ML20247L476

Forwards Proposed Reactor Operator Requalification Program. Changes Address NRC 890905 Request for Addl Info Re Preparation & Grading of Annual Written Exam

ML20247L476
Person / Time
Site:	U.S. Geological Survey
Issue date:	09/14/1989
From:	Timothy Debey INTERIOR, DEPT. OF, GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
To:	Alexander Adams Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
NUDOCS 8909220210
Download: ML20247L476 (6)

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• United States Department of the Interior 1

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GEOL /DGICAL SI'RVEY l

~~#_*- IlO X 25016 M.S._$f DENVER FEDERAL. CENTER DENVER, COI.ORADO 80225 n nm 3 nmn m September 14, 1989 Alexander Adams, Jr., Project Manager Division of Reactor Projects III, IV, V, and Special Projects Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation U.S.N.R.C.

Washington, D.C. 20555

Dear Hr. Adams:

I have enclosed another copy of the proposed Reactor Operator Requalification Program for the U.S. Geological Survey TRIGA Reactor Facility (Docket 50-274). This enclosure contains changes on page 3-2 that address your request for additional information of 9/5/89. If further information or clarification is needed, please contact me at FTS 776-4726.

Sincerely, a l p 1 /

Tim DeBey Reacter Supervisor Ao70 r i spo92202}j!hkfik$74 M

FDR FDL V

Appendix 3-1 4/89 Reactor Operator Requalification Program l U.S. Geological Survey TRIGA Reactor l

l 1, program The requalification training program was established to i

maintain the proficiency of the operating organization through training exercises, instruction periods, and reviews covering.those items and equipment which relate to the safe operation of the facility. While the program will be continuous in nature, certain benchmarks have l been established to aid in the administration of the requalification plan. They ares (1) annual written examinations, (2) annual operating examinations and (3) l stipulated minimum tasks which must be performed during l the requalification period of two years.

l l 2. Written Examination An annual (not to exceed 14 months) written examination, designed to demonstrate competence in the areas listed in 10 CFR 55.41 or 55.43 will be given to all NRC licensed Senior Operators and Operators. Any weakness shown by the annual written examination will represent areas in which the licensee shall receive appropriate retraining.

For a Senior Reactor Operator, the retraining for demonstrated weaknesses shall consist normally of study l

l assignments or lectures or both. For a Reactor Operator, 1

the retraining for demonstrated weaknesses shall consist of lectures together with study assignments. The corrected written annual examination will document competence and hence will be preserved for each licensed Senior Reactor Operator and Reactor Operator. For any examples of demonstrated weaknesses, a successful repeat written examination for those areas of inadequacy will document the sufficiency of retraining. j

e Appendix 3-2 Since the annual written examination will be prepared and corrected by the Reactor Supervisor; who is also required to hold a Senior Operator License, these functions will be deemed adequate to demonstrate and document his cont.uuing competence.

The subject areas in column 1 below will be sampled by the Reactor Operators' written examination and the subject j areas in columns 1 and 2 will be sampled by the Senior Reactor Operators' written examination.

Column 1 Column 2 Reactor Theory Fundamentals Facility License General Design Features Technical Specifications Primary System Features Radiation Hazards Secondary System Features Fuel Hovement Operating Characteristics Assessment of normal, Reactivity Controls & Insts. abnormal, and emergency Control & Safety Systems conditions.

Facility Procedures Radiation Monitoring Radioactive Haterial Handling

3. Oreratino Examination An annual (not to exceed 14 months) operating examination, designed to evaluate operating competence, will be given to all NRC licensed Senior Reactor Operators and Reactor Operators. Any weakness shown by the operating examination shall be the focus of subsequent retraining.

A memorandum will be written and retained to document operating examinations and any related retraining activities. Operating examination tasks will typically be selected from activities such as reactor checkouts, reactor startups, major power changes, manual or automatic

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Appendix 3-3 operations, square wave operations, pulse operations, power calibrations, or control rod calibrations. The operating examinations may be conducted during normal experiment operations and will be administered by the Reactor Supervisor. These functions will be deemed adequate to demonstrate and document continuing operational competence of the Reactor Supervisor.

4. Reactor Operations - On-the-Job-Training Each Senior Reactor Operator and Reactor Operator will be required to perform certain minimum tasks during the requalification period (2 years) to insure continued competence in the areas listed in 10 CFR 55.59. These minimums are listed in Table I.

TABLE I l

Senior Reactor Reactor Operator Operator

a. Reactivity Control Manipulations 10 10

b. Daily Startup and Shutdown 10 10 Checklists

( c. Participate in Monthly Checklists 2 1

d. Participate in Pulse or Square Wave 1 1 Operations

e. Participate in Annual Emergency 1 1 Drills

f. Review all (1) facility design within 20 days within 20 days changes (2) procedure changes of issuance of issuance (3) facility license changes 9 Review emergency procedures 2 2

Appendix 3-4

5. Evaluation A. The examinations will be graded by the Reactor Supervisor.

The following written exam criteria will be used:

1. A grade of 80% or above on each section indicates satisfactory competence. No remedial acticn is required.

2. A grade below 80% on any section signifies weakness in that area; therefore, remedial work and/or lectures on the deficient area will be required.

3. An overall grade of less than 70% on the annual written examination will require the operator or senior operator be removed from licensed duties and placed on an accelerated training program until satisfactory performance is achieved.

B. The Reactor Supervisor will routinely observe and evaluate the performance of licensed operators and senior operators.

This evaluation will include their actions during actual or simulated abnormal and emergency conditions. If an unsatisfactory performance is determined as a result of the Reactor Supervisor's evaluation, the licensed operator or senior operator will be removed from licensed duties and be placed on an accelerated training program. Licensed duties will not be resumed until satisfactory performance has been demonstrated by the operator.

6. Records A. The corrected annual examination will be maintained in the Reactor Operator / Senior Reactor Operator License File.

B. Documentation of an Operator / Senior Reactor Operator's On-The-Job Training will be as follows:

1. Table 1,Section III, Parts a, b, c, d, and e will be contained within normal facility operating records.

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( Appendix 3-5 1

2. Table I, Part f: A routing sheet will be used with all facility design changes, procedure changes and facility I I

license changes which will require the initials of all licensed Operators and Senior Operators, certifying their review and understanding of the change. A copy of this routing sheet will be maintained in the Operator l Requalification Program file.

3. Table I, Part g: A review and critique sheet will be prepared by the Reactor Supervisor, normally in the same time fraue with scheduled emergency drills, to document that each Reactor Operator and Senior Operator has reviewed the contents of the Reactor Operations Manual, Section 7, Emergency Procedures and is aware of any special problems or deficiencies noted in the last drill. A copy of this review sheet will be maintained in the Operators Requalification Program file.

4. An annual statement by the Reactor Supervisor will be inserted in each Reactor Operators or Senior Reactor Operators file certifying his continuing competency based on the (1) successful completion of the annual examinations plus any remedial work if required and (2) the actual performance of his licensed duties as noted in Part 4-B.

C. When a licensed operator or senior operator has not actively performed his licensed functions for a duration of at least four hours in any calendar quarter, he shall perform his licensed functions for a minimum of six hours under the direction of a licensed Senior Reactor Operator, including at least one startup and shutdown checklist. A letter shall be sent to the NRC certifying this on-the-job training and that the qualifications and status of the licensee are valid. Resumption of unsupervised operation will not occur until after this training and certification have been performed.

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