View source for ML20198A644

{{Adams
| number = ML20198A644
| issue date = 09/01/1998
| title = Forwards Copy of Rept Provided to Alabama & Kentucky Re Gauge Incident at Us Steel in Birmingham,Al
| author name = Woodruff R
| author affiliation = NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION &amp; ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II)
| addressee name = Smith B
| addressee affiliation = NRC
| docket = 
| license number = 
| contact person = 
| document report number = NUDOCS 9812170055
| document type = INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL MEMORANDUM, MEMORANDUMS-CORRESPONDENCE
| page count = 8
}}

=Text=
{{#Wiki_filter:.. ~..UStRC Mat'l Lic/Insp Fax:404-562-4955 Dec 10 '98 16:18 P.01/09 4
[h UNITED STATES
#ja Rrop NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION j
o, ATLANTA FE ERA CENTER
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FAK4RF6MMIWlON S
'l U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGION 11 OFFICE, ATLANTA, GEORGIA e
l NUMBER OF PAGES:
8 including this page i-I DATE:
SEPTEMBER 1,1998 55 (5/A4.) h
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FAX #
301-415-3502-l FROM:
. RICHARD L. -WOODRUFF l
US NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[
61 FORSYTH ST., SW, SUITE 23T85 T
ATLANTA,GA 30303
!i FAX # 404-562-4955 i.
[
INTERNET: rlw@nrc. gov i.
MESSAGE:
i COPY OF REPORT PROVIDED TO ALABAMA AND KENTUCK
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[
CONCERNING THE GAUGE INCIDENT. AT US STEEL IN
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I BIRMINGHAM, AL i
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,_ R EC Mat'l Lic/Insp Fax:404-562-4955 Dec 10 '98 16:18 P.02/08 I

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Donald E. William. son, MD Stue Han Offkn July 29,1993 Mr. Bonaventure Cahill Radiation Safety Officer Ronan Engineering Company 8050 Production Drive Florence. Kentucky 41042 Re: Response to Notice ofViolation Dated July 2,1998 Der.rMr. Cablil:
We have received and reviewed your response to the items cited as violations from the incident at US Steel. You addressed the' Issue of item one by saying ficId werk must not be performed unless "the personnel doing the work c pxperly prepared and trained for the field work to bo performed." Our particular concem with the relocation of the device by Mr. Ryan was that h:
did not use a meter to make a survey and thereby establish that the source was actuntly transferred to the so. tree holder and was in the shic!d:d configuration. Obviously since Mr. Ryan had not come prepared to work with the source, he did not have a su-vey meter. In Alabt.ma we requira that the individual installing, commissioning, or relocating a gauge have a calibrated meter on location and utilize same to confirm that the source is correctly :.hlelded. The failure of Mr. Ryan to have and utilize a meter contributed significantly to the potentia; for harm in this incfdent.
We will review this during future Ronan source installations in Alabama.
Sincerely, m $ Nh4-hmes L. McNees, Directer Radioactive Materials Compliance Branch Office of Radbtlon Control
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JLM'mwf cc: Vicki Jeffs, State of Kentucky Ivrnsb W(o 7%
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j.fpqC Mat 'l Lic/Insp Fax:404-562-4955 Dec 10 '93 16:19-P.03/08 l:
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l July 20,1998 State of Alabams Department of Public Health Radioactive Material Compliance Branch
' Office of Radiation Control-RSATower f
201 Monroe Street
. I'.O. Box 30317 Montgemery, Alabama 36130-3017 l
Atte JamesL.McNecs, Director Re:
Letter, July 2,1998, Ronan Engineering /Ky 201-260-95

==Dear Mr.NcNees:==
l In response to your {{letter dated|date=July 2, 1998|text=letter dated July 2,1998}}, you cited us for two (2) items ofnon-compliance:
l Item 1: pertains to the activity of Mr. Ryan, Ronan employte, L!?
a)
His reportis attached.
b)
Com mahl He was visiting US Steel, doing engincoring cormultant work. He was not sent to do a start-up or commissioning of their device.
i Therefore, reciprocity was not requested in advance of his visit. He is l
knowledgcable of the design of the SA-15 device, but is not a field service L
cagineer, experienced with start-up ofdevices, However, during this visit, L
he wu requestod by US Steel and their R.S.O., Reggic Jennings, to demonstrate the commissioning of the device. (The device was shipped, and in storage, but had never been commissioned). He should have declined, or called his supervisor on this matter.
r c);
Correctiv_e Actinn:
l l
1)
Notice to a!! employees ins ^aucting them that reciprocity from L
NRC or Agreement States must be granted and precede any source
' device related activity in the field.
2)
The employee was advised that he erred in not advising his i-supervisor that he was requested to do this activity, and that he and/or Ronan did this work withoutproper agency noti 6cadon.
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UstRC Mat'l Lic/Insp Fax:404-562-4955 Dec 10 '98 16:19 F.04/08 hanL2: Pertains to the activity of Mr. Huber, Ronan employee, a)
Mr. Huber's report is attachd b)
Comments:
Mr. Huber responded to the request of the Sales Department at a late hour in the day to make an emer5ency visit to US Steel. His focus was to make last minute arrangernents to get to Birmingham, Alabama and resolve the emergency issue. Because this i
action occurred after nonnal working houn, the person responsible for filing reciprocity was not present.
e)
Corrective Actiner The policy on handling reciprocity has been reviewed, particularly in the cases of emergency and after hour service requests. Clear definitions of pmcedures to notify the NRC or agreement states in these instances has been addressed. All field service engineers willlwreafter possess the twenty-four (24) hour telephone number and be responsible for notification priorto service, Oualitv Assurance Inventiption ofDevice Failure;.
Enilure:
See Q.C. report comments-The device failure would not have occurmd ifproper handling procedures had been observed, i
Summary;
/
l If this device had been installed by a trained Geld service engineer, follovdng wrhten installation procedures, provided by Ronan Engineering for this device, sourccholder damage would probably have not occurred.
Employees have been advised, through administrative action, that any field work don: on sourec-related activities ntust not be performed unless authorized by the Ronan Fic1d Service Manager, whose responsibility in to see that reciprocity is granted and the pctsonnel doing the work are properly prepared and tnined for the field work to be performed.
l
: Regards, Bon Cahill l
VP/ Gen Mgr l
l cc:
Vicki Jeffs, State ofKeatucky l
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U9RC Mat'l Lic/Insp_ _ _ _ _..
Fax:404-562-4955 Dec 10 '98 16:19 P.05/03 1
1 J
j 7/s/98 RONAN QUALITY ASSURANCE INVESTIGATION AND CORREC* RIVE ACTION REF: INCIDENT AT U.S. STEEL CORP. FAIRFIELD, ALAI?AMA.
i INVESTIGATION:
I TEE SA-15 SOURCE MOLDER WAS RECEIVED AT RONAN ENGINEERING ON i
7/3/90, ANALYSIS OF THE SOURCE ROD SHOWED EVIDEN05 THAT THE WELD BROKE DUE TO NOVIMU THE SOURCE HOLDER WHILE THE EXTENSION ROD WAS STILL ATTACERD TO THE SOURCE ROD.
i THE THREADED END OF THE EXTENSION ROD WAS ALSO BENT, CONFIRMING 2
THIS ANALYSIS.
l THIS NOVENENT CAUSED TEE TUBE ROLDING THE SOURCE TO SEPARATE AT THE WELD AND TER SOURCE CAPSULE TO RE5dAIN IN TEE SOURCE WELL.
THE SOURCE CAPSULE WAS NOT DAMAGED.
CORRECTIVE ACTION:
THE INSTALLATION AND REMOVAL INSTRUCTIONS HAVE BSEN REVISED d
TO EMPEASIEE THE IMPORTANCE OF VERIFYING THE POSITION OF THE SOURCE ROD DURING INSTALLATION AND REMOVAL.
THE SOURCE HOLDER MUST NOT BE MOVED UNTIL TEE EXTEN#10N ROD IS REMOVED t
FROM THE SOURCE HOLDER FOR INSTALLATION kND THE SOURCE ROD LOCKED IN THE STORAGE POSITION FOR REMOVAL.
COPIES OF THE REVISED PROCEDURE HAVE DREN DISTRIBUTED AND DISCUSSED WITH 4
THE APPROPRIATE PERSONNEL To ENSURE A THOROUCH UNDERSTANDING AS TO TNE IMPORTANCE OF USING AND FOLLOWING THIS PROCEDURE.
e D ~
i CRI[aA.cARIS QUALITY MANAGER I
t N
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tBRC Mat'l Lic/Insp Fax:404-562-4955 Dec 10 '98 16:19 P.06l08
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,l_ONAN_
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.p_gg RONANENGINEERING FIELD SERVICE R CUSTOMER U S SteelPalrfield Works SO#_AI 10255 FS ENGINEER EM HUBER DATE 6 98 _
FSL PO# 4M-49285 Eurcase To secure a possibly damaged 3 mci Cs-137 source.
Beld Service Renort source serial number KK-847, a 3 mci Cs 137 source.US Personnel at US Steel felt that the source rod was still inside the m Tstking with James ityan of Ronan Engineering. indicated tha hoidor.
Louisville, Ky. at 9;00pm, ardved in Atlanta arrived at Birmingham, A1. at 12:05am on 6-24-98, arrived at the hotel at 1:3 Arr.ved en site at 8:15am on 6-24-98.
Met with Jack Mayben (Electronics Supervisor), Kim Rice (Area M e
(Maintenance), Gerald Howard (Maintenance), Dale Baker (Sen (RSO).
t s
Jack Mayban briefed me on tbc history regarding the sourco e
Found the mold was roped off to 4 feet in circumference before my arrival, e
Survey meter = Victorcen / Model # 49130 / Serial # 2060 / Re-cah% ratio e
Surveyed the source holder, finding it to be empty of any ndioactive material.
Surveyed the bloom mold which revealed the source fastdc the source we The largest reading around the mold was SmR/Hr @ 12 inches on th Upon examining the source holder I found it to be secured and locke e
the shipping plate.-
I instmeted both locks to be removed from the source holder.
Attached the extension rud, then pushed out the contatts ofthe so section of the Ronan source tube.
= Examining the Ronan source tube revealed 4 broken spot welds.
Upon examining the mold, I found the bottom section of the Ronan sour source rod, inside the source well.
I cvacuated the area except for myself.
Removed the source md and inspected it for damage visua a the source rod whh a rag and tested forgross contamina urycy meter--pgg g,y 1

WRC mt'l Lic/Insp Fax:404-562 4955 Declb'98 16:20 P.07/08
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6l RONAN f.Ag
.e Reinstalled the source rod irto the bottom section of the Ronan c e
Placed the source and tube into the Ronan source holde u e.
Replaced the bottom plate of the source holder, which kept the to source rod intact withh1 the holder for shipment.
Secured and locked the Ronan source holder.
Surveyed the Ronan source holder- 0.7mR/Hr @ 12 inches on the bottom.
Prepared the Renan source holder for shipment back to Ronan Engine During this process ! received 0.12mR to my hands for the 10 second 0.69mR,to my whole body for the 20 minutes of exposure tim At the request of the RSO I helped with the exposure calculations of Howard.
. Estimation of Willie Etheddge's exposure after working around the between 45 minutes and I hour as,5.2mRMc.
A for the 30 seconds to the hands and 0.69mR for th These estimates were relayed to Regl Jennings (R50).
The source loft US Steel on 6 25 98 at 2:00pm via Yellow Truck Line.
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The Source arrived at Ronan Engineering on 7-2-93 at 10:00am.
e Follow-uo Action Reauired Receive shipment of the source at Ronan Engineering.
=
Wipe-test the source rod for contamination upon arrival at Ronan Enginee Diagnose the fa!!ure of the source rod container.
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USNfiCMatl"LluInsp Fax:404-562-4955 Dec 10 '98, 16:20 P.08/08
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i Report of Events at US Steel Birminoham Alabarna
<..y..
Employee: James Ryan

==Title:==
Aeolication Enrincer ~
Date: 6!30/1998 Reason for visiti To have a meeting to discuss design of the mold level gage s to theirnew round mold caster, Casterpersonal and the RS.O., Reggic Jenkins asked nw to insert the equipme b3 handled by a field service Wi9% I was familiar with equipment, so I agreed to insert the equipment to test the fit. In hindsight 1 shoul agreed, but with their R.S,0. supervising the installation, and not being aware of t I would need reciprocity to do so Iinstelled the equipment.
the mold. I attached the extension rod and lowered t mold housing. 'Ihc rod inserted cuily. Then I removed the source holder und source rodin the well.
At this time R.S.O. (Reggic Jenkim) suiv:yed the area whh a survey meter to chec radiationlevels around the rnold.
1 When I went to remove the sourcc rod withthe help ofR6: tan's represcutative B I had problems getting the extension rod to al!gn with the source rod.
- I had to lift the source holder up somewhat from the mold housing to attach the exte
:o the source rod. I visully checked to make sure we had propor connection, the rod was lifted back into the source holder. The holder was removed contained the source rod. As far as I coald discern the source rod was properly re Ilowever becausc I had problettis with attaching the extension rod, I advised US S personal not to use the device until this prob!em had been reviewed.
Caster personal and the R.S.O. were standing more than four feet away from the m housing during the test. I was the only one in close proximity to the source rod, w 30 minutes. My personal film badge was wom during this pr
- With installation complete I reattached the shipping flange and locks then retumed to office.
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