information provided in NRC Infonnation Notice No. 81-26. Part 3 Supplement No. 1, has been misunderstood, and was not intended to change what is considered to be an extremity. This Infomstion Notice discusses placement of personnel dosimeters for detemining whole body doses.
Because of this apparent misunderstanding, we plan no enforcement action if your procedures have incorporated this misunderstanding. We have issued the enclosed memorandum to provide clarification on the intent of Information Notice No. 81-26, and what is considered to be an extremity. We request that you ensure your procedures incorporate the applicable dose limits of 10 CFR Part 20.
Your cooperation with us in this matter is appreciated. Please contact me if you have any concerns or questions regarding this matter.
Sincerely.
OprJnet Eigned By:
kcnald R. Bellsery Ronald R. Bellamy, Chief Facilities Radiological Safety and Safeguards Branch Division of Radiation Safety and Safeguards
Enclosure:
Memorandum from LeMoine J. Cunningham to Ronald R. Bellamy, et. al., dated June 22, 1989 g
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J. C. Duffett, President and Chief. Executive Officer, PSNH
_j T. C. Feigenbaum, Vice President, Engineering, Licensing and Quality Programs, l
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J. M. Peschel, Regulatory Services Manager, NHY l
D. E. Moody, Station Manager, NHY P. W. Agnes, Jr., Assistant Secretary of Public Safety, Commonwealth of.
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' Massachusetts Public Document Room (PDR) local Public Document Room (LPDR)
Nuclear Safety Information~ Center (NSIC)
NRC Resident Inspector State of New Hampshire Commonwealth of Massachusetts-Seabrook Hearing Service List bec w/ enc 1:
Region I Docket Room (with concurrences)
Management' Assistant, DRMA (w/o enc 1)
D. Haverkamp, DRP L. Doerflein, DRP l
SRI - Seabrook (w/ concurrences) l V. Nerses, NRR K.-Abraham, PAD (20) SALP Reports and All Inspection Reports J. Wiggins,-DRP J. Dyer EDO F. Congel, NRR/DREP L. Cunningham, NRR/PRPB M. Knapp, DRSS L-RI:DRSS S
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Sherbini Pasciak Ballamy 7/20/89 7/ / /89 j J/v/89
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Seabrook 1 Service Hearing List Thomas Dignan, Esq E. Tupper Kinger, Esq.
John A. Ritscher, Esq.
Assistant Attorney General Ropes and Gray Office of Attorney General 225 Franklin Street 208 State House Annex Boston, Massachusetts 02110 Concord, New Hampshire 03301 Mr. Bruce Beckley, Project Manager George D. Bisbee, Esquire New Hampshire Yankee Assistant Attorney General P.O. Box 330 Office of the Attorney General Manchester, New Hampshire 03105 25 Capitol Street Concord, New Hampshire 03301 Dr. Murray Tye, President Diane Curran, Esquire Sun Valley Association Harmon and Weiss 209 Summer Street 2001 S Street, N.W.
Haverhill, Massachusetts 08139 Washington, D.C.
20009 Robert A. Backus, Esquire D. Pierre G. Cameron, Jr., Esquire Backus, Meyer and Solomon General Counsel 116 Lowell Street Public Service Company of P. O. Box 516 New Hampshire Manchester, New Hampshire 03106 Manchester, New Hampshire 03105 Phillip Ahren, Esquire Mr. Alfred Sargent, Chairman Assistant Attorney General Board of Selectmen Office of the Attorney General Town of Salisbury, MA 01950 State House Station #6 Augusta, Maine 04333 Steven Oleskey, Esquire Senator Gordon J. Humphrey Office of the Attorney General ATTN:
Mr. Thomas Burack One Asburton Place U. S. Senate P. O. Box 330 531 Hart Senate Office Building Boston, Massachusetts 02108 Wcshington, D.C.
20510 Ms. Diana P. Randall Mr. Calvin A. Canney, City Manager 70 Collins Street City Hall Seabrook, New Hampshire 03874 126 Daniel Street portsmouth, New Hampshire 03801 Richard Hampe, Esquire New Hampshire Civil Defense Agency 107 Pleasant Street Concord, New Hampshire 03874 N..)
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g Board of Selectmen Mr. Owen B. Durgin, Chairman RFD Dalton Road Durham Board of Selectmen Brentwood, New Hampshire 03833 Town of Durham Durham, New Hampshire 03824-l Ms. Suzanne Breiseth Administrative Judge -
' Town of Hampton Falls Jerry Harbour Drinkwater Road Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Hampton Falls, New. Hampshire 03844 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C.
20555 Mr. Guy. Chichester,' Chairman Chairman, Board of Selectmen Rye Nuclear Intervention Committee Town Hall c/o Rye Town Hall
- South Hampton, New Hampshire 03827 10 Central Road Rye, New Hampshire 03870 Mr. Angie Machiros, Chairman Jane Spector Board of Selectmen-Federal Energy Regulatory Comm.
for the Town of Newbury 825 North Capitol Street, N.E.
25 High Road Room 8105 Newbury, Massachusetts 01950
. Washington, D.C.
20426 Ms. Rosemary Cashman, Chairman Mr. R. Sweeney Board of Selectmen New Hampshire Yankee Division Town of Amesbury Public Service Company of Town Hall-New Hampshire Amesbury, Massachusetts 01913 Suite 610, Three Metro' Center Bethesda, Maryland 20814 Honorable Peter J. Matthews Mayor, City of Newburyport City Hall Newburyport, Massachusetts 01950 Administrative Judge Administrative Judge Alan S. Rosenthal, Chairman Thomas S. Moore, Esquire Atomic Safety and Licensing Appeal Atomic Safety and Licensing Appeal Board Board U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C.
20555 Washington, D.C.
20555 Administrative Judge Administrative Judge Howard A. Wilber Emmeth A. Lueble
' Atomic Safety and Licensing Appeal Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Board U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washingtan, D. C.
20555 Washington, D.C.
20555 s
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'Edwin J. Reis, Esquire:
H. Joseph Flynn, Esq.
Office of the General Counsel Assistar.t General Counsel L
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Federal Emergency Management Agency Washington, D.C.
20555 500 C. Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C.
20472
-Edward A. Thomas Carol S. Sneider, Esq.
Federal Emergency Management Agency Assistant Attorney General 442 J. W. McCormack (POCH)
Office of the Attorney General Boston, Massachusetts 02109 One Ashburton Place,19th Floor Boston, Massachusetts 02108 l
Paul McEachern, Esq.
Richard A. Haaps, Esq Shaines and McEachern Haaps and McNicholas 25 Maplewood Avenue 35 Pleasant Street Portsmouth, New Hampshire 03801 Concord, New Hampshire 03301 J. P. Nadeau Allen Lampert
. Board of Selectmen Civil Defense Director 10 Central Street Town of Brentwood Rye,'New Hampshire 03870 20 Franklin Street Exeter, New Hampshire 03833 William Armstrong Sandra Gavutis, Chairman s
i Civil Defense Director Board of Selectmen Town of Exeter RFD #1, Box 1154 10 Front Street Kensington, New Hampshire 03827 Exeter, New Hampshire 03833 Anne Goodman, Chairman
. Jerard A. Croteau, Constable Board of Selectmen 82 Beach Road 13-.15 Newmarket Road P. O. Box 5501 Durham,'New Hampshire 03824 Salisbury, Massachusetts 01950 Stanley W. Knowles, Chairman Judith H. Mitzner Board of Selectmen Silverglate, Gertner, Baker, Fine, P. O. Box 710 Good and Mitzner
. North Hampton, New Hampshire 03862 88 Broad Street Boston, Massachusetts 02:10
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' Norman C. Kantner Gary W. Holmes, Esq.
Superintendent of Schools Holmes and Ellis School Administrative Unit No. 21 47 Winnacunnet Road p
Aluani Drive Hampton, New Hampshire 03842 Hampton, New Hampshire 03842 l
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,! -9 Charles ~P. Graham,. Esquire.
Mr. Robert Carrigg, Chairman McKay, Murphy and Graham Board of Selectmen 100 Main Street Town Office
~Amesbury, Massachusetts- 01913' Atlantic Avenue North Hampton, New Hampshire 03870 Jane Doughty.
Seacoast Anti-Pollution League 5 Market Street
.Portsmouth, New Hampshire 03801 Adjudicatory File Atomic Safety. and Licensing. Board Panel Docket U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
. Washington, DC 20555
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JUN 221989 H
MEMORANDUM FOR: Ronald R.- Bellamy, Chief, EPRPB, DRSS, Region I Douglas M. Collins, Chief. EPRPB, DRSS, Region II L'. Robert Greger, Chief, RPB, DRSS, Region III Blaine Murray, Chief, RPSB, DRSS, Region IV Gregory P. Yuhas, Chief. EPRPB, DRSS, Region V FROM:
LeMoine J. Cunningham, Chief Radiation Protection Branch Dtvistor of Radiatien Protection and Emergency Preparedness Ofiice of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
SUBJECT:
CORRECTION OF MISUNDERSTANDING CONCERNING OCCUPATIONAL DOSE LIMITS FOR " EXTREMITIES" The purpose of this memorandum is twofold:
(1) to document the correction of a misunderstanding concerning occupational dose limits for " extremities," and
-(2) to provide guidance concerning potential enforcement action in cases in which licensees have incorporated this misunderstanding into their procedures.
10 CFR Fart 20 provides different occupational dose limits for (1) the "whole body; head and trunk; active' blood-forming organs; lens of eyes; or gonads;"
'(2) the " hands and forearms; feet and ankles"; and (3) the " skin of the whole body.*' As indicated in the instructions for NRC Form 5, " Current Occupational External Radiation Exposure,* the dose to the " hands anc forearms; feet and ankles" includes the cose to the skin of these body parts. The dose to the skin is assessed at a depth of 7 mg/cm' in tissue. Thus, the limit for the
" skin of the whole body" and the limit for the "whole body..." apply to all parts of the body except the " hands and forearms, feet and ankles."
The term " extremities" has often been used to designate the " hands and fore-arms; feet and ankles," although this term is not used in 10 CFR Part 20. The term " extremities" is used in the pending major revision of 10 CFR Part 20 l
where it has the different meaning of " hand, elbow, are below the elbow, foot, I
knee, and leg below the knee." However, this revised definition should not be used until the effective date of the major revision.
CONTACT:
John D. Buchanan, NRR 492-1097
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. Multiple Addressees 3 g 229 J
IE Inform 6 tion Notice No. 81-26. Part 3, Supplement No.1, " Clarification of Flecement of Fersonnel Monitoring Devices for External Radiation," was issued July 19,1982. That information notice discusses placen nt of personnel dosimeters for determining whole body doses in situations where the principal source of radiation is f rom underfoot. That information notice indicates, and our position continues to be, that, in these situations, "a reasonable placement for a whole body dosimeter would be just above the knee." That information notice also notes that " extremity monitoring requirements may dictate the placement of additional dosimeters in the feet and ankle area."
Information notices cannot impose or change regulatory requirements and Infor-mation Notice No. 81-26, Part 3 Supplement I did not change the requirements of 10 CFR Section 20.101. Nevertheless, some licensees and, in at least one instance, regional personnel have maintained, incorrectly, that Information Notice No. 81-26, Part 3, Supplement I defined or redefined the terms
" extremity", or " extremities" to include the knee and the lower leg between the knee and the ankle and thereby extended the applicability of the 18.75 rem dose limit for the " extremities" to the lower leg above the ankle and to the knee.
Some licensees have changed their radiation protection procedures to incorpo-rate this misunderstanding and thereby to misrepresent the dose limits of 10 CFR Part 20.
This misunderstanding of the requirements of 10 CFR Part 20 has been identified primarily in relation to potential violations of the occupational dose limits resulting from radiation cxposures from hot particles on or near the skin. One example of this misunderstanding is the result of an infomal survey taken by one licensee and reported to the NRC.
In that survey, ten nuclear power stations were contacted and asked, "If one of your personnel had been exposed to a hot particle in the region of the body between the middle of the knee and ankle, would you identify the dose as being to the skin of the whole body or to the extremityi* Four stations responded, correctly, that they would record the dose as the skin of the whole body. The other six stations said they would record the dose as being to the " skin of the extremity", thus indicating their misunderstandings of both 10 CFR Part 20 and Information Notice No. 81-26, Part 3, Supplement Ho. 1.
In sumary, for exposures of the knee and the lower leg above the ankle, the applicable occupational radiation dose limits of 10 CFR Section 20.101 are:
(1) the whole body dose limit of 1.25 rem per quarter or 3 rem per quarter, and I
(2) the skin of the whole body limit of 7.5 rem per quarter.
This memorandum is being placed in the NRC Public Document Room and I encourage you to make it available to licensees.
Licensees who have incorporated the misunderstanding concerning " extremity" doses into their procedures should be asked to correct those procedures; however, no enforcement action should be taken for such incorrect procedures if
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NultipleAddressees JUN 2 21989 the~ licensee corrects the procedure (s).
Enforcement action should be consid-ered for any licensee who, after being given a copy of this memorandum, refuses to correct a procedure that incorporates the irisunderstanding of the dose limits of 10 CFR Part 20; however, please contect me before you initiate any such action.
This memorandum has been coordinated with the Office of Enforcement.
Le ne J.
unningham, ief Radiation Protection Branch Division of Radiation Protection and Emergency Preparedness Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
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DEX OPERATING REACTORS Licensee BWR Pg. No.
Sys. Pg. No.
' Boston Edison Company-
'DN 50-293 6
12 - 13 i-Pilgrim 1 GPU Nuclear Corporation-DN 50-219 4-9 Oyster' Creek 1 Philadelphia Electric.
DNs 50-277/50-278 5
10 - 11 Company Peach Bottom 2/3 Power' Authority of the DN 50-333 1
3-4 State-of New York James A. FitzPatrick Niagara Mohawk Power DNs 50-220/50-410 3
7-8 Corporation Nine Mile Point 1/2 Northeast Nuclear DN 50-245 2
5 Energy Company Millstone 1
' Vermont Yankee Nuclear-DN 50-271 7
14 - 15 Power Corporation Vermont Yankee Pennsylvania Power &
DN 50-387/50-388 20 38 - 39 Light' Company Susquehanna 1/2 Philadelphia Electric DN 50-352/50-353 21 40 Company Limerick 1/2
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W) e-INDEX OPERATING REACTORS' Licensee PWR Pg. No.
Sys. Pg. No.
' Baltimore Gas and-DNs 50-317/50-318 9
18 - 19 Electric Company
.Calvert Cliffs 1/2 Connecticut Yankee DN 50-213 10 20 - 21 Atomic Power Co.
Haddam Neck Consolidated Edison DN 50-247 12 23 - 24 Co. of New York Inc.
Indian Point 2 Power Authority of the DN 50-286 13 25 - 26 State of New York Indian Point 3 Duquesne Light Company DNs 50-334/50-412 8
16 - 17 Beaver Valley 1/2 Maine Yankee Atomic DN 50-309 14 27 - 28 Power Company Maine Yankee General Public Utilities DN 50-289 17 133 - 34 Nuclear Corporation TMI 1
- s.
General Public Utilities DN 50-320 18 35 - 36 Nuclear Corporation TMI 2 Northeast Nuclear DN 50-336 15 29 - 30 Energy Company Millstone 2 Northeast Nuclear DN 50-423 25 53 Energy Company Millstone 3 Public Service Electric DN 50-272/50-311 16 31 - 32 and Gas Company Salem 1/2 Rochester Gas & Electric DN 50-244 11 22
' Corporation Ginna Yankee Atomic Electric
.DN 50-29 19 37 Company Yankee Atomic Long Island Lighting Co.
DN 50-322 22 41 - 44 Shoreham Public Service of DN 50-443 23 45 - 50 New Hampshire Seabrook 1
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Docket Ms)'
Pan Sys. Pg. No.
- BWRv
- Hope Creek 1 50-354 1-
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