ML20236H650

Forwards AEOD/S703, Special Study Rept on Radiation Overexposure Events Involving Industrial Field Radiography. Equipment Problems Involved in Approx 40% of Events. Virtually All Events Preventable by Radiation Surveys

ML20236H650
Person / Time
Issue date:	10/22/1987
From:	Black K NRC OFFICE FOR ANALYSIS & EVALUATION OF OPERATIONAL DATA (AEOD)
To:	Ryan Alexander, Miller V NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS), NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REGULATORY RESEARCH (RES)
Shared Package
ML20236H652	List: ML20236H650 ML20236H661
References
AEOD-S703, NUDOCS 8711040251
Download: ML20236H650 (2)

Text

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UNITED STATES l

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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 5

E WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555

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1 AE0D/S703 007 22 1987 l

l NEMORANDUM FOR:

Robert Alexander, Chief Radiation Protection and Health Effects Branch, RES l

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Vandy L. Miller, Chief 1

Medical, Academic & Commercial Use Branch, NMSS FROM:

Kathleen Black, Chief Nonreactor Assessment Staff, AE0D

SUBJECT:

AEOD SPECIAL STUDY REPORT: RADIATION OVEREXPOSURE EVENTS INVOLVING INDUSTRIAL FIELD RADIOGRAPHY Enclosed for your information is a copy of the subject report which documents our review of 86 events involving the radiation exposure of industrial field radiography personnel. Thirty four of the events were reported by radiography facilities licensed by NRC and 52 events were' reported by facilities licensed by Agreement states.

The findings contained in the report are:

(1) The data indicate that equipment problems are involved in about 40% of radiography overexposure events.

(2)

Identified personnel errors and equipment problems notwithstanding, virtually all of the events could have been prevented by the radiographer j

having made proper radiation surveys.

(3) Nny reports of radiography events were not sufficiently detailed to allow a determination of the cause of the event nor to identify the type, make and model number of equipment involved.

d AE0D is not making any specific recommendations or suggestions based on this

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report. We have commented previously on a draft of the new proposed rule on i

radiography that we believe licensees should be required to report events that l

involve equipment failures.

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" :If you have ~any questions or comments, you may contact l Samuel Pettijohn on -

extension 28348, l5 Kathleen Black, Chieff

'Nonreactor Assessment Staff, AE0D

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Enclosure:

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