ML20248J711
| ML20248J711 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 06/03/1998 |
| From: | Courtemanche S, Joustra J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20248J687 | List: |
| References | |
| REF-QA-99990001-980603 99990001-98-08, 99990001-98-8, NUDOCS 9806090274 | |
| Download: ML20248J711 (8) | |
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U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION l REGION I INSPECTION REPORT Report No. 99990001/98-008 Docket No. 99990001 License No. General Licensee Licensee: United Technologies Sikorsky Aircraft Location: 6900 Main Street, Stratford, Connecticut inspection Dates: May 4,1998 Inspector: d -,m A__ ( 98 Steven Courtemanche ' date Health Physicist Approved By: b Nw C/3/9Y
' date
,(ujith A. Joustra, Adibg Chief Nuclear Materials Safety Branch 3 Division of Nuclear Materials Safety gy,TUEN g 9806090274 990603 REG 1 GA999 EMV*****
99990001 PDR
EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
United Technologies Sikorsky Aircraft NRC Inspection Report No. 99990001/98-008 This special safety inspection was conducted in order to determine the circumstances surrounding the loss of an Amstat industries, Inc. Model P-2051AB nuclear ion air gun (air gun) containing a nominal sealed source of 10 mi!!icuries of polonium-210 sometime between September of 1997 and December 2,1997. Also, the inspection examined the licensee's general license program involving an Electron Capture Detector containing 15 millicuries of nickel-63 as a sealed source in a Hewlett Packard gas chromatograph. One apparent violation was identified: 10 CFR 31.5(c)(8) the unauthorized disposal of a device containing byproduct material to an unlicensed person.
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REPORT DETAILS
- 1. Organization and Scope of the Pmgram
- a. Insoochon Scope The inspector reviewed the regulatory authonty to possess licensed material, the organization of the licensed program, and the scope of the program.
l b. Observations and Findinas The licensee possesses Amstat Industries, Inc. Model P-2051 AB nuclear ion air guns
. (air guns) with a nominal 10 millicurie polonium-210 sealed source and one Hewlett i Packard gas chromatograph with a 15 millicurie nickel-63 Electron Capture Detector (ECD) under the authority of a general license pursuant to 10 CFR 31.5(a). United Technologies Sikorsky Aircraft (Sikorsky) has possessed air guns since October of 1996 and the Hewlett Packard ECD since 1989. The licensee uses the air guns to reduce the electrical static charge on the surface of aircraft during the painting process thus reducing dust particles in the paint. The ECD is used in the gas chromatograph for sample analysis and is used intermittently by the licensee. The licensee possesses a maximum of eight air guns when the old air guns are exchanged for four new air guns from Amstat industries, Inc. (Amstat), the distributor. The air guns are used frequently during each work shift of the licensee,
- c. Conclusions No safety concerns were identified.
- 11. Event involving the Loss / Theft of Licensed Material
- a. Inspection Scooe The inspector reviewed the circumstances surrounding the loss of an Amstat Model P-2501AB air gun and the licensee's corrective and preventive actions,
- b. Observations and Findinas
' The licensee notified the NRC Operations Center by telephone on December 18,1997, that the licensee had lost e. Amstat Model P-2051 AB nuclear ion air gun, e generally-licensed device. The air gun was distributed by Amstat to the licensee in October of 1996 along with three other air guns and contained, at that time, a 10 millicurie polonium-210 sealed source in the tip of the device. The licensee determined that the device was missing on December 2,1997 and declared the air gun to be lost or stolen on December 18,1997. Amstat was nobfied of the loss upon the retum of the other three air guns. Personnel were interviewed by the licensee to determine when the air gun was last used and if anyone had seen the air gun. One employee recalled seeing the air gun in late September of 1997 because he recognized the serial number and the expiration date.~ The licensee also posted notices with pictures of the air gun along with 1 Inspection Report No. 99990001/98-010 omassCoCWORONsPRPTVtGENERALA
a description of the air gun and the statement that if found the air gun should be returrd Trash from the facility is considered hazardous waste and is placed in barrels and sealed for dispositN>n the same day it is generated. The waste is transported offsite within 90 days of being placed in barrels. The licensee conducted a comprehensive search of the Stratford, Connecticut facility and did not locate the air gun. The licensee contacted personnel from other United Technologies facilities in Bridgeport and Shelton, Connecticut and conducted searches of the above facilities.
The insoector reviewed the licensee's actions to recover the air gun and performed a radiological survey using a Ludlum 12S Micro R meter of general work areas where the air gun was used. The missing air gun was not found. Radiological measurements of an air gun indicated that, at the surface of the device, radiation exposure levels were 15 microRoentgen per hour compared to a background radiation level of about 5 microRoentgen per hour.
The inspector interviewed personnel and determined that the following were contributory causes to the loss / theft of the device:
- 1. Personnel from many departments were able to request the air gun and keep it in their locker until their work with the air gun was completed, and
- 2. No utilization log procedures to determine who had last signed out the air gun.and
- 3. Placing the air gun attached to the air hose among waste paper.
The licensee informed the inspector that it had taken the following corrective and
- preventive actions soon after the discovery of the loss of the general-licensed air gun in -
December of 1997:
- 1. Personnel only from designated departments would be allowed access to the air gun and the air gun would have to be retumed in the same shift it was taken out of storage,
- 2. A utilization log would be signed by the individual taking the air gun out of storage in the presence of the storage room custodian and the air gun would also be required to be signed back into storage,
- 3. Loaning of the air gun to other employees would be prohibited, and
- 4. Training had been provided to all personnel in regards to their responsibilities and duties involving the air gun.
- c. Conclusions The inspector determined that the loss of the air gun was idenbfied by the licensee during a regularly scheduled six month inventory of all licensed material at the facility.
The licensee's review of the circumstances of the event revealed that the licensee 2 Inspection Report No. 99990001/98-010 G:VNMSOoCWoRKVNSPRPTVtGENERALA
needed to improve its daily accountability of generally-licensed nuclear lon air guns. The inspector reviewed the licensee's corrective and preventive actions. The unauthorized transfer or disposal of a device containing byproduct material and possessed by the licensee under the authority of 10 CFR 31.5(a) is an apparent violation of 10 CFR 31.5(c)(8).
Ill. Management Oversight of the Program
- a. Inspection Scope The inspector reviewed the licensee's supervision of the use of the nuclear ion air guns.
- b. Observations and Findinos The air guns are stored under the supervision of the storage room custodian. Personnel from the safety department review the logs concerning the use of the air guns, and the retum of the air guns to the distributor. Safety Department personnel have provided instruction to the workers who use the air guns that the devices have a radioactive source, how to use the devices, and to place the device in secure storage after the end of each shift.
' .e ECD is kept in the gas chromatograph in a laboratory under the supervision of laboratory personnel. Laboratory personnel were cognizant of the radioactive material in the ECD and the regulatory requirements concerning the ECD.
- c. Conclusions No safety concerns were identified.
IV. Facilities and Equipment
- a. Inspection Scope ;
The inspector reviewed how the generally-licensed devices are stored when not in use.
- b. Observations and Findinos l The licensee informed the inspector that it placed the air guns in the " hangar tool" I
control program as part of its corrective actions in response to the loss of the generally-licensed air gun. The program requires that designated tools be afforded an l additional level of control. The licensee described the program as requiring personnel to I
sign a utilization log for those tools taken from the storage room and those tools put back in the storage room in the presence of the storage room custodian. The licensee i informed the inspector that the air guns are kept in locked storage tool cabinets when not in use and not under the custodian's care at a work location.
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The inspector walked through the laboratory where the ECD was stored and used. The ECD was an integral part of the gas chromatograph and could not easily be removed from the laboratory.
- c. Conclusions No safety concerns were identified.
V. Material Receipt, Use, Transfer, and Control
- a. Inspection Scope The inspector reviewed the licensee's receipt, use, transfer and control of devices possessed under the authority of 10 CFR 31.5(a).
- b. Observations and Findinas The inspector reviewed the records of receipt of licensed devices and the shipping papers of the air guns return to the distributor. The air guns were received in October of 1996 under lease for a period of one year and were returned to the distributor within the time period of the lease. The air guns have a leak test interval of one year and those air guns not returned to the distributor prior to the end of the leak test interval were appropriately tested. When in use, the air gun was attached to an air hose lying on the floor. The licensee informed the inspector that, if the air gun was lost rather than stolen, it may have become detached from the air hose and lost in all of the paper waste.
The licensee informed the inspector that it had received the ECD from the manufacturer l
- in 1989. The ECD has a leak test interval of six months and a review of the records by the inspector indicated that the ECD had been tested at the required interval.
- c. Conclusions The practice of leaving the air gun attached to the air hose and lying in the waste paper may have been a contributory cause to an air gun being lost by the licensee. (See item 11). No safety concerns were identified.
VI. Training of Workers
- a. Inspection Scope The inspector reviewed the information that was provided to the licensee by the distributor of the air gun and the information given to the workers by management.
- b. Observations and Finding The inspector reviewed the documents that the distributor provided the licensee in accordance with 10 CFR 32.51a(a). The inspector informed the licensee that they had received an outdated version of the NRD, Inc. (i.e., the manufacturer's) instruction 4 Inspection Report No. 99990001/98-010 l i
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manual. The references to 10 CFR Part 31, the contact numbers for the NRC Regions and the Agreement States were outdated in the document. The licensee provided its workers with appropriate training as to revised procedures for the handling and storage of the air gun.
The inspector determined that the use of the Hewlett Packard ECD was in accordance with the manufacturer's instruction manual which the users of the gas chromatograph had read.
- c. Conclusions No safety concerns were identified.
Vll. Exit Meeting Licensee personnel were infonned of the inspection findings at the conclusion of the inspection.
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PARTIAL LIST OF PERSONS CONTACTED Licensee John M. Thayer, CSP, CHMM, Manager, Occupational Safety and Industrial Hygiene Stephen C. Mayo, ClH, Radiation Safety Officer Arthur Johnson 1 Inspection Report No. 99990001/98-010 l'- G:ONMSOoCWORKVNSPRPTWGENERALA l
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