Regulatory Guide 3.57

Administrative Practices for Nuclear Criticality Safety at Fuels and Materials Facilities

ML12220A066
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Issue date:	10/31/1986
From:	Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research
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References
CE-501-4 RG-3.057
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A

U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION October 1986

) REGULATORY GUIDE

OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REGULATORY RESEARCH

REGULATORY GUIDE 3.57 (Task CE 501-4)

ADMINISTRATIVE PRACTICES FOR NUCLEAR CRITICALITY SAFETY

AT FUELS AND MATERIALS FACILITIES

A. INTRODUCTION

Standards Committee of the American Nuclear Society.

ANSI/ANS-8.19-1984 was approved by the American Section 70.22, "Contents of Applications," of 10 CFR National Standards Committee N16, Nuclear Criticality Part 70, "Domestic Licensing of Special Nuclear Mate- Safety, in early 1984 and by the American National rial," requires that applications for a specific license Standards Institute (ANSI) on October 1, 1984.

to own, acquire, deliver, receive, possess, use, or initially transfer special nuclear material contain proposed proce- ANSI/ANS-8.19-1984 provides guidance for administra- dures to avoid accidental conditions of criticality. tion of a nuclear criticality safety program for operations Section 70.24, "Criticality Accident Requirements," of outside of reactors in which there exists a potential for

10 CFR Part 70 requires licensees who are authorized criticality accidents. This guidance includes delineation of to possess special nuclear material in excess of certain the responsibilities of management, supervision, and the amounts to maintain emergency procedures for each nuclear criticality safety staff as well as objectives and area in which such licensed special nuclear material is characteristics of operating and emergency procedures.

handled, used, or stored to ensure that all personnel withdraw to an area of safety upon the sounding of a

C. REGULATORY POSITION

criticality accident alarm.

The delineation of responsibilities of management, The above procedures are elements of ? nuclear supervision, and the nuclear criticality safety staff as criticality safety program for operations with fissionable well as objectives and characteristics of operating and materials at fuels and materials facilities (i.e., fuel cycle emergency procedures contained in ANSI/ANS-8.19-1984 facilities other than nuclear reactors) in which there describe practices generally acceptable to the NRC staff exists a potential for criticality accidents. This guide for administration of a nuclear criticality safety program describes pra9tices acceptable to the NRC staff for for operations with fissionable materials at fuels and administration of such a program. materials facilities in which there exists a potential for criticality accidents.

Any information collection activities mentioned in this regulatory guide are contained as requirements in Section 11 of ANSI/ANS-8.19-1984 lists additional

10 CFR Part 70, which provides the regulatory basis for documents referred to in the standard. Endorsement of this guide. The information collection requirements in ANSI/ANS-8.19-1984 by this regulatory guide does not

10 CFR Part 70 have been cleared under OMB Clearance constitute an endorsement of these documents.

No. 3150-0009.

B. DISCUSSION

The purpose of this section is to provide information ANSI/ANS-8.19-1984, "Administrative Practices for to applicants and licensees regarding the NRC staff's Nuclear Criticality Safety,"* was prepared by Subcom- plans for using this regulatory guide.

mittee 8, Fissionable Materials Outside Reactors, of the

• Copies may be obtained from the American Nuclear Society, The methods described in this guide were applied to

555 North Kensington Avenue, La Grange Park, Illinois 60525. a number of specific cases during reviews and selected USNRC REGULATORY GUIDES The guides are issued In the following ten broad divisions:

Regulatory Guides are Issued to describe and make available to the public methods acceptable to the NRC staff of Implementing 1. Power Reactors 6. Products specific parts of the Commission's regulations, to delineate tech- 2. Research and Test Reactors 7. Transportation niques used by the staff In evaluating specific problems or postu- 3. Fuels and Materials Facilities 8. Occupational Health lated accidents or to provide guidance to applicants. Regulatory 4. Environmental and Siting 9. Antitrust and Financial Review Guides are not substitutes for regulations, and compliance with 5. Materials and Plant Protection 10. General them Is not required. Methods and solutions different from those set out in the guides will be acceptable If they provide a basis for the findings requisite to the Issuance or continuance of a permit or Copies of Issued guides may be purchased from the Government license by the Commission. Printing Office at the current GPO price. Information on current.

GPO prices may be obtained by contacting the Superintendent of This guide was Issued after consideration of comments received from Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Post Office Box the public. Comments and suggestions for Improvements In these 37082, Washington, DC 20013-7082, telephone (202)275-2060 or guides are encouraged at all times, and guides will be revised, as (202)275-2171.

appropriate, to accommodate comments and to reflect new Informa- tion or experience.

Issued guides may also be purchased from the National Technical Written comments may be submitted to the Rules and Procedures information Service on a standing order basis. Details on this Branch, DRR ADM, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, service may be obtained by writing NTIS, 5285 Rort Royal Road, Washington, D6 20555. Springfield, VA 22161.

licensing actions. These methods reflect the latest gen- an acceptable alternative method for complying with eral NRC approach to administration of nuclear critical- specified portions of the Commission's regulations, the ity safety programs for operations with fissionable methods described in this guide will be used in the materials at fuels and materials facilities. Therefore, evaluation of submittals in connection with license i.

except in those cases in which the applicant proposes applications submitted, under 10 CFR Part 70.

3.5 7-2

VALUE/IMPACT STATEMENT

The NRC staff performed a value/impact assessment to included in a draft regulatory guide on this subject, determine the proper procedural approach for providing CE 501-4, that was issued for public comment in guidance on administration of nuclear criticality safety February 1986. Comments received from the public and programs for operations with fissionable materials at fuels additional NRC staff review have shown no need to and materials facilities. The NRC staff has been involved change the value/impact statement published with the in the development, review, and approval of ANSI/ANS- proposed regulatory guide. Therefore, the value/impact

8.19-1984, "Administrative Practices for Nuclear Criticality statement published with the proposed guide is still Safety," which was approved by the American National applicable. A copy of the draft regulatory guide (identi- Standards Institute on October 1, 1984. The assessment fied by its task number, CE 501-4) and its associated resulted in a decision to develop a regulatory guide that value/impact statement is available for inspection and would endorse, with possible supplemental provisions, copying for a fee at the NRC Public Document Room ANSI/ANS-8.19-1984. The results of this assessment were at 1717 H Street NW., Washington, DC.

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