Information Notice 1999-28, Recall of Star Brand Fire Protection Sprinkler Heads

Recall of Star Brand Fire Protection Sprinkler Heads

ML031040366
Person / Time
Site:	Beaver Valley, Millstone, Hatch, Monticello, Calvert Cliffs, Dresden, Davis Besse, Peach Bottom, Browns Ferry, Salem, Oconee, Mcguire, Nine Mile Point, Palisades, Palo Verde, Perry, Indian Point, Fermi, Kewaunee, Catawba, Harris, Wolf Creek, Saint Lucie, Point Beach, Oyster Creek, Watts Bar, Hope Creek, Grand Gulf, Cooper, Sequoyah, Byron, Pilgrim, Arkansas Nuclear, Three Mile Island, Braidwood, Susquehanna, Summer, Prairie Island, Columbia, Seabrook, Brunswick, Surry, Limerick, North Anna, Turkey Point, River Bend, Vermont Yankee, Crystal River, Haddam Neck, Ginna, Diablo Canyon, Callaway, Vogtle, Waterford, Duane Arnold, Farley, Robinson, Clinton, South Texas, San Onofre, Cook, Comanche Peak, Yankee Rowe, Maine Yankee, Quad Cities, Humboldt Bay, La Crosse, Big Rock Point, Rancho Seco, Zion, Midland, Bellefonte, Fort Calhoun, FitzPatrick, McGuire, LaSalle, Fort Saint Vrain, Shoreham, Satsop, Trojan, Atlantic Nuclear Power Plant
Issue date:	09/30/1999
Revision:	0
From:	Marsh L B, Sherr T S NRC/NMSS/FCSS, NRC/NRR/DIPM
To:
References
IN-99-028, NUDOCS 9910010205
Download: ML031040366 (7)

September30, 1999NRC INFORMATION NOTICE 99-28: RECALL OF STAR BRAND FIRE PROTECTIONSPRINKLER HEADS

Addressees

All holders of licenses for nuclear power, research and test reactors, and fuel cycle facilities.

Purpose

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing this information notice to alertaddressees to a recall of the Star brand, dry-type, fire protection sprinkler heads manufacturedby the Mealane Corporation of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is expected that recipients willreview the information for applicability to their facilities and consider actions, as appropriate, toavoid problems. However, suggestions contained in this information notice are not NRCrequirements; therefore, no specific actions or written response is required.

Description of Circumstances

On August 4, 1999, the Consumers Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in cooperation with theMealane Corporation announced a voluntary recall of approximately 1 million Star brand, dry-type, fire protection sprinkler heads, models D-1, RD-1, RE-1, E-1, and ME-1, manufacturedbetween 1961 and 1976. The sprinkler heads may be identified by the word NStar" on one sideand the model number on the other side of the lower portion of the sprinkler head's frame. Thedate of manufacture (two-digit year) can be found on the deflector.The CPSC reports that 67 percent of the heads recently tested at independent laboratoriesfailed to activate as they should. The CPSC has also stated that it has received one reportalleging a Star sprinkler head did not activate during an actual fire.The Mealane Corporation will replace the sprinkler heads free and will reimburse purchasers forthe labor costs of removing and replacing the affected sprinklers. Mealane has established aStar Sprinkler recall hotline at (800) 866-7807, and a Web site at www.star-recall.com toinform about the recall.'D1I2 rJk100,aIl n Vfd If sl) ~

IN 99-28September 30, 1999 Related Generic CommunicationIN 97-72, *Potential for Failure of the Omega Series Sprinkler Heads," September 22,1997This information notice requires no specific action or written response. If you have anyquestions about the information in this notice, please contact one of the technical contactslisted below or the appropriate Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) or Office of NuclearMaterial and Safeguards (NMSS) project manager.Theodore S. S Brranch Chief Ledyard B. Marsh, ChiefLicensing and International Events Assessment, Generic CommunicationsSafeguards Branch-. and Non-Power Reactors BranchDivision of Fuel Cycle Safety Division of Regulatory Improvement Programsand Safeguards Office of Nuclear Reactor RegulationOffice of Nuclear Materials Safetyand SafeguardsTechnical contacts:Mark H. Salley, NRR301-415-2840E-mail: mxs3O-nrc.aovP. W. Lain, NMSS301-415-6317E-mail: pwlfinrc.aov

Attachments:

1. List of Recently Issued NRR Information Notices2. List of Recently Issued NMSS Information Notices Attachment 1IN 99-28September 30,1999 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUEDNMSS INFORMATION NOTICESInformation Date ofNotice No. Subject Issuance Issued to99-27 Malfunction of Source Retraction 9/2/99 All medical licensees authorizedTo coauctteieier ~ ,Mechanism in Cobalt-60 TeletherapyTreatment Unitsto conduct teletherapytMdkl I = IM99-2699-2499-2399-2299-2099-1899-1699-1199-09Safety and Economic 8/24/99Consequences of MisleadingMarketing InformationBroad-Scope Licensees' 7/12/99Responsibilities for Reyiewing andApproving Unregistered SealedSources and DevicesSafety Concerns Related To 7/6/99Repeated Control Unit Failuresof the Nucletron Classic ModelHigh-Dose-Rate RemoteAfterloading BrachytherapyDevices10 CFR 34.43(a)(1): Effective 6/25/99Date for Radiographer Certificationand Plans for Enforcement DiscretionContingency Planning for the 6/25/99Year 2000 Computer ProblemUpdate on NRC's Year 2000 6/14/99Activities for Materials Licenseesand Fuel Cycle Licensees andCertificate HoldersFederal Bureau of Investigation's 5/28/99* uclear Site Security ProgramIncident Involving the Use of 4/16/99Radioactive Iodine-131Problems Encountered When 3/24/99Manually Editing treatment Dataon the Nucletron Microselectron-HDR (New) Model 105-999All Distributors and/orManufacturers of GenerallyLicensed ProductsAll medical licensees' of broad-scope and master materialslicenseesAll U.S. NRC medical licenseesauthorized to use brachytherapysources in Nucletron ClassicModel high-dose-rate (HDR)remote afterloadersIndustrial Radiography LicenseesAll material and fuel cyclelicensees and certificate holdersAll material and fuel cyclelicensees and certificateholdersAll U.S. Nuclear RegulatoryCommission fuel cycle, powerreactor, and non-power reactorlicenseesAll medical use licenseesAll medical licensees authorizedto conduct high-dose-rate (HDR)remote after loadingbrachytherapy treatments Attachment 2IN 99-28September 30, 1999 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUEDNRC INFORMATION NOTICESInformation Date ofNotice No. Subject Issuance Issued to99-27 Malfunction of Source Retraction 9/2/99 All medical licensees authorizedMechanism in Cobalt-60 TeletherapyTreatment Unitsto conduct teletherapy treatments99-2699-2599-24Safety and EconomicConsequences of MisleadingMarketing InformationYear 2000 Contingency PlanningActivitiesBroad-Scope Licensees'Responsibilities for Reviewingand Approving UnregisteredSealed Sources and DevicesSafety Concerns Related ToRepeated Control Unit Failuresof the Nucletron Classic ModelHigh-Dose-Rate RemoteAferloading BrachytherapyDevices99-238/24/998/10/997/12/997/6/997/6/99in6/251996/25/99All Distributors and/orManufacturers of GenerallyLicensed ProductsAll holders of operating licensesfor nuclear power plants and fuelcycle facilitiesAll medical licensees of broad-scope and master materialslicenseesAll U.S. NRC medical licenseesauthorized to use brachytherapysources in Nucletron ClassicModel high-dose-rate (HDR)remote afterloadersIndustrial Radiography LicenseesAll holders of licenses for nuclearpower, test, and research reactorsAll material and fuel cyclelicensees and certificate holders99-2210 CFR 34.43(a)(1); EffectiveDate for Radiographer Certificationand Plans for Enforcement Discretio99-2199-20Recent Plant Events CausedBy Human Performance ErrorsContingency Planning for theYear 200 Computer ProblemOL = Operating LicenseCP = Construction Permit IN 99-28September 30, 1999 Related Generic CommunicationIN 97-72, 'Potential for Failure of the Omega Series Sprinkler Heads," September 22,1997This information notice requires no specific action or written response. If you have anyquestions about the information in this notice, please contact one of the technical contactslisted below or the appropriate Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) or Office of NuclearMaterial and Safeguards (NMSS) project manager.Original signed by C. W. Eineighfor Theodore S. Sherr, Branch ChiefLicensing and IntemationalSafeguards BranchDivision of Fuel Cycle Safetyand SafeguardsOffice of Nuclear Materials Safetyand SafeguardsOriginal signed byLedyard B. Marsh, ChiefEvents Assessment, Generic Communicationsand Non-Power Reactors BranchDivision of Regulatory Improvement ProgramsOffice of Nuclear Reactor RegulationTechnical contacts:Mark H. Salley, NRR301-415-2840E-mail: mxs3(a@nrc.povP. W. Lain, NMSS301-415-6317E-mail: Pwl(Onrc.-ov

Attachments:

1. List of Recently Issued NRR Information Notices2. List of Recently Issued NMSS Information Notices, , "/' / -.4-411,1-_"DOCUMENT NAME: S:\DRPMSEC\99-28.IN*See previous concurrenceo receive a copy of this documet, indicate in the bo C=Copy w/o attachmentlenclosure E=Copy with attachmenVenclosur.D N = No copyOFFICE REXB l IIIlTech Editor lINMSS l5C:NMNAME CPetrone MHSalley* RSanders* PWLain* ___h_ _ Marsh_/DATE 2 /g99 09/14 /99 1 09/10/99 09/21199 /099 0/99OFFICIlAL REGORD CFr ,

IN 99-xxSeptember xx, 1999 Related Generic CommunicationIN 97-72, "Potential for Failure of the Omega Series Sprinkler Heads," September 22,1997This information notice requires no specific action or written response. If you have anyquestions about the information in this notice, please contact one of the technical contacts listedbelow or the appropriate Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) or Office of NuclearMaterial and Safeguards (NMSS) project manager.Theodore S. Sherr, Branch ChiefLicensing and InternationalSafeguards BranchDivision of Fuel Cycle Safetyand SafeguardsOffice of Nuclear Materials Safetyand SafeguardsLedyard B. Marsh, ChiefEvents Assessment, Generic Communicationsand Non-Power Reactors BranchDivision of Regulatory Improvement ProgramsOffice of Nuclear Reactor RegulationTechnical contacts:Mark H. Salley, NRR301-415-2840E-mail: mxs3(&nrc.aovP. W. Lain, NMSS301-415-6317E-mail: pwl(nrc.gov

Attachments:

1. List of Recently Issued NRR Information Notices2. List of Recently Issued NMSS Information NoticesDOCUMENT NAME: P:\instar.wpd*See previous concurrenceTo receive a copy of this document, indicate in the box C=Copy wlo attachment/enclosure E=Copy with attachmentlenclosure N = No copyOFFICE SPLB l Tech Editor C:NMSS L E C:PECBNAME M. H. Salley RSandersi l NMS P. W. LE I-<LMarsh lDATE 9/14/99 9/10/99 2 9/21/99 99OFFICIAL RECORD COPY IN 99-xxSeptember xx, 1999 Related Generic CommunicationIN 97-72, "Potential for Failure of the Omega Series Sprinkler Heads," September 22,1997This information notice requires no specific action or written response. If you have anyquestions about the information in this notice, please contact one of the technical contactslisted below or the appropriate Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) or Office of NuclearMaterial and Safeguards (NMSS) project manager.Ledyard B. Marsh, ChiefEvents Assessment, Generic Communicationsand Non-Power Reactors BranchDivision of Regulatory Improvement ProgramsOffice of Nuclear Reactor RegulationTechnical contacts:Mark H. Salley, NRR301-415-2840E-mail: mxs3Canrc.govP. W. Lain, NMSS301-415-6317E-mail: ywl(nrc.gov

Attachments:

1. List of Recently Issued NRR Information Notices2. List of Recently Issued NMSS Information NoticesDOCUMENT NAME: G:\REXB\cdp\lNstar.wpd*See previous concurrenceTo receive a copy of this document, indicate in the box C=Copy wlo attachmentlenclosure E=Copy with attachment/enclosure N = No copyOFFICE l~ 5el,lj2-T-eh Editor l NlVISS l lC:PECBllNAME .RSanders* fLMarshDAT E0'I 119199 V a /99OFFICIAL RECORD COPY