IR 05000002/1986001
| ML20207G741 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | University of Michigan |
| Issue date: | 07/16/1986 |
| From: | Greger L, Paul R NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20207G711 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-002-86-01, 50-2-86-1, NUDOCS 8607230155 | |
| Download: ML20207G741 (7) | |
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U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 4
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l Report No. 50-002/86001(ORSS)
i j Docket No.50-002 License No. R-28 t Licensee: University of Michigan Phoenix Memorial Laboratory Ann Arbor, MI 48105 Facility Name: FordNucid,ar, Reactor ,
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Inspection At: Ford Nucletr Reactor, Ann Ar'ar, b MI
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Inspection Conducted: June,10-18, 1986 Inspector: RA $1 7/M/[b
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[. b Approved By: ;
L. R~sGreger, Chief x 7/0/@
Facilities Radiation -
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Protection Section *
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,Insp,ction e Summary ,
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InspjctionenJune 16-18, 1986 (Report No. 50-002/86001 (DRSS))
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L Areas Inspected: Routine, unannounced inspection of records, logs, and
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, organization; radiation protection; radwaste panagement control;
- , transportation activities; and follow-up actions relative to previous noncompliance and.open inspection items.
] Results: No violations or significant safety issues were identified in the
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areas inspecte g
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I 8607230155 860716 i PDR ADOCR 05000002 '
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DETAILS 1. Persons Contacted
- R. Burn, Reactor Manager
- Driscoll, North Campus Health Physicist l * McDaniel, Health Physics Technician
- A. Solari,7)irector, Radiation Control Services
- Indicates those present at the exit intervie . General This inspection, which began at 8:00 a.m., on June 16, 1986, was conducted to examine the research reactor program at the University of Michiga The facility was toured during full power operations. The inspector verified the 5 micron and 25 micron filters in the reactor water cleanup and sample system had been installed as a result of a problem found
! during a previous inspection. The general housekeeping of the facility remair.s satisfactory, as was noted in the previous in'spection (Inspection Report No. 50-002/85003 (DRSS)).
3. Licensee Action on Previously Identified Items j (Closed) Open Item (50-002/85001-01): Change manual or procedures to reflect policy changes. Section 3.1 of the HP manual has been changed to indicate that extremity badge exchange frequencies are monthly rather )
then bi-weekl (Closed) Noncompliance (50-002/85003-01): Failure to properly discharge liquid effluent in a readily dispersible or soluble form into a sanitary sewe The r tention tank dumping procedure "HP 115" has been revised to read " check the clear CUNO filter holder to assure that filters are properly installed and that a sludge buildup has not occurred." The inspector verified a new gasket on the 5-micron filter and that the procedure had been revise (Closed) Noncompliance (50-002/85003-02): Failure to file quarterly l effluent reports in accordance with requirements. The reactor manager i has developed a tickler file for use in ensuring the effluent reports are prepare (Closed) Open Item (50-002/85003-03): Evaluate range of neutron flux for calibration of neutron meters. The licensee is now calibrating the neutron meters over neutron flux ranges which would normally be encountered during surveys of the vertical beam of the reacto '
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i 4. Qualifications and Organization 4 The FNR/PML Health Physics organization continues to report to the Director, Radiation Control Service (RCS) in accordance with Technical Specifications 6.1.e. The current HP has three years experience at a
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commercial nuclear reactor and an architectural / engineering firm, and earned a masters degree in Radiological Health from the University. A former FNR licensed senior operator fills the HP technician positio No violations were identifie . Audits The 1986 annual audit required by TS 6.2.g., will be conducted in July 198 Numerous audit findings were identified in radiation protection during the 1985 audit. Corrective actions have been ttken for almost all findings; the remainder are scheduled to be taken before the July 1986 audi Minutes of the Safety Review Committee (SRC) were reviewed for the November 1985 to May 1986 period. SRC members included representatives from FNR and Radiation Control Services. In accordance with TS 6.2.F, the SRC reviewed the following: experimenter requests and qualification, proposed technical specifications, and selected procedures. Frequencies were in accordance with TS 6.2.c. No problems were note No violations were identifie . Training The current training program for persons entering the reactor facility is described in Inspection Reports No. 05000002/85-01; 03001988/85-01, and 05000002/83-0 Ir addition to this training, experimenters not employed by the licensee are given site specific instructions. The inspector noted that the current training program meets the requirements of 10 CFR 19.1 However, additional instructions for non-employee experimenters and employee maintenance men should be considered to ensure those persons are qualified to perform their activities using radioactive materia This matter was discussed at the exit intervie (50-002/86001-01)
7. Instrumentation and Equipment The inspector reviewed calibration records for the gaseous activity detectors (GADS) and moving air particulate monitors (MAPS) from the fourth quarter 1985 to the present. Calibrations and frequencies were in accordance with applicable technical specifications and procedures. The two GADS continuously monitor ventilation exhaust from the FNR and FNR-PML stack No. 2; the MAPS monitor stack effluents, the pool floor, and beam port floo Records reviewed for the first quarter of 1986 to the present indicate operators verify building exhaust and area alarm setpoints once per shift in addition to routine MAP operational checks.
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During facility tours, observed portable survey instruments were calibrated and operable. Calibration records raviewed for neutron survey instruments from the fourth quarter 1985 to the present indicated the licensee is currently calibrating the detectors to neutron radiation levels which would normally be encountered in the bea.n port area during operatio I Cslibration records of laboratory counting instruments were reviewed. The gas proportional counter was calibrated in accordance with procedure HP 211 on a quarterly basis. The GeLi system, used to analyze retention tank samples, is calibrated semi-annually with a multi-nuclide NBS traceable liquid standard. Records reviewed for traceability and CY 1986 3 calibrations revealed no significant problem No violations were identifie . Personal Monitcring Vendor film badges, sensitive to beta, gamma, and thermal neutrons, are issued monthly to reactor personnel.and experimenters. Two extremity badges are provided to personnel who handle samples and/or have a potential for extremity exposure. Records indicated the highest yearly dose for 1985 was 1.37 rems whole body and 3.48 rems extremity, both well below 10 CFR 20.101 limits. Exposure records are routinely reviewed by the reactor HP and assistant reactor manager; results are posted in the lunchroom for employee review. NRC Form-4's are not maintained. Vendor reports are the official NRC Form-5 record During the inspection the inspector observed workers wearing film badges at several inappropriate locations, including the belt at the side of the hip, the trouser pocket, and hanging from a key chain on the side of the hip. Worn in these locations the badges are not normally representative of the radiation to the whole bod No instructions are given employees concerning the locaticn of film badges on the body. This matter was discussed at the exit interview. (50-002/86001-02) Bioassays According to licensee records, several tritium urinalyses were conducted during 1985 and 1986 because the procedural criteria requiring bioassays (airborne tritium surveys taken during heavy water transfers which exceed 1.0 MPC) was exceeded on several occasions. No positive results were found on the urinalyse . Respiratory Protection The respiratory protection program is as previously described in Inspection Report No. 50-002/83-02. Respiratory protection equipment is available for emergency use, but it is not routinely used. The licensee does not have an approved program under 10 CFR 10.103(e); therefore no credit for respirator use can be taken for internal dose estimates.
I No violations were identifie :
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11. Posting, Labeling and Control Area posting, reviewed during facility tours, was in accordance with 10 CFR 20.203. Access control of high radiation areas met regulatory requirement No violations were identifie . Surveys The inspector selectively reviewed results of direct radiation and smearable contamination surveys conducted in accordance with procedures HP 101 and HP 102 for CY 1985 and 1986 to date. No significant inconsistencies were note . Notifications and Reports The 1985 annual exposure report, per 10 CFR 20.407, was reviewe It was noted that while the reported total gross beta gamma liquid effluent release value was 681 millicuries in the annual report, a release value of 932 millicuries was reported to the Director of the FNR in internal memo dated, September 25, 1985. According to the licensee, the difference was the result of two different counting methods, evaporated gross beta gamma counting with a gas proportional counter versus gamma isotopic analysis using a gamma spectrometer. The licensee agreed to correct the annual report to report the higher value, and in the future to repcet the most conservative of the estimated quantities of radioactivity released from the facility. No regulatory liquid release limits were violate . Material Transfer There have been no spent nuclear fuel shipments since June 1984. The next shipment is scheduled for July 1986. Irradiated samples are routinely shipped from the FNR facility to other licensees off-campu The licensee maintains copies of the recipient's licenses on file to verify the rec'ipients are authorized to receive the material. No problems were noted with the shipping records or records of the recipients who were authorized to receive the materia . Pool Water Chemistry and Heavy Water Reflector Tank Tritium Selected gamma isotopic results of pool water samples, taken twice weekly, were reviewed for CY 1985-1986. Samples are also reanalyzed two weeks post-collection. Quarterly tritium analyses of the heavy water tank indicated the tritium inventory remained less than 50 curies, as required by TS 3. No abnormal activity or trends were note No violations were identified.
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16. Airborne Effluents Airborne activity released through the FNR ventilation exhaust stack and FNR-PML stack No. 2 is monitored by GAD and MAP, and sampled for particulates. Effluent records reviewed for CY 1985 indicated all releases were within technical specification limits. The dilution factor of 400 allowed by technical specifications is necessary to meet limits for gaseous releases, but not for particulates or iodine Calculational methods were reviewed; no problems were note . Liquid Effluents Liquid effluents are discharged to the sanitary sewer on a batch basi Before discharge, tank contents are recirculated, filtered by prefilters and a filter, and sample Samples are analyzed for gross beta, tritium, and isotopic gamma activities. Records reviewed indicated 1985 release concentrations were well within 10 CFR 20 limits using the approved dilution facto Calculational methods were reviewed; no problems were note No violations were note . Thyroid Count Results The inspector reviewed the licensee's thyroid count results, counting method, and method of relating an individual's thyroid counting data to regulatory requirements. Only count results of the Phoenix Laboratory employees who work under the University broad license (License No. 21-00215-04) were reviewed. These employees were counted on the GeLi counting system located in the FN It was noted that the thyroid count results for 1986 typically ranged from 100-250 nanocuries of iodine-125, which is in excess of the 40 MPC-hour control measure described in 10 CFR 20.103. According to licensee personnel these count results were not indicative of actual iodine-125 uptakes, and should have been reported as being below the minimum detectable activity for the counting equipment. However, the licensee personnel responsible for evaluating the thyroid count results were apparently not aware of the correlation between MPC-hours and nanocuries for iodine-125, and therefore did not recognize that the recorded count results exceeded the 40 MPC-hour control measure. One laboratory worker was suspected of having received an actual iodine-125 uptake (s) and was counted several times at both the FNR and the University radiation protection facility. Neither the FNR nor the University radiation protection personnel appeared to recognize the potential for having exceeded the 40 MPC-hour control measure for this worker based on the count results. Although the worker may have exceeded the 40 MPC-hour control measure, it is clear that he did not exceed the 520 MPC-hour regulatory limi _ _ __
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The licensee's thyroid counting program weaknesses, including the apparent high minimum detectable activity for the FNR counting equipment and the lack of recognition of the correlation between MPC-hours and nanocuries for I-125, were discussed at the exit meeting. These matters will be reviewed i during a future inspection of Byproduct Material License No. 21-00215-04
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and are considered as an Unresolved Item. (Unresolved Item No. 50-0P2/86001-03)
19. Unresolved Items Unresolved items are matters about which more information is required in order to ascertain whether they are acceptable items, violations or deviations. An unresolved item reviewed during the inspection is discussed in Section 1 . Exit Meeting The inspector met with licensee representatives noted in Section 1 on June 8, 1986, to discuss the findings and scope of the inspection. The inspector discussed the likely informational content of the inspection regarding documents or processes reviewed. The licensee did not identify such documents / processes as proprietary. In response to the inspector's comments, the licensee: Agreed to review the content of the current training program (Sectica 6) Stated that film badges would be worn in the front on the middle to upper part of the whole body with the badge oriented to the forward direction of the person, and that workers would be so instructe (Section 8) Acknowledged the discrepancies concerning thyroid counting methods, results, MPC-hour calculations, and possible exceeding of the 40 MPC-hour control measure for a laboratory worker. (Section 18)
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