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)

Text

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Office of Public Affairs, Region IV 611 Ryan Plaza Drive - Suite 400 Arlington, Texas 76011-8064 RIV: 98-06 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Breck Henderson January 21, 1998 OFFICE: 817/860-8128 PAGER: (800) 443-7243 (065477)

E-MAIL: bwh@nrc.gov NRC PROPOSES $5,500 FINE AGAINST CTI ALASKA, INC.

FOR VIOLATION OF RADIATION SAFETY REQUIREMENTS The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff has proposed a $5,500 fine against CTI Alaska, Inc., of Anchorage, Alaska, for violating radiation safety requirements. CTI and NRC officials discussed the violations at a predecisional enforcement conference on January 7 that was held by telephone.

The NRC has determined that two violations of radiation safety requirements occurred. The first happened when two radiographers approached a radiographic camera, a device that uses high-energy radiation to inspect pipelines for flaws, without first verifying that the radiation source was in its fully shielded position. The two men had a radiation survey instrument with them that should have detected the radiation field, but this instrument apparently was not working. Failure to have a working survey instrument constitutes the second violation in this incident.

Neither of the radiographers received a significant radiation exposure because one of them heard his alarming rate meter, a small radiation warning device required to be worn by personnel that sounds an alarm when a worker enters a high-level radiation field. The two men retreated to a safe distance from the camera before they received any significant dose. Evaluations of the doses received showed they were below regulatory limits.

The NRC acknowledged that CTI reported the incident to the NRC and has taken prompt and comprehensive corrective actions to assure that an incident of this type does not happen again. These actions include measures to make sure survey instruments are working, that radiographers know when a source is unshielded, and that rate meters have a loud alarm that can be heard at all times.

The violation has been classified as Severity Level III on the NRCs four-level scale, for which the base civil penalty is $5,500. Level I violations are the most serious.

CTI is required to respond in writing to the NRC, documenting the specific actions taken and any additional actions planned to prevent a recurrence of the violations. The company has 30 days to pay the fine or file a protest. If the protest is denied, the company may request a hearing.