Press Release-III-00-045, NRC Staff Proposes $5,500 Fine Against Minneapolis Firm

Press Release-III-00-045: NRC Staff Proposes $5,500 Fine Against Minneapolis Firm

ML003741590
Person / Time
Issue date:	08/16/2000
From:	Office of Public Affairs Region IV
To:
Category:Press Release
References
Press Release-III-00-045
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NRCNEWSU.S.NUCLEARREGULATORYCOMMISSIONOFFICEOFPUBLICAFFAIRS,REGIONIII801WarrenvilleRoadLisleIL60532WebSite:http://www.nrc.gov/OPANo.III-00-45August16, 2000CONTACT:JanStrasma(630)829-9663/e-mail:rjs2@nrc.govPamAlloway-Mueller(630)829-9662/e-mail:pla@nrc.govNRCSTAFFPROPOSES$5,500FINEAGAINSTMINNEAPOLISFIRMTheNuclearRegulatoryCommissionstaffhasproposeda$5,500fineagainstBraunIntertecCorporation,Minneapolis,Minnesota,forfailingtohavetherequiredtwoqualifiedindividualspresent duringtestingactivitiesatatemporaryjobsiteinJanuary.BraunIntertecperformsradiography,whichusesasealedradiationsourcetoproducex-raylikeimagesofheavymetalobjectslikepipesandvalves.TheuseoftheradiationsourcerequiresanNRC license,andtheindividualsusingtheradiographydevicemustbeproperlytrainedandcertified.Radiographyworkattemporaryjobsitesrequiresthattwoqualifiedindividuals,calledradiographers,bepresenttoperformtheradiography,observetheworkarea,andprevententrywhile theradiationsourceisinuse.AnNRCinspectiononJanuary26determinedthatBraunIntertecwasperformingradiographyworkatatemporaryjobsiteinPlymouth,Minnesota,withonlyoneradiographerpresent.InDecemberoflastyear,thecompanyhadrequestedthattwoshieldedroomsatthePlymouthfacilitybedesignatedaspermanentradiographicinstallations,whichwouldthenrequirejustone radiographertobepresent.TheNRCstaffonJanuary12informedBraunIntertecthatthetwoshielded roomsinPlymouthhadnotbeenpreviouslyapprovedbyNRCforanotherradiographyfirm,asthe companybelieved,andthatfurtherreviewwasneededbeforetheycouldbedesignatedaspermanent installations.BecausejustoneradiographerwaspresentduringtheradiographyworkinthetworoomsinquestionbetweenJanuary12,whenthecompanywastoldthatthePlymouthfacilitywasnot consideredapermanentinstallation,andtheNRCinspectiononJanuary26,theagencyhasconcluded thatthecompany'sRadiationSafetyOfficerdemonstrateda"carelessdisregard"fortheNRCsafety

requirements.Innotifyingthecompanyoftheproposedfine,NRCRegionalAdministratorJimDyernotedthattheviolationhadalowsafetysignificancebecausetheroomsappearedtomeettherequirements forapermanentradiographicinstallationwithoutsignificantmodifications.

"However,"hecontinued,"theNRCisparticularlyconcernedthattheRadiationSafetyOfficerwillfullyallowedradiographicoperationstocontinuewithonlyonequalifiedindividualpresent."The finewasproposedbecauseofthewillfulnessoftheviolationandtheimportanceofcomplyingwith NRCsafetyrequirements,headded.ThecompanyhasuntilSeptember13topaythefineortoprotestit.IfthefineisprotestedandsubsequentlyimposedbytheNRCstaff,thecompanymayrequestahearing.