Press Release-IV-98-006, NRC Proposes $5,500 Fine Against Cti Alaska, Inc. for Violation of Radiation Safety Requirements

Press Release-IV-98-006 NRC Proposes $5,500 Fine Against Cti Alaska, Inc. for Violation of Radiation Safety Requirements

ML003708558
Person / Time
Issue date:	01/21/1998
From:	Office of Public Affairs Region IV
To:
Category:Press Release
References
Press Release-IV-98-006
Download: ML003708558 (2)

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U.S.NuclearRegulatoryCommissionOfficeofPublicAffairs,RegionIV611RyanPlazaDrive-Suite400Arlington,Texas76011-8064RIV:98-06FORIMMEDIATERELEASECONTACT:BreckHendersonJanuary21,1998 OFFICE:817/860-8128 PAGER:(800)443-7243(065477)

E-MAIL:bwh@nrc.govNRCPROPOSES$5,500FINEAGAINSTCTIALASKA,INC.FORVIOLATIONOFRADIATIONSAFETYREQUIREMENTSTheNuclearRegulatoryCommissionstaffhasproposeda$5,500fineagainstCTIAlaska,Inc.,ofAnchorage,Alaska,forviolatingradiationsafetyrequirements.CTI andNRCofficialsdiscussedtheviolationsatapredecisionalenforcementconference onJanuary7thatwasheldbytelephone.TheNRChasdeterminedthattwoviolationsofradiationsafetyrequirementsoccurred.Thefirsthappenedwhentworadiographersapproachedaradiographic camera,adevicethatuseshigh-energyradiationtoinspectpipelinesforflaws,without firstverifyingthattheradiationsourcewasinitsfullyshieldedposition.Thetwomen hadaradiationsurveyinstrumentwiththemthatshouldhavedetectedtheradiation field,butthisinstrumentapparentlywasnotworking.Failuretohaveaworkingsurvey instrumentconstitutesthesecondviolationinthisincident.Neitheroftheradiographersreceivedasignificantradiationexposurebecauseoneofthemheardhisalarmingratemeter,asmallradiationwarningdevicerequiredto bewornbypersonnelthatsoundsanalarmwhenaworkerentersahigh-levelradiation field.Thetwomenretreatedtoasafedistancefromthecamerabeforetheyreceived anysignificantdose.Evaluationsofthedosesreceivedshowedtheywerebelow regulatorylimits.TheNRCacknowledgedthatCTIreportedtheincidenttotheNRCandhastakenpromptandcomprehensivecorrectiveactionstoassurethatanincidentofthistype doesnothappenagain.Theseactionsincludemeasurestomakesuresurvey instrumentsareworking,thatradiographersknowwhenasourceisunshielded,and thatratemetershavealoudalarmthatcanbeheardatalltimes.TheviolationhasbeenclassifiedasSeverityLevelIIIontheNRC'sfour-levelscale,forwhichthebasecivilpenaltyis$5,500.LevelIviolationsarethemostserious.

CTIisrequiredtorespondinwritingtotheNRC,documentingthespecificactionstaken andanyadditionalactionsplannedtopreventarecurrenceoftheviolations.The companyhas30daystopaythefineorfileaprotest.Iftheprotestisdenied,the companymayrequestahearing.