Information Notice 1998-01, Thefts of Portable Gauges
| ML031050305 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: |  |
| Issue date: | 01/15/1998 |
| From: | Cool D A NRC/NMSS/IMNS |
| To: | |
| References | |
| IN-98-001, NUDOCS 9801090236 | |
| Download: ML031050305 (7) | |
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY
COMMISSION
OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY AND SAFEGUARDS
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 January 15, 1998 NRC INFORMATION
NOTICE 98-01: THEFTS OF PORTABLE GAUGES
Addressees
All portable gauge licensees.
Purpose
- The Nuclear Regulatory
Commission
is issuing this information
notice to share some recent incidents
of thefts of portable gauges with addressees
and to remind licensees
of their responsibilities
to prevent loss and damage to portable gauges. It is expected that recipients
will review this information
for applicability
to their licensed activities
and consider actions, as appropriate, to avoid similar problems.
However, suggestions
contained
in this information
notice are not NRC requirements;
therefore
no specific action nor written response is required.Description
of Circumstances:
In the year and a half from February 1996 through August 1997, a total of 33 thefts of portable gauges were reported by NRC and Agreement
State licensees.
In almost all of these cases, the licensee complied with regulatory
requirements
by securing stored, licensed material from unauthorized
removal or access.Twenty-one
of the thefts involved devices stored in vehicles (e.g., parked in shopping areas during the day, at gauge user residences
overnight)
and 12 thefts were from storage facilities (e.g., trailers at job sites, storage sheds). In three of the thefts, vehicles with the devices in them were stolen (one with the ignition key left in the vehicle).
Out of the 21 thefts from vehicles, only one licensee appears to have not followed expected security requirements.
Out of the 12 thefts from storage facilities, only one licensee appears to have not followed expected security requirements.
Some representative
examples of such thefts of portable gauges follow.Case 1: A portable gauge was stolen from a vehicle parked at a private residence.
The gauge was last accounted
for during the evening, when it was located within a locked pickup truck.The gauge's source rod was locked in a shielded position and the entire gauge was in a locked transportation
case chained to the truck bed. The gauge was identified
as missing early the next moming. The truck had been broken open and the chain locking the gauge's transportation
case to the truck was cut to access the portable gauge. The licensee reported the theft to the local media, the State, and NRC.Case 2: A portable gauge was stolen from the back of a pickup truck at a stop while enroute back to the office. The gauge user was returning
to the office after completing
work at a job 8J1 OTY P9 j IE ri 9OOI c80115 > cio
- 4'- 98-01 January 15, 1998 site. The source rod was locked in its shielded position and the gauge was locked in its transport
case. The transport
case was chained and locked to the bed of the pickup truck.When the gauge user returned to the truck, the cap of the truck was unlocked and the gauge, transport
case, chains, and locks were missing. The licensee notified NRC and local police, who informed the media. The licensee also contacted
the gauge manufacturer
and requested that it place this gauge on the manufacturer's "stolen gauge list." Case 3: Two portable gauges were stolen from a temporary
job site over a holiday weekend.The gauges were stored in a locked, metal storage unit. The locks and chains securing the gauges were both cut. Also stolen were other tools and a pickup truck. The local police, NRC and the gauge manufacturers
were notified.
The licensee issued a press release and offered a reward for the return of the gauges. Five days later police recovered
the gauges from the garage of the thief who was arrested later that afternoon.
Case 4: A portable gauge was stolen from a locked storage shed at the licensee's
corporate office. The gauge was in its shipping container
and had been stored in a locked plywood cabinet within the locked storage shed. The licensee plans to move the storage location of its gauges to the basement of its building.Discussion:
Portable gauges are used extensively
by NRC and Agreement
State licensees.
Thefts involving gauges appear to be occurring
more frequently, especially
when gauges are left unattended.
The requirements
for control and security of licensed material are given in 10 CFR 20.1801 and 20.1802. Control and security requirements
may also be found on the NRC license and within Department
of Transportation (DOT) regulations.
NRC licensees
transporting
portable gauges are subject to the regulations
in 10 CFR Part 71.Section 71.5(a) incorporates
certain regulations
(49 CFR 170-189) of the Department
of Transportation (DOT), to which these licensees
are also subject. Licensees
who transport gauges to and from temporary
job sites in private vehicles are shippers acting as private carriers, and as such, must comply with DOT regulations
governing
both shippers and carriers.Title 49 CFR 177.842(d)
requires that packages containing
radioactive
material (i.e., the gauge in its case) must be blocked and braced to prevent the movement of the package during transportation.
For pickup trucks, this requirement
is usually met when the gauge is secured within its case, and the case is secured and locked to the bed of the truck.Licensees
may want to consider taking further precautions
such as concealing
the gauge from view, increasing
surveillance
in high crime areas, and including
a discussion
of this IN in periodic or special gauge user training to heighten awareness
to this growing problem.
~~ 4 98-01 January 15, 1998 Related Generic Communications:
IN 93-18, "Portable
Moisture-Density
Gauge User Responsibilities
during Field Operations," March 10, 1993.IN 88-02, "Lost or Stolen Gauges,' February 2, 1988.IN 87-55 "Portable
Moisture/Density:
Recent Incidents
of Portable Gauges Being Stolen or Lost," October 29, 1987.IN 86-67, "Portable
Moisture/Density
Gauges: Recent Incidents
and Common Violations
of Requirements
for Use, Transportation, and Storage," August 15, 1987.IN 84-26, "Recent Serious Violations
of NRC Requirements
by Moisture Density Gauge Licensees," April 16, 1984.This information
notice requires no specific action nor written response.
If you have any questions
about the information
in this notice, please contact the technical
contact listed below or the appropriate
regional office.Donald A. Cool, Director Division of Industrial
and Medical Nuclear Safety Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards
Technical
Contact: Anthony S. Kirkwood, NMSS (301) 415-6140 E-mail: ask@nrc.gov
Attachments:
1. List of Recently Issued NMSS Information
Notices 2. List of Recently Issued NRC Information
Noti s A4Jrsue4 pk Ac/
Achment 1 IN 98-01 January 15, 1998 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED NMSS INFORMATION
NOTICES Information
Date of Notice No. Subject Issuance Issued to 97-91 Recent Failures of Control 12/31197 All industrial
radiography
Cables Used on Amersham Model 660 Posilock Radiography
Systems licensees 97-89 97-87 97-86 97-75 Distribution
of Sources and Devices Without Authorization
Second Retrofit to Industrial
Nuclear Company IR100 Radiography
Camera, to Correct Inconsistency
in 10 CFR Part 34 Compatibility
Additional
Controls for Transport of the Amersham Model No. 660 Series Radiographic
Exposure Devices Enforcement
Sanctions
Issued as a Result of Deliberate
Violations
of NRC Requirements
Potential
for Failure of the Omega Series Sprinkler
Heads Failures of High-Dose-
Rate Remote Afterloading
Device Source Guide Tubes, Catheters, and Applicators
Potential
Problems Associated
with Loss of Electrical
Power in Certain Teletherapy
Units 12/29/97 12/12197 12/12/97 09/24/97 09/22/97 08/15/97 08/13/97 All sealed source and device manufacturers
and distributors
All industrial
radiography
licensees Registered
users of the Model No. 660 series packages, and Nuclear Regulatory
Commission
industrial
radiography
licensees All U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission
licensees All holders of OLs or CPs for nuclear power reactors and fuel cycle facilities
All high-dose-rate
remote afterloader
licensees All U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission
medical tele-therapy licensees 97-72 97-65 97-64 t-4 tachment 2 IN 98-01 January 15, 1998 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED NRC INFORMATION
NOTICES Information
Date of Notice No. Subject Issuance Issued to 97-90 97-89 97-88 97-87 Use of Nonconservative
Acceptance
Criteria in Safety-Related
Pump Surveillance
Tests Distribution
of Sources and Devices Without Authorization
Experiences
During Recent Steam Generator
Inspections
Second Retrofit to Industrial
Nuclear Company IR 100 Radiography
Camera, to Correct Inconsistency
in 10 CFR Part 34 Compatibility
Additional
Controls for Transport
of the Amersham Model No. 660 Series Radiographic
Exposure Devices Effects of Crud Buildup and Boron Deposition
on Power Distribution
and Shutdown Margin 12/30/97 12/29/97 12/16/97 12/12/97 12/12/97 12/11/97 All holders of OLs for nuclear power reactors except those who have ceased operations
and have certified
that fuel has been permanently
removed from the vessel All sealed source and device manufacturers
and distributors
All holders of OLs for pressurized- water reactors except those who have permanently
ceased operations
and have certified
that fuel has been permanently
removed from the reactor All industrial
radiography
licensees Registered
users of the Model No. 660 series packages, and Nuclear Regulatory
Commission
industrial
radiography
licensees All holders of OLs for pressurized- water reactors,'except
those licensees
who have permanently
ceased operations
and have certified
that the fuel has been permanently
removed from the reactor vessel 97-86 97-85 OL = Operating
License CP = Construction
Permit
e S IN 98-01 January 15, 1998 Related Generic Communications:
IN 93-18, 'Portable
Moisture-Density
Gauge User Responsibilities
during Field Operations," March 10, 1993.IN 88-02, 6Lost or Stolen Gauges," February 2, 1988.IN 87-55 'Portable
Moisture/Density:
Recent Incidents
of Portable Gauges Being Stolen or Lost," October 29, 1987.IN 86-67, uPortable
Moisture/Density
Gauges: Recent Incidents
and Common Violations
of Requirements
for Use, Transportation, and Storage," August 15, 1987.IN 84-26, uRecent Serious Violations
of NRC Requirements
by Moisture Density Gauge Licensees,'
April 16, 1984.This information
notice requires no specific action nor written response.
If you have any questions
about the information
in this notice, please contact the technical
contact listed below or the appropriate
regional office.Donald A. Cool, Director Division of Industrial
and Medical Nuclear Safety Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards
Technical
Contact: Anthony S. Kirkwood, NMSS (301) 415-6140 E-mail: ask@nrc.gov
Attachments:
1. List of Recently Issued NMSS Information
Notices 2. List of Recently Issued NRC Information
Notices DOCUMENT NAME: G:98-##.ASK
- see previous concurrence
To receive a copy of this document, hIdicate In the box: -C" = Copy wfthou attachmentlenclosure
'F = Copy with attachmentfendosure
AN"
- No copy OFFICE IMAB E IMAB L Tech Editor IN IMOB UIMN I NAME AKirkwood:ask
LCamper EKraus JPiccone I DC26LLL DATE 11121/97 11/ 28 /97
- 19/08/97
- 12/ 05/97
- 01107/98 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
IN 97-##November##, 1997 Related Generic Communications:
IN 93-18, "Portable
Moisture-Density
Gauge User Responsibilities
during Field Operations," March 10, 1993.IN 88-02, "Lost or Stolen Gauges,' February 2, 1988.IN 87-55 "Portable
Moisture/Density:
Recent Incidents
of Portable Gauges Being Stolen or Lost,' October 29, 1987. 1/IN 86-67, "Portable
Moisture/Density
Gauges: Recent Incidents
and Common Violations
of Requirements
for Use, Transportation, and Storage," August 15, 1987. /IN 84-26, "Recent Serious Violations
of NRC Requirements
by Moisture Density Gauge Licensees," April 16, 1984.This information
notice requires no specific action nor written response.
If you have any questions
about the information
in this notice, please contact the technical
contact listed below or the appropriate
regional office.Donald A. Cool, Director Division of Industrial
and Medical Nuclear Safety Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards
Technical
Contact: Anthony S. Kirkwood, NMSS (3 1)415-6140-mail: ask@nrc.gov
Attachments:
1. List of ecently Issued NMSS Information
Notices 4 &' 3- 1 2.- List Recently Issued NRC Information
Notices DOUMNT NAME: G:%974#ASK
33* see previous concurrence
To recive a copy aof lhis document Indicate In the boAC c -Copv wtou attachmentoendoeure "E" -Coov wfih hachhment/endosure "N" *No ov OFFICE/' IMAB E IMA Tech Editor N P)IMNS NAIUEEAKirkwoo&:ask
LCat*s I -EKraus Ic drie DCool DATE II/-LI /97 1 1/4l 197 9/08/97
- S /97 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY l 71vi,