ML20211L477

Insp Repts 70-0925/78-02 & 70-1193/78-03 on 780710-12.No Noncompliance or Deviation Noted.Major Areas Inspected: Radiation Protection Program Radwaste Mgt,Solid Wastes,Waste Burial & Retention Ponds

ML20211L477
Person / Time
Site:	07000925, 07001193
Issue date:	08/02/1978
From:	Fisher W, Hueter L NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III)
To:
Shared Package
ML20211L396	List: ML20211L392 ML20211L398 ML20211L419 ML20211L423 ML20211L440 ML20211L452 ML20211L460 ML20211L472 ML20211L477 ML20211L482 ML20211L495 ML20211L510
References
FOIA-86-281 70-0925-78-02, 70-1193-78-03, 70-1193-78-3, 70-925-78-2, NUDOCS 8607020089
Download: ML20211L477 (13)

Text

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. U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT .

REGION III Reports No. 70-925/78-02; 70-1193/78-03 '- .

Docket No.70-925; 70-1193 License No. SNM-928; SNM-1174 s

Licensee: Kerr-McGe Nuclear Corporation Post Office Box 267 '

Gore, OK 74435 Facility name: Cimarron Plutonium and Uranium Plant Inspection at: Cimarron Facility, Oklahoma City, OK Inspection conducted: July 10-12, 1978

Inspector

WDN&

L. J. Hueter

-p.7g .

Approved by:

O I. dn.

W. L. Fisher, Chief I. - 7 I _

Fuel Facility Projects and Radiation Support Section Inspection Summary Inspection on July 10-12,1978 (Reports No. 70-925/78-02; 70-1193/78-03) '

Areas Inspected: Routine, unannounced inspection of: radiation protection program, including qualifications, audits, training, procedures, instru-ments and equipment, exposure control, posting-labeling controls, surveys, notifications, and reports; and radioactive waste management, including liquid effluents, airborne effluents, effluent records and reports, instruments, procedures for controlling effluents, HEPA filter tests; solid wastes, waste burial, retention ponds, and review of IE Circular No. 77-14. The inspection involved 21 inspector-hours onsite by one NRC inspector.

Results: Of the 19 areas' inspected, no items of noncompliance or deviations were identified.

8607020089 860701 PDR FOIA CANTREL86-201 PDR

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DETAILS

1. Persons Contacted

• A. W. Norwood, Standby Manager, Cimarron Facility G. J. Sinke, Coordinator, Radiation Health and Safety

• D. Majors, Supervisor, Health Physics

• Denotes those present at exit interview.

2. General This inspection began at 12:05 p.m. on July 10, 1978. A general tour was made of the plutonium plant on July 10, 1978 and of the

, , old waste burial ground, the sanitary lagoons, plutonium and -

uranium retention ponds, and the uranium plant on July 11, 1978.

Housekeeping was found to be generally satisfactory and improved from that observed during the November 1977 inspection. Radiation control appeared to be adequate.

Approval from the Commission was received by the licensee on July 10, 1978 to backfill the four plutonium and uranium retention ponds which had been cleaned, sampled,and analyzed. The licensee anticipates completion of the work in time to seed and establish _

a grass covering this fall.

The removal of the flocculation equipment in the plutonium plant has been completed and it is in final preparation for shipment on July 17, 1978 to authorized burial at Richland, Washington.

In addition to routine maintenance and surveillance, some additional .

clean out of equipment has taken place at the uranium plant.

Approval has not been received yet from the Commission for dismantling ,

the solvent extraction equipment in the plutonium plant.

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3. Organization and Training i .

A total of nineteen men are employed full time at the Cimarron plutonium and uranium plants. This includes the standby manager, .

clerk, five men in health physics and safety, four guards, four mechanical maintenance men and four utility men. One HP technician terminated in the spring. His replacement was selected from the mechanical maintenance group. This individual has had previous  ;

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X-ray technician training 'and experience plus nine years of experience at Kerr-McGee Nuclear, including experience as a .

maintenance foreman at the plutonium plant. The individual, who has a thorough knowledge of the plant and its systems (including ventilation), previously assisted the HP group on ,

occasion when the plant was in operation..,,, Additional training of this individual has been provided by the 'HP. Supervisor.

No new employees have been hired, but a man is being Sought for mechanical maintenance. '

In the upper levels of management the previously vacant position of Vice President, Kerr-McGee Nuclear Corporation has been

- recently. filled. The upper organizational structure is now as follows:

- Morgan Moore, President, Kerr-Medee Nuclear Corporation Rob Luke, Vice President, Kerr-McGee Nuclear Corporation Bernell Brown, General Manager, Nuclear Manufacturing Wayne Norwood, Standby Manager, Cimarron Facility

- An annual reindoctrination in radiation protection, conducted in late November,1977, covered a number of related topics.

r Monthly safety meetings continue to include training in radiation protection topics quarterly.

2 No items of noncompliance or deviations were identified.

L- 4. Licensee Audits (Radiological and Industrial Safety)

Quarterly audits are conducted by the Bealth and Safety Coordinator. ,

r The inspector reviewed the reports for the audits conducted December 1977 and March 1978. Problems identified were relatively Ic minor. Followup action on previously identified matters appeared to be appropriate.

Cr' No items of noncompliance or deviations were identified.

5. Radiation Protection Procedures c- There have beenpourhanges in the radiation protection procedures

focuthe. uranium plant since the last radiation protection inspectionl /

-i conducted in November 1977. As noted in that inspection report, the t- 1/ IE Inspection Rpt. No. 70-925/77-05 and No. 70-1193/77-03.

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, procedures needed updating in the following three areas to reflect current practice:

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a. Frequency o(samples

, air w b is now daily instead of every a eight hours, unless work is being done in which case samples are collected each shift in the general work area.

b. Frequency of lapel air sampling increa.ses to a 50% rate when work iavolves potential for airborne activity as required by a modification in the license earlier in 1977.

c. Limits of surf ace contamination levels for release of equipment and materials specified by License Condition No.12 of License No. SNM-928 as renewed May 5, 1977.

However, instruction notices have been issued and proper values are apparently being utilized. Licensee -personnel committed to, -

updating the procedures to reflect current practice by September 1,1978.

For the plutonium plant, procedure revisions were made on January 10, 1978 to KM-NP-10-65 and KM-NP-10-66 regarding frequency of lapel air sampler use when work involves potential '

for airborne activity and regarding limits of surface contamina-tion respectively, to ensure compatibility of procedures with License No. SNM-1174 as renewed July 15, 1977.

No items of noncompliance or deviations were identified. -

6. Instruments and Equipment '

The licensee has generally adequate numbers of operable survey and monitoring instruments. Gamma survey meters are calibrated quarterly. Daily function and calibration checks arc performed on the portable and doorway alpha survey meters. These latter meters  !

are calibrated quarterly for 50% efficiency. A weekly calibration  ;

check is performed for the stack monitor and the continuous air ,

monitors at the plutonium plant. Health physics personnel continue l to tour each plant at least once per shift to check air monitors for response and alarm set points.

. i No items of noncompliance or deviations were identified.

l K7. External Exposure Control f Review of quarterly f'ilm badge data showed that whole body dose to gamma radiation did not exceed 170 millirens in calendar year  !

1977 for any individual and did not exceed 150 millirems in the I first calendar quarter of 1978 for any individual.  ;

No items of noncompliance or deviations were identified.

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Internal Exposure Control

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a. Bioassay Program (1) Uranium Plant Urinalysin x.,

Urinalysis continues twice monthly for those working at the uranium plant. A review of bioassay data from s October 1977 .through mid-June 1978 shows that the concentration of alpha activity in samples has generally been below the detection limit of 10 dpm/1. The highest concentration observed was 88 dpm/1, well below the action level of 160 dpm/l. A followup sample, taken after the initial data became available, for the referenced individual had a doncentration below the detection limit.

(2) Plutonium Plant Urinalysis The licensee continues to collect and analyze urine samples quarterly for those routinely involved in work activities at the plutonium plant and annually for guards and admini-strative employees. Bioassay data were reviewed for theAll fourth quarter of 1977 and the.firat. quartar of 1978.

samples analyzed were below the detection Itait of 0.1 dpm per sample. Analytical results had not been obtained yet for second quarter 1978 samples collected in June.

b. Uranium and Plutonium Worker In Vivo (Lung) Counts No in vivo counts have been conducted since the last radiation protection inspection. The next counts are planned for August or September 1978.

c. In-Plant Air Sampling and Airborne Exposure Evaluation (1) Uranium Plant The inspector reviewed the records of in-plant air sampling -

conducted on either .an4-hbun basis er-a-24-hour-basis from January 1,1978 to # . July;5,e1978. The licensee sow uses about-. half. of the 40 original . air sample locations.

However, the other samplers are still in place and are used if work is to be conducted in the area of the particular sampler. Air concentrations in general ranged from about 1/10 to 1/1000 MPC. Some anceptions occurred in the

• dissolver area, where- clean-out material uns being leached.

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Air samples in this area showed airborne concentrations up to % 12 MPC for eight hours. Ho' wever, workers were in the immediate1 area not over.10 percent .of the time (only when material was introduced to the systen and .

for occasional checks) and r,espiratory protection was-worn for this work. Lapel air samples worn by the workers during this time showed airborne concentrations of about 1/10 MPC without benefit of the respiratory

• protection being worn. ' -

s (2) Plutonium Plant s

The inspector reviewed the records of in-plant air sampling conducted from Janucry 1, 1978 ao. July 15,-1978.

Air concentrations in general ranged-from about.1/100 to 1/1000 MPC,, based most conservatively.on -soluble plutonium. The. exception to these concentrations occurred while working on removal of the flocculation tank and equipment when levels of up -to IO MPC were '

measured. However, approved respirators with a protection factor of 50 were used during this work. Further, Aests for solubility indicated the material was insoluble rather than soluble. The data reviewed showed no evidence of significant personal exposure to airborne activity concentrations during the period.

No items of noncompliance or deviations were identified in the areas of internal exposure control.

9. Posting, Labeling, and Control Posting of radiation and contaminai:on areas in both plants was '

found to be adequate. The posting requirements of 10 CFR 19.11 were met by the licensee.

I Work permits are used for nonroutine work for which a specific procedure has not been written.

As another means of control, the licensee continues to utilize a morning meeting of the standby plant manager, the health physics supervisor, and the maintenance and utilities supervisor to discuss the planned activities'of the day. i No items of noncompliance or deviations were identified.  !

10. Su rveys In-plant air sample surveys have been covered in Paragraph 8.c.

Wipe surveys are conducted routinely at both plants. At the plutonium pl' ant, wipe surveys are performed each shif t in the 5

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air locks, hallways, and rooms in the radiation area. Monitoring of shoe covers at various locations during tours continues to aid in detection of any contamination spread.

• A review of wipe survey data from January 1978 through June 1978

, showed that smearable alpha activity in nonproduction areas of -

the plutonium plant ranged from 0 to 6 dpm/100 cm 2 . In the nonproduction areas of the uranium plants smearable alpha activity

. during this same period in general ranged from 0 to 10 dpm/100 cm4 .

l In the f.ormertproduction area of the plutonium plant, smearable s alpha activity in general was < 100 dpm/100 cm 2 with isolated higher spots of fixed activity in Rooms 124 and BO-1 (maximum of.s 50,000 dpm/100 cm2 of fixed activity). In the former production area of the uranium plant, smearable alpha activity in general

- 2 ranged frog < :500 to 1500 dpm/100 cm with a maximum of 3000 dpm/100 cm .

4 i No items of noncompliance were identified.

11. Notifications and Reports According to licensee personnel interviewed and substantiated l to the extent of records reviewed, there has been no theft or loss of licensed material, overexposure of personnel, or releases of radioactive material requiring a special report by the licensee.

Employee termination reports are maintained at the corporate office. The inspector did not go to the corporate office i during this inspection.

No items of noncompliance or deviations were identified.  !

! 12. Radioactive Liquid " Effluents"  :

! l There has been no liquid release offsite since the sanitary lagoons stopped flowing on January 20, 1976 following termination l i of plant processing. Esionathe @lant, water from the g

, genicapy, system plus an estimated;100. gallons per week of laundry ,

l water routinely go to the sanitary lagoons. From the plutonium '

j . plant, taleases to the sanitary lagoons, ,except. for a portion of the sanitary, waste, are. batched, sampled, and analyzed before release. This batched liquid comes from showers, wash. basin, l and " clean" laundry, such as smocks (not shoe covers, which are

! disposed of to radioactive waste if they can not be cleaned with a ,

I damp paper towel). The latest-batch was released to the sanitary j lagoons f rom the plutonium plant on -June I',1978. In 1977, i l

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batch releases to the sanitary lagoon accounted for 57,900 gallons

'* of water containing <34.2 microcuries (pCi) of gross alpha activity resulting in an average concentration of <1.6E-7, UCi/ml.

In 1978, as of the inspection date, batch releases to the sanitary lagoons accounted for 41,400 gallons of water containing <33.3 pCi .

of gross alpha activity resulting in an average concentration

<2.1E-7, pCi/ml.

As noted in Paragraph 2, the licensee has recently received

• authorization from the Commission to backfilEL- the four plutonian and uranium retention ponds which had been cleaned, sampled, and analyzed.

s No items of noncomplaince or deviations were identified.

13. Radioactive Airborne Effluents The only stack at the uranium plant that has remained in continuous operation since early 1976 has been the nonfiltered laundry stack, which exhausts at about 1040 cfm. In December 1977, a nonfiltered stack above the dissolver area was operated at a flow rate of about 890 cfm when some recovered waste material from equipment clean-out was handled in preparation for transfer to a licensed receiver. '

Licensee data show that in 1977 about 43 pCi of gross alpha '

activity was released from the uranium plant at an average concen --

trationofabout2.7E-129C4(33thestacks. In 1978, through June 19, about 0.14 pCi of gross alpha activity was released from the uranium plant at an average concentration of about 1.9E-14 pCi/ml.

Sampling and analysis of the filtered effluent from the plutonium building stack shows that in 1977 about 2.8 WCi of gross alpha activity was released at an average concentration of about 7.0E-15 pCi/ml. In 1978, through June 19, about 0.68 pCi of gross alpha activity was released at an average concentration of about 3.6E-15 pCi/ml. .

No items of noncompliance or deviations were identified.

14. 4 Records and Reports of Radioactive Effluents  ;

The licensee's records and reports of radioactive effluents were reviewed in general for the last half of 1977 and through mid-June, 1978, with no problems being noted.

I No items of noncompliance or deviations were identified. '

15. Liquid and Airborne Effluen't Monitoring Instruments As previously noted, there have been no liquid releases offsite since January 1976, when the sanitary lagoons stopped flowing. ,

Liquid releases from the plutonium plant to the sanitary lagoons ,

are on a-batch basis, being collected, sampled, and analyzed before release.

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• A continuous monitor is still utilized on the plutonium building stack to monitor airborne effluent. The licensee continues to

• calibrate the monitor and check for proper trip setting and alarm.

- No items of noncompliance were identified.

16. Procedure for Controlling Effluent Releases '

No recent procedure changes have been put into effect for controlling s effluent releases. The licensee has a procedure system for control-ling changes, which involves review and approval by management.

No items of noncompliance were identified.

17. DOP Filter Tests Review of licensee records show that all final HEPA filters at the plutonium plant are being cold DOP tested annually and at time of new filter installations and are meeting the 99.95% removal efficiency for 0.8 micron size particles as required by the license.

In addition to the required tests above, the licensee checks many intermediate HEPA filters, using an acceptance criterion of 99%

efficiency.

1 i No items of noncompliance were identified.

18. Radioactive Solid Wastes and other Shipments On June 5, 1978, 1315 grams of uranium containing about 93 grams of uranium-235 (7.1% enrichment), consisting of archive pellet samples for which retention requirements had elapsed, were transferred from the plutonium plant vault to a licensed recipient.

i No waste shipments had been made since the last radwaste inspection conducted in November 1977. A shipment consisting of both plutonium and uranium wastes to an authorized burial site is scheduled for July 17, 1978.

No items of noncompliance or deviations were identified.

19. IE Circular 77-14 The licensee has reviewed'their contaminated and noncontaminated water systems for proper separations. The source of process water has been a large pond on the licensee's property. Water for drinking, showers, sanitary system, and cold laundry was formerly l

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= supplied from licensee uous g M but for about the past two years has

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been supplied by a community water system. Inspection for proper separation was conducted by an outside repres'entative before that changeover in supply. These studies show that there are no connections between the two systems. .

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No items of noncompliance or deviations were identified.

R Former Radwaste Burial Site o During the inspection, a tour was made of a formerly used radwaste burial site located on Kerr-McGee property approximately one half mile east of the Cimarron uranium and plutonium plants. Review of records show that the site was used for about a two and one half year period beginning in early 1968 and ending by mid-1970.

Records show that the total activity buried was about 400 milli-curies of which 320 millicuries was depleted uranium. Ten milli-curies was thorium waste and the rertaining approximate 70 milli-

• curies was made up of uranium vaste material of varying enrichment.

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No plutonium waste was buried there. The material was buried at a depth of about eight feet. These radionuclides, in these small

1. - activities and at this depth, should present no health and safety R- hazard to the general public. As should be expected, general surveys conducted during the inspection at ground level within

~-- the burial site, using recently calibrated survey meters, showed

" no radiation levels above natural background levels (about 0.05 milliroentgens per hour). .

The licensee stated that a tree had' fallen near one corner of the approximate 30 yards by 95 yards fenced site loosening a post and .

two sides of the fence. The post has since been reset and the four strand barbed wire fence tightened and a new sign posted on each of the four sides of the site as was observed, at the time of the I inspection. The signs serve primarily for identification of the site as no significant hazard exists around or within the site.

- E. Exit Interview ,

• The inspector met with licensee representatives (denoted in

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Paragraph 1) at the conclusion of the inspection on July 12, 1978.

The following matters were discussed:

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l 1 a. The inspector noted at the time of a previous inspection 2,/

j Z some radiation protection procedures at both the plutonium Z and uranium plants needed updating. During this inspection l _-~~-

it was noted that procedures updating had been accomplished i~- for the plutoni'um plant but not the uranium plant. The

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• ndeenseaw:ommitted tg. updating:thea uranissa plant-radiation

• protection. procedures by. September .1,,1978. (Paragraph 5)

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{ 2_/ IE Inspectio'n Rpt. Nos. 70-925/77-05 and 70-1193/77-03.

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.b. The inspector noted that a survey made during a tour of the former waste burial site showed no radiation levels above natural background within the burial site. Therefore the ,

burial site should present no significant health or safety hazard to the general public. The inspector noted that the fence surrounding the site is now taut and that new signs, used primarily for identification of the site, have been

• placed on each of four sides of the site. (Paragraph 20)

c. The inspector noted that the licensee had received approval on July 10, 1978 to backfill- the four plutonium and uranium s retention ponds which had been cleaned, sampled,and analyzed.

Licensee personnel stated that they plan to complete the work in time to seed and establish a grass covering this fall.

(Paragraphs 2 and 12)

d. The inspector stated that no items of noncompliance or deviations were identified. .

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