IR 05000223/1986002

Insp Rept 50-223/86-02 on 860723.No Violations Noted.Major Areas Inspected:Radiation Protection Program,Including Previously Identified Items,External Exposure Controls & Effluent & Environ Monitoring

ML20206P251
Person / Time
Site:	University of Lowell
Issue date:	08/19/1986
From:	Cioffi J, Shanbaky M NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I)
To:
Shared Package
ML20206P238	List: IR 05000223/1986002 ML20206P233
References
50-223-86-02, 50-223-86-2, NUDOCS 8608270140
Download: ML20206P251 (4)

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U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

REGION I

Report No. 86-02 Docket No. 50-223

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License No. R-125 Category F i Licensee: University of Lowell ATTN: Dr. Leon E. Beghian Vice President for Academic Services and Technical Research I . 1 University Avenue

! Lowell, Massachusetts 01854

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Facility Name: Lowell University Reseach Reactor

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Inspection At: Lowell, Massachusetts

't Inspection Ccnducted: July 23, 1986

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4 Inspectors:

Jea.i A. Cioffi (/

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ej ob & 8 '19 - FL, date Raciation Specialist, FRPS Approved by: M wish M. M. Shan5aky,~ Chief, F 4 11 ties fi/9ff[

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Radiation Protection Section Inspection Summary: Inspection conducted on July 23, 1986 (Report No. 50-223/

86-02 .

Areas Inspected

Routine, unannounced inspection of the radiation protection program, including: status of previously identified items, implementation of the radiation protection program, external exposure controls, and effluent and environmental monitoring.

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Results: No violations were identified in this review.

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PDR gygg 860820

, G860827o34l050 00223 PDR l

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DETAILS 1, Personnel Contacted

• K. Skrable, Professor of Radiological Sciences and Chairman of Radiation Safety Committee B. Neault, Chief Reactor Operator

• Jo, Health Physics Technician

• Denotes attendance at exit intervie . Purpose

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The purpose of this routine health physics inspection was to review

, selected elements of the radiation protection program including:

- Status of Previously Identified Items;

- Implementation of the Radiation Protection Program;

- External Exposure Controls;

- Effluent and Environmental Monitoring . Status of Previously Identified Items 3.1 (Closed)-85-02-01 (Inspector Follow-up). Licensee to ensure that legible gaseous effluent records are obtiined from the effluent monitor strip chart recorder. The licensee has replaced the old strip i chart recorder with a new multipoint strip chart recorder for stack gas monitoring. The new recorder provides a clear, legible record of gaseous releases. This item is close .2 (Closed) 85-02-02 (Inspector Follow-up). Licensee to calibrate self-reading dosimeters. The licensee now calibrates his self-reading dosimeters semi-annually with a 6 millicurie Cesium-137 source in the appropriate geometry to ensure reproducibility. This item is close .3 (Closed) 85-02-03 (Inspector Follow-up). Licensee to provide monthly summaries of the gaseous releases in the annual repor '

The 1985 Annual Operating Report contained monthly summaries of l gaseous releases for the reporting period. This item is close . Implementation of the Radiation Protection Program The licensee's program for controlling radioactive materials and contamination, providing surveillance and monitoring, and establishing and maintaining administrative radiological work controls was revie.wed relative to criteria in:

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- 10 CFR 19.11, 19.12, 20.201, 20.203 and 20.401; l

- Technical Specificetions 4.3, " Radiation Manitoring Equipment"; 6.3,

" Operating Procedures"; and 6.7, " Plant Operating Records".

The licensee's performance relative to these criteria was determined by:

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tour of the reactor building and auxiliary facilities on i

July 23, 1986;

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review of licensee's access controls into the reactor building

! and control over work activities;

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review of the following monitor calibration and maintenance

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procedures:

- S P. IA, " Calibration of G.E. Radiation Monitoring System"

- S.P. 1, " Calibration of the Radiation Monitoring System"

- S.P. 4, " Emergency Exhaust System Checkout"

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- S.P. 5, " Particulate Panetration of Absolute Filtering System"

- S.P. 6, " Penetration of Activated Charcoal Filter Systera"

- review of the calibration of survey meters, and survey records; and

- discussions with licenses personne Within the scopa of this review, no violations were identifie In general, the licensee was implementing radiological controls in accordance with regulatory requirements. .However, during the tour, the inspector

' observed that the calibration stickers on the two stack monitors were out of date. Licensee personnel were unable to verify that the monitors had

, been calibrated. Furthermore, all effluent monitor calibration records l were unavailable during the inspection, because the cognizant individual was absent. Since calibration of these monitors is required semi-annually by technical specifications, this item will remain unresolved, pending further review by the NRC (86-02-01).

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5. External Exposure Control

The licensee's external exposure control program was reviewed against i criteria provided in:

l - 10 CFR 20.101, 20.102, 20.104, 20.105, 20.201, 20.202,'20.203 and

! 20.401.

i The licensee's performance related to the above criteria was determined by:

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- review of dosimetry records for 1985 and 1986; and

- discussions with licensee personnel.

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Within the sccpe of this review, no violations were identified. The

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licensee uses Landauer film badges as dosimetry of record for all

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radiation workers. Self-reading dosimeters are used to monitor daily exposures and for visitors to the facility. The inspector noted that exposures were generally below oetectable limits.

6. Efficent and Environmental Monitoring The licensee's program for monitoring releases from the facility was reviewed against criteria contained in:

- 10 CFR 20.106, "Raatoactivity in effluents to unrestricted areas";

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- Technical Specification 3.7, " Gaseous Effluents";

- Technical Specification 6.6, " Reporting Requirements".

! The licensee's performance related to the above criteria was determined by:

- examination of environmental air sampling station on the roof of the Ball

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building and laboratory facilities;

, - review of environmental dosir,atry (film badge) records for 1984, 1985, and part of 1986;

- review of liquid waste batch releases for 1985;

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review of the 1985 Annual Operating Report; and

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- discussions with licensee personne Within the scope of this review, no violations were identif'ied. The licensee maintained a well equipped laboratory for analysis of environmental air and water samples, and for liquid releases from the hold-up tan Records of all releases were complete. No anomalies in '

I the data were identifie . Unresolved Item

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Unresolved items are matters about which more information is required in order to ascertain whether they are acceptable items, items of noncompliance, or deviations. An unresolved item disclosed during this inspection is discussed in Paragraph 4.

j 8. Exit Interview i

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The inspector met with the licensee's representatives (denoted in

Paragraph 1) at the conclusion of the inspection on July 23, 1986. The

inspector summarized the purpose and scope of the inspection and ( findings as described in this report.

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