NRC Generic Letter 91-10, Explosives Searches at Protected Area Portals

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WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555

July 8, 1991

TO ALL FUEL CYCLE FACILITY LICENSEES WHO POSSESS, USE, IMPORT, OR EXPORT FORMULA QUANTITIES OF STRATEGIC SPECIAL NUCLEAR MATERIAL

Gentlemen:

SUBJECT: EXPLOSIVES SEARCHES AT PROTECTED AREA PORTALS (GENERIC LETTER 91-10)

This generic letter is being issued to advise you of the results of a recently completed study conducted by Sandia National Laboritories (SNL) for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The classified study is entitled "Personnel and Package Screening Using a Walk-Through Type Explosives Detector."

Under 10 CFR 73.46, licensees are required to conduct explosives searches of personnel and hand-carried packages prior to entry into the protected area. It is common practice for personnel to bring hand-carried packages into walk-through or portal explosives detectors. This enables a licensee to meet the personnel and package explosives search requirements concurrently. This procedure is acceptable to the NRC in meeting the explosives search requirements of paragraph 73.46. packages of a questionable nature are typically searched with a hand-held explosives detector or via a "hands-on" search.

Results of the SNL study indicate an improved search methodology can be achieved by directing personnel passing into an explosives detection portal to hold hand-carried packages

(1) in front of them,

(2) a few inches from the body,

(3) at waist level, and

(4) opened.

Furthermore, for the specific portal explosives detection equipment installed at fuel cycle facilities using or possessing a formula quantity of strategic special nuclear material, improved equipment performance over that acceptable to the NRC may be achieved by operating the equipment in the "high sensitivity" mode as opposed to the "fast" mode (current practice).

Alternatively, supplemental monitoring of the detector output voltage signal during the "fast" mode also has the potential for achieving improved equipment performance.

Addressees

may wish to review their procedures for conducting protected area explosives searches in view of this guidance.

No specifc actions or written responses are required by this generic letter. If you have any questions about this matter, please contact P. Dwyer, (301) 492-0478

Sincerely,

Robert F. Burnett, Director Division of Safeguards and Transportation, NMSS