ML20010D531
| ML20010D531 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Nuclear Energy Institute |
| Issue date: | 01/10/2020 |
| From: | Anderson E Nuclear Energy Institute |
| To: | Steven Garry Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| Garry S | |
| References | |
| RG 8.34, RG 8.38 | |
| Download: ML20010D531 (3) | |
Text
1 Garry, Steven From:
ANDERSON, Ellen <exa@nei.org>
Sent:
Wednesday, August 07, 2019 10:12 AM To:
Garry, Steven Cc:
SCHLUETER, Janet; Hsueh, Kevin
Subject:
[External_Sender] Regulatory Guides 8.34 & 8.38 - Industry Comments for NRC Consideration
- Steve, IndustryrespectfullyrequestsNRCtoconsiderthefollowingcommentswhenperformingthenextreview/revisionto RegulatoryGuides8.34&8.38.Pleasenotethatthesecommentscomefromindustrysexperienceusingtheseguidance documents.Weunderstandthatstakeholderswillhavetheopportunitytocommentonthedraftrevisionstothese guidancedocumentswhentheyaremadeavailabletothepublic.Industryscommentsareasfollows:
RegulatoryGuide8.34Monitoring o IncorporateinformationcontainedinotherNRCguidancedocuments(e.g.HPPOS,Part20Q&As,etc.)
o AdditionalguidanceonwhatNRCexpectsinlicenseesprospectiveevaluations
RegulatoryGuide8.38ControlofHigh&VeryHighRadiationAreasAsstatedinthetitleofthedocumentand discussedintheintroductionsection,thisRegulatoryGuideisforthecontrolofHighRadiationAreasandVeryHigh RadiationareasinNuclearPowerPlants.Tothatend,thesecommentsarefocusedonthataspectofthedocument relativetoindustryimplementation.
o Background BecauseofthecontrolsandprocessesestablishedatNuclearPowerPlants,thefollowingschemehas beenimplementedatallNuclearPowerPlantsintheUnitedStates:
HighRadiationArea(HRA)-Anyarea,accessibletoindividuals,inwhichradiationlevelsfromradiation sourcesexternaltothebodycouldresultinanindividualreceivingadoseequivalentinexcessof0.1 remin1hourat30centimetersfromtheradiationsourceor30centimetersfromanysurfacethatthe radiationpenetrates.
LockedHighRadiationAreas(LHRA)-Anyareaaccessibletoindividualsinwhichdeepdoseequivalent ratesaregreaterthanorequalto1remperhour(butlessthan500radsinonehourat1meter)30 centimetersfromthesourceofradiationorfromanysurfacethattheradiationpenetrates
VeryHighRadiationArea(VHRA)Anarea,accessibletoindividuals,inwhichradiationlevelsfrom radiationsourcesexternaltothebodycouldresultinanindividualreceivinganabsorbeddoseinexcess of500rads(5grays)in1hourat1meterfromaradiationsourceor1meterfromanysurfacethatthe radiationpenetrates
ThesecontrolshavebeenimplementedbyeitherTechnicalSpecificationsorintwoinstances, proceduresapprovedbytheNuclearRegulatoryCommission.Thisformsthebasisforthediscussionand theconcernsthatexistinthecurrentRegulatoryGuide.
o Comments
Comment#1 DefinitionandterminologyintheExistingRegulatoryGuideisleadingtoconfusionduetothe useofonlyHRAsandVHRAs.Werecognizethattwositesdonothavethealternatecontrols
2 specifiedinTechSpecs;thisisdescribedlaterinthedocument.However,thesesitesimplement thepostingschemeasdescribedaboveintheBackgroundsection.
o Proposedsolution:AcknowledgethecurrentpostingschemeusedinNuclearPower PlantsandinImprovedTechnicalSpecifications.
Comment#2 AsdiscussedinSection1.5,PhysicalControls,thedefinitionanddiscussionofUnauthorized Accessneedstobeimproved,specificallythestatementhighlightedinredbelow.Theindustry viewsthisstatementasmisleadingregardingreasonableandunauthorized.Thisisspecifically truewhenclimbingwallsandladdersascreatedbyinstalledplantequipmentand/orindividual riskingphysicalinjury,uptoincludingpotentiallethalbodilyharm.Thisbehavioriscontraryto allsafetyguidanceandtrainingprovidedtoindividualsaccessingthefacilities.Thesesituations continuetobeasignificantissuewithintheindustryandhaveresultedinseveralviolations.The regulatoryguideshouldbeclarifiedtoreviewthistypeofscenario.Assuch,industrybelieves thatifanindividualwouldintentionallyriskphysicalinjury,thanthisshouldbeconsidered beyondthedefinitionofreasonable.
o CurrentDocumentWording:
1.5PhysicalControls Physicalbarriers(suchaschainlinkfencingorfabricatedwalls)maybeusedtoprevent unauthorizedpersonnelaccesstohighandveryhighradiationareas.Barriersusedto controlaccesstohighradiationareasshouldprovidereasonableassurancethatthey securetheareaagainstunauthorizedaccessandcannotbeeasilycircumvented.(That is,anindividualwhoincorrectlyassumes,forwhateverreason,thatheorsheis authorizedtoenterthearea,wouldbeunlikelytodisregardand/orcircumventthe barrier.)
Comment#3 Thestatementregardingadequateheightofabarrier.Withreferencetothemetricsystem,the actualmeasureof6feethasbeenquestioned.Specifically,bydefinition2metersis78.7inches while6feetisactually72inches.Thecurrentwordingintheregulatoryguideindicates approximately6feet.Thecurrentpracticesincethe1990shasbeentousea6footbarrier.An issuethathasbeenquestionedmanytimesiswhatisapproximately6feet?Thereareseveral examplesofwhereviolationshavebeenissuedfora70inchbarrierortheutilitywasrequired tospendresourcestoincreaseabarriertogreaterthan72inches.Theindustryviewisthat underthedefinitionofapproximatelya70inchbarrierwouldbeadequateunderthe definitionofreasonableassuranceasdiscussedabove.
o CurrentDocumentWording:
Afencethatis2meters(approximately6ft)highwouldnormallybeadequatetocontrol accesstoahighradiationareaatanuclearpowerplant.
Comment#4 ThereareinconsistenciesinthewordingbetweenexistingTechSpecs,theRegulatoryGuide andImprovedTechSpecs.Industrysuggestsrealigningthewordingandmovingtoanappendix oftheRegulatoryGuide.
Comment#5 PostingandcontrolsofareassuchasaDrywellandContainment.Theindustrypositionisthat controllingaccesstotheseareasattheaccesspointsprovidesexcellentcontrolsforaccessto theseareas.However,someRPMsdonotbelievethatthismeetstheintentoftheRegulatory
3 Guide.ThissectionoftheRegulatoryGuideneedstoberevisedtoaccountforthesetwo specificareasandthatthecontroloftheseareasattheaccesspointisacceptablerelativeto theregulatoryguidance.Thewordsleadingtoconfusionarehighlightedintheexistingwording below.
CurrentDocumentWording:
Controls(e.g.,lockeddoors,accesscontrol,andposting)forhighradiationareasmaybe establishedatlocationsbeyondtheimmediateboundariesofthehighradiationareasto takeadvantageofnaturalorexistingbarriers.Theuseofonelockeddoor,oronecontrol pointwherepositivecontroloverpersonnelentryisexercised,toestablishcontrolover multiplehighradiationareasisacceptable,providedthatthefollowingconditionsare met:
(1)Theindividualhighradiationareasarebarricadedandpostedseparatelytoidentify theactualareasofconcern.3 (2)Controlpointsareestablishedsufficientlyclosetothehighradiationareasthat adequatesupervisionofaccesstotheareascanbeensured.
(3)Therequiredprotectivemeasuresandotherrequirementsforenteringthehigh radiationareas(e.g.,dosimetry,monitoring)areenforcedatthecontrolpoint.
3Relativelysmallareaswithseveraldiscretehighradiationareas(i.e.,nearseveral valvesorcomponents)donotrequireseparatebarricadesandpostingforeachifthe wholeroom(orarea)isconsideredahighradiationarea.
Wehopethatyoufindtheseindustrycommentshelpfulasyourevisethesetworegulatoryguidance documents.Iwouldbehappytodiscussthesewithyoushouldyoudesiretodoso.
Thankyou!
EllenP.AndersonlDirector,RadiationSafety&InternationalLiaison 1201FStreet,NW,Suite1100lWashington,DC20004 P:202.739.8043M:202.378.8140 nei.org
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