Information Notice 1994-14, Failure to Implement Requirements for Biennial Medical Examinations and Notification to the NRC of Changes in Licensed Operator Medical Conditions

Failure to Implement Requirements for Biennial Medical Examinations and Notification to the NRC of Changes in Licensed Operator Medical Conditions

ML031060622
Person / Time
Site:	Beaver Valley, Millstone, Hatch, Monticello, Calvert Cliffs, Dresden, Davis Besse, Peach Bottom, Browns Ferry, Salem, Oconee, Nine Mile Point, Palisades, Palo Verde, Perry, Indian Point, Fermi, Kewaunee, Catawba, Harris, Wolf Creek, Saint Lucie, Point Beach, Oyster Creek, Watts Bar, Hope Creek, Grand Gulf, Cooper, Sequoyah, Byron, Pilgrim, Arkansas Nuclear, Three Mile Island, Braidwood, Susquehanna, Summer, Prairie Island, Columbia, Seabrook, Brunswick, Surry, Limerick, North Anna, Turkey Point, River Bend, Vermont Yankee, Crystal River, Haddam Neck, Ginna, Diablo Canyon, Callaway, Vogtle, Waterford, Duane Arnold, Farley, Robinson, Clinton, South Texas, San Onofre, Cook, Comanche Peak, Yankee Rowe, Maine Yankee, Quad Cities, Humboldt Bay, La Crosse, Big Rock Point, Rancho Seco, Zion, Midland, Bellefonte, Fort Calhoun, FitzPatrick, McGuire, LaSalle, Fort Saint Vrain, Shoreham, Satsop, Trojan, Atlantic Nuclear Power Plant
Issue date:	02/24/1994
From:	Grimes B Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:
References
IN-94-014, NUDOCS 9402170298
Download: ML031060622 (11)

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY

COMMISSION

OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 February 24, 1994 NRC INFORMATION

NOTICE 94-14: FAILURE TO IMPLEMENT

REQUIREMENTS

FOR BIENNIAL MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS

AND NOTIFICATION

TO THE NRC OF CHANGES IN LICENSED OPERATOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS

Addressees

All holders of operating

licenses or construction

permits for nuclear power and non-power

reactors and all licensed reactor operators

and senior reactor operators.

PurDose The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

Commission (NRC) is issuing this information

notice to remind addressees

of the requirements

for licensed reactor operators and senior reactor operators (licensees)

to be examined by a physician

every 2 years and for facility licensees

to notify the NRC of changes in a licensed operator's

physical or mental condition, as determined

by a physician, that cause the operator to fail to meet the medical requirements

of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations

Part 55, "Operators'

Licenses" (10 CFR Part 55).It is expected that recipients

will review the information

for applicability

and consider actions, as appropriate, to avoid similar problems.

However, suggestions

contained

in this information

notice are not NRC requirements;

therefore, no specific action or written response is required.Background

10 CFR 55.21, "Medical examination," requires NRC-licensed

operators

to be examined by a physician

every 2 years. The purpose of this examination

is to determine

if the individual

meets the requirements

of 10 CFR 55.33(a)(1).

Further, 10 CFR 55.23 specifies

that an authorized

representative

of the facility licensee shall complete and sign NRC Form 396, "Certification

of Medical Examination

by Facility Licensee," to certify the medical fitness of the individual.

By signing NRC Form 396, the facility licensee certifies

that (1) the guidance in American Nuclear Society Standard, ANSI/ANS 3.4-1983,"Medical Certification

and Monitoring

of Personnel

Requiring

Operator Licenses for Nuclear Power Plants," was followed in determining

the medical fitness of an operator for power reactors, or (2) the guidance in ANSI/ANS 15.4-1988,"Selection

and Training of Personnel

for Research Reactors," was followed in determining

the medical fitness of an operator for non-power

reactors.

If the guidance in these documents

was not used, a facility licensee may certify that an alternative

method, acceptable

to the NRC, was used.As indicated

in 10 CFR 50.54(i), the facility licensee is responsible

for ensuring that (1) facility controls are manipulated

only by operators

licensed 9402170298 p _T g Vo+fc1eI 91-f' f? ( f0 W IDbV~~ -Ie-//c OAi

--iN 94-14 February 24, 1994 under 10 CFR Part 55 and (2) only operators

so licensed are permitted

to direct manipulation

of the facility controls.

This responsibility

includes ensuring that any conditions

or limitations

to an operator's

license are followed.

Controls in this sense are defined in 10 CFR 55.4 as apparatus

and mechanisms

the manipulation

of which directly affects the reactivity

or power level of the reactor.Description

of Circumstances

During recent inspections

of the implementation

of the above requirements, the NRC determined

that some facility licensees

did not ensure that the restrictions

or limitations

to an operator's

license were followed.

Further, the NRC found examples where facility licensees

failed to notify the NRC of changes in a licensed operator's

medical condition.

An inspection

of licensed operator medical records at the Brunswick

Steam Electric Plant found that a physician

had determined

that (1) the eyesight of four licensed operators

did not meet the medical standards

described

in ANSI/ANS-3.4-1983 and (2) a licensed operator's

medical condition

required that the operator not perform licensee duties alone. These changes in the licensed operators'

conditions

should have been reported to the NRC as required by 10 CFR 55.25. In 1993, NRC inspectors

found 74 instances

at Region III facilities

where licensed operators

had not had a medical examination

within the 2-year period prescribed

by 10 CFR 55.21. In one instance, the time since the last medical examination

exceeded 4 years.Discussion

The responsibility

for ensuring that only personnel

licensed in accordance

with 10 CFR Part 55 are permitted

to manipulate

or direct the manipulation

of the controls of a licensed facility rests with the facility licensee.

The NRC considers

proper certification

to medical standards, as required by 10 CFR 55.23, to be the basis for finding that a licensed operator's

medical condition

and general health will not adversely

affect performance

of assigned operator duties or cause operational

errors that endanger public health and safety. 10 CFR Part 55 Subpart C, "Medical Requirements," states that licensed operators

shall have a medical examination

by a physician

every 2 years. If, during the term of the license, the operator develops a permanent

physical or mental condition

that causes the operator to fail to meet the requirements

of 10 CFR 55.21, the facility licensee shall, in accordance

with 10 CFR 55.25, notify the Commission

within 30 days of learning of the diagnosis.

Deficiencies

were found during NRC inspections

in facility medical examination

programs for applicants

for licenses and for licensed operators.

The results of these inspections

indicate that some facility programs may not be receiving sufficient

management

oversight

to ensure that the medical qualifications

of licensed operators

and applicants

for licenses are maintained

at the required level. This information

notice reminds facility licensees

that, prior to submitting

NRC Form 396, the facility licensee needs to ensure that medical examinations

performed

by physicians

for certifying

the fitness of operators

Att'avthment

IN 94-14 February 24, 1994 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED NRC INFORMATION

NOTICES Information

Date of Notice No. Subject Issuance Issued to 92-36, Supp. I 94-I3 94-12 94-11 Intersystem

LOCA Outside Containment

Unanticipated

and Un-intended Movement of Fuel Assemblies

and Other Components

due to Improper Operation

of Refueling

Equipment Insights Gained from Resolving

Generic Issue 57: Effects of Fire Protection

System Actuation

on Safety-Related Equipment Turbine Overspeed

and Reactor Cooldown during Shutdown Evolution Failure of Motor-Operated

Valve Electric Power Train due to Sheared or Dislodged

Motor Pinion Gear Key Release of Patients with Residual Radioactivity

from Medical Treatment

and Control of Areas due to Presence of Patients Con-taining Radioactivity

Following

Implementation

of Revised 10 CFR Part 20 Potential

for Surveil-lance Testing to Fail to Detect an Inoperable

Main Steam Isolation

Valve 02/22/94 02/22/94 02/09/94 02/08/94 02/04/94 02/03/94 01/01/94 All holders of OLs or CPs for nuclear power reactors.All holders of OLs or CPs for nuclear power reactors.All holders of OLs or CPs for nuclear power reactors.All holders of OLs or CPs for nuclear power reactors.All holders of OLs or CPs for nuclear power reactors.All U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

Commission

medical licensees.

All holders of OLs or CPs for nuclear power reactors.94-10 94-09 94-08 OL = Operating

License CP -Construction

Permit

K-' \%U-4N 94-14 February 24, 1994 are complete and accurate and that any restriction

or limitation

to an operator's

license resulting

from the examination

is complied with.10 CFR 55.25 requires that the NRC be notified when a licensed operator's

medical condition

no longer meets the original licensing

standard and that an appropriate

certification

form be submitted

if the facility licensee is requesting

a conditional

license to accommodate

the change in the operator's

physical or mental condition.

NRC Information

Notice 91-08, "Medical Examination

for Licensed Operators," February 5, 1991, provides additional

information

on this subject.This information

notice requires no specific action or written response.

If you have any questions

about the information

in this notice, please contact one of the contacts listed below or the appropriate

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) project manager.Odginal signed by Brian IL Grmes Brian K. Grimes, Director Division of Operating

Reactor Support Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical

contacts: R. J.(610)Conte, RI 337-5210 J. L.(817)Pellet, RIV 860-8159 T. A.(404)M. A.(708)Peebles, R11 331-5541 Ring, RIII 829-9703 P. J. Morrill, RV (510) 975-0293 D. J.(301)Lange, NRR 504-3171 Attachment:

List of Recently Issued NRC Information

Notices SEE PREVIOUS Region I RConte*01/27/94 CONCURRENCE*

Region II TPeebles*01/28/94 Region III MRing*01/27/94 Region IV JPellet*01/25/94 Region V PMorrill*02/02/94 HOLB:DRCH:NRR

DLange*01/26/94 TechEd RSanders*01/13/94 C/HOLB:DRCH:NRR

RGallo*01/24/94 OGCB:DORS:NRR

JBirmingham*

02/03/94 C/ONDD:NRR

SWeiss*01/27/94 AC/OGCB:DORS:NRR

AJKugler*02/07/94 D/DRCH:NRR

BBoger*01/26!/ 9 9-O$7IC/94 OFFICIAL DOCUMENT NAME: 94-14. IN

K...AIN 94-14 February 24, 1994 are complete and accurate and that any restriction

or limitation

to an operator's

license resulting

from the examination

is complied with.10 CFR 55.25 requires that the NRC be notified when a licensed operator's

medical condition

no longer meets the original licensing

standard and that an appropriate

certification

form be submitted

if the facility licensee is requesting

a conditional

license to accommodate

the change in the operator's

physical or mental condition.

NRC Information

Notice 91-08, "Medical Examination

for Licensed Operators," February 5, 1991, provides additional

information

on this subject.This information

notice requires no specific action or written response.

If you have any questions

about the information

in this notice, please contact one of the contacts listed below or the appropriate

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) project manager.Brian K. Grimes, Director Division of Operating

Reactor Support Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical

contacts:

R. J. Conte, RI J. L. Pellet, RIV (610) 337-5210 (817) 860-8159 T. A. Peebles, R11 P. J. Morrill, RV (404) 331-5541 (510) 975-0293 M. A. Ring, RIII D. J. Lange, NRR (708) 829-9703 (301) 504-3171 Attachment:

List of Recently Issued NRC Information

Notices

/IN 94-XX February X, 1994 It is important

that the NRC be notified when a licensed operator's

medical condition

no longer meets the original licensing

standard and that the facility licensee is requesting

a conditional

license to accommodate

the change in the operator's

physical or mental condition.

NRC Information

Notice 91-08, 'Medical Examination

for Licensed Operators," February 5, 1991, provides additional

information

on this subject.This information

notice requires no specific action or written response.

If you have any questions

about the information

in this notice, please contact one of the technical

contacts listed below or the appropriate

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) project manager.Brian K. Grimes, Director Division of Operating

Reactor Support Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical

contacts: R. J.(215)Conte, RI 337-5210 J. L.(817)Pellet, RIV 860-8159 T. A.(404)M. A.(708)Peebles, RII 331-5541 Ring, RIII 829-9703 P. J. Morrill, RV (510) 975-0293 D. J.(301)Lange, NRR 504-3171 Attachment:

List of Recently Issued NRC Information

Notices SEE PREVIOUS CONCURRENCE*

Region I Region II RConte TPeebles 01/ /94 01/ /94 Region III MRing 01/ /94 Region IV JPellet*01/24/94 Region V PMorrill 01/ /94 HOLB:DRCH:NRR

DLange*01/26/94 C/HOLB:DRCH:NRR

RGallo*01/24/94 D/DRCH:NRR

BBoger*01/26/94 C/ONDD:NRR

SWei ss 01/ /94 TechEd RSanders 01/13/94 OGCB:DORS:NRR

JBirmingham

01/ /94 C/OGCB:DORS:NRR

GHMarcus 01/ /94 D/DORS:NRR

BKGrimes 01/ /94 OFFICIAL DOCUMENT NAME: MDCLEXAM.JLB

IN 94-XX January, XX, 1994 This information

notice requires no specific action or written response.

If you have any questions

about the information

in this notice, please contact one of the technical

contacts listed below or the appropriate

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) project manager.Brian K. Grimes, Director Division of Operating

Reactor Support Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical

contacts: R. J. Conte, RI (215) 337-5210 J. L. Pellet, RIV (817) 860-8159 T. A. Peebles, RII (404) 331-5541 P. J.(510)Morrill, RV 975-0293 Lange, NRR 504-3171 M. A.(708)Ring, RIII 829-9703 D. J.(301)Attachment:

List of Recently Issued NRC Information

Notices SEE PREVIOUS CONCURRENCE*

Region I Region II RConte TPeebles 01/ /94 01/ /94 Region III MRing 01/ /94 Region LYAc-Region

V JPelletC"'f6PMorrill

01/xqJ/94

01/ /94 HOLB:DRCIJ:VR

C/HOLB:D DLangej0 ..,j .RGallo*01 A /94L d1 01/24/94 TechEd P OGCB:DORS:NRR

RSandefst*

JBirmingham

01/13/94 01/ /94 RCH:NRR O / /94 C/ONDD:NRR

SWeiss 01/ /94 D/DORS:NRR

BKGrimes 01/ /94 C/OGCB:DORS:NRR

GHMarcus 01/ /94 OFFICIAL DOCUMENT NAME: MDCLEXAM.JLB

j.-1 IN 94-XX January, XX, 1994 This information

notice requires no specific action or written response.

If you have any questions

about the information

in this notice, please contact one of the technical

contacts listed below or the appropriate

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) project manager.Brian K. Grimes, Director Division of Operating

Reactor Support Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical

contacts: L. H. Bettenhausen, RI 215-337-5291 J. L. Pellet, 817-860-8159 RIV L. L. Lawyer, RII 404-331-4700

M. A. Ring, RII 708-790-5602 P. J. Morrill, 510-975-0293 RV D. J. Lange, NRR 301-504-3171 Attachment:

List of Recently Issued NRC Information

Notices SEE PREVIOUS CONCURRENCE*

Region I Region II LBettenhausen

LLawyer O/ /94 01/ /94 Region III MRing 01/ /94 Region IV JPellet 01/ /94 Region V PMorrill 01/ /94:NRR M0 0 1 /C/HOLB: RES5ERR RGallo MP 01/y294 D/DRCH:NRR

BBoger 01/ /94 C/ONDD:NRR

SWeiss 01/ /94 D/DORS:NRR

BKGrimes 01/ /94 OGC SLewis 01/ /94 TechEd 8 8 RSandergl 01/13/94 OGCB:DORS:NRR

JBirmingham

01/ /94 C/OGCB:DORS:NRR

GHMarcus 01/ /94 OFFICIAL DOCUMENT NAME: MDCLEXAM.JLB

IN 94-XX January, XX, 1994 This information

notice requires no specific action or written response.

If you have any questions

about the information

in this notice, please contact one of the technical

contacts listed below or the appropriate

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) project manager.Brian K. Grimes, Director Division of Operating

Reactor Support Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical

contacts: R. J.(215)Conte, RI 337-5210 J. L. Pellet, RIV (817) 860-8159 T. A.(404)Peebles, RII 331-5541 P. J.(510)Morrill, RV 975-0293 Lange, NRR 504-3171 M. A. Ring, RIII (708) 829-9703 D. J.(301)Attachment:

List of Recently SEE PREVIOV ON(Region IWjL#RConte 01/247/9 C/HOLB:DRCH:NRR

RGallo*01/24/94 TechEd OGCB: RSanders JBJrm 01/13/94 Xf11/1 Issued NRC Information

Noti Region I TPeebl es 01/1949 Region V a.PMorril I n JX/ /94 -e-- A 9 /21t D/DRCH:NRR

BBoger 01/ /94:DORS:NRI, ni ng ham//%X/94 o01z 7/9 4 C/OGCB:DORS:NRR

D/DORS:NRR

GHMarcus BKGrimes 01/ /94 01/ /94 2.OFFICIAL DOCUMENT NAME: MDCLEXAM.JLB

IN 94-XX February X, 1994 operators

are complete and accurate and that any restriction

or limitation

to an operator's

license resulting

from the examination

is complied with.It is important

that the NRC be notified when a licensed operator's

medical condition

no longer meets the original licensing

standard and that the facility licensee is requesting

a conditional

license to accommodate

the change in the operator's

physical or mental condition.

NRC Information

Notice 91-08, 'Medical Examination

for Licensed Operators," February 5, 1991, provides additional

information

on this subject.This information

notice requires no specific action or written response.

If you have any questions

about the information

in this notice, please contact one of the persons listed below or the appropriate

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) project manager.Brian K. Grimes, Director Division of Operating

Reactor Support Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical

contacts: R. J.(610)Conte, RI 337-5210 J. L.(817)Pellet, RIV 860-8159 T. A. Peebles, RII (404) 331-5541 P. J. Morrill, RV (510) 975-0293 D. J. Lange, NRR (301) 504-3171 M. A.(708)Ring, RIII 829-9703 Attachment:

List of Recently Issued NRC Information

Notices SEE PREVIOUS CONCURRENCE*

Region I Region II RConte* TPeebles*01/27/94 01/28/94 Region III MRing*01/27/94 Region IV JPellet*01/25/94 Region V PMorrill*02/02/94 HOLB:DRCH:NRR

DLange*01/26/94 TechEd RSanders*01/13/94 C/HOLB:DRCH:NRR

RGallo*01/24/94 OGCB:DORS:NRR

JBirmingham*

02/03/94 C/ONDD:NRR

SWeiss*01/27/94 AC/OGCB:DORS:NRR

AJKugler J k-02/7/94 D/DRCH:NRR

BBoger*01/26/94 D/DORS:NRR

BKGrimes 02/ /94 OFFICIAL DOCUMENT NAME: MDCLEXAM.JLB

IN 94-14 February 24, 1994 are complete and accurate and that any restriction

or limitation

to an operator's

license resulting

from the examination

is complied with.10 CFR 55.25 requires that the NRC be notified when a licensed operator's

medical condition

no longer meets the original licensing

standard and that an appropriate

certification

form be submitted

if the facility licensee is requesting

a conditional

license to accommodate

the change in the operator's

physical or mental condition.

NRC Information

Notice 91-08, 'Medical Examination

for Licensed Operators," February 5, 1991, provides additional

information

on this subject.This information

notice requires no specific action or written response.

If you have any questions

about the information

in this notice, please contact one of the contacts listed below or the appropriate

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) project manager.Odginal -tgned by Brian K. Grims Brian K. Grimes, Director Division of Operating

Reactor Support Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical

contacts: R. J. Conte, RI (610) 337-5210 J. L.(817)Pellet, RIV 860-8159 T. A.(404)M. A.(708)Peebles, RII 331-5541 P. J.(510)Morrill, RV 975-0293 Lange, NRR 504-3171 Ring, RIII 829-9703 D. J.(301)Attachment:

List of Recently Issued NRC Information

Notices SEE PREVIOUS CONCURRENCE*

Region I Region II RConte* TPeebles*01/27/94 01/28/94 Region III MRing*01/27/94 Region IV JPellet*01/25/94 Region V PMorrill*02/02/94 HOLB:DRCH:NRR

DLange*01/26/94 TechEd RSanders*01/13/94 C/HOLB:DRCH:NRR

RGallo*01/24/94 OGCB:DORS:NRR

JBirmingham*

02/03/94 C/ONDD:NRR

SWeiss*01/27/94 AC/OGCB:DORS:NRR

AJKugler*02/07/94 D/DRCH:NRR

BBoger*01/26 9 21t/94 OFFICIAL DOCUMENT NAME: 94-14.IN