Information Notice 1985-01, Continuous Supervision of Irradiators

Continuous Supervision of Irradiators

ML031180752
Person / Time
Site:	Beaver Valley, Millstone, Hatch, 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, 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, 05000000, 05000262, Zimmer, Fort Saint Vrain, Shoreham, Satsop, Trojan, Atlantic Nuclear Power Plant, Skagit, Marble Hill, Crane
Issue date:	01/10/1985
From:	Grace J NRC/OE
To:
References
IN-85-001, NUDOCS 8501070401
Download: ML031180752 (3)

SSINS NO.: 6835 IN 85-01 UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 January 10, 1985 IE INFORMATION NOTICE NO. 85-01: CONTINUOUS SUPERVISION OF IRRADIATORS

Addressees

All licensees possessing irradiators that are not self-shielded and contain

more than 10,000 curies of radioactive material.

Purpose

This information notice is provided to alert recipients of a potential safety

hazard and violation of NRC license requirements which can arise if licensees

do not provide continuous supervision of large irradiator operations. "Large"

irradiators are those which contain more than 10,000 curies of radioactive

material and which are not self-shielded. Although proper supervision and

security also is important for smaller irradiators, they are not the subject of

this notice.

It is expected that licensees will review this notice for applicability to

their facilities, if appropriate, ti, preclude a similar problem occurring at

their facilities. However, suggestions contained in this information notice do

not constitute NRC requirements; therefore, nc, specific action or written

response is required.

Description of Circuostances:

Some large irradiators operate 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> per day. Recently a case came to our

attention in which an irradiator was left operating overnight totally unattended.

The irradiator license specifically required the physical presence of a fully

trained supervisor whenever the irradiator was in use. This provision of the

license is consistent with NRC policy and good safety practice that large irra- diators should be continuously attended by a fully trained supervisor except

when the radioactive sources are secured in their safe storage position.

Compliance with that requirement assures that a qualified individual is

immediately available to respond to emergencies or other problems. Note that

10 CFR 20.203(c)(6) requires that large irradiators must be equipped with entry

control devices and alarms to make an individual attempting to enter the

exposure area aware of the hazard and to alert at least one other individual

who is familiar with the irradiator and prepared to render or summon assistance.

The NRC is closely reviewing this matter during inspections and licensing

actions. Most irradiator licenses explicitly state that a trained person must

be physically present whenever the irradiator is being used. The NRC regional

office will contact separately any irradiator licensee whose license may not be

clear with respect to physical presence.

8501070401

IN 85-01 January 10, 1985 No specific action or written response is required by this information notice.

If you have any questions about this matter, please contact the Material

Licensing Branch (301) 427-4203) in NRC Headquarters or the materials licensing

section of your NRC regional office.

J. elson Grace, rector

Division of Quality Assurance, Safeguards, and Inspection Programs

Office of Inspection and Enforcement

Technical Contacts: J. Hickey, NMSS

(301) 427-4203 J. fletzger, IE

(301) 492-4947 Attachment:

List of Recently Issued IE Information Notices

Attachment

IN 85-01 January 10, 1985 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED

IE INFORMATION NOTICES

Information Date of

Notice No. Subject Issue Issued to

84-94 Reconcentration Of Radio- 12/21/84 All NRC materials

nuclides Involving Discharges licensees other than

Into Sanitary Sewage Systems licensees that use

Permitted Under 10 CFR 20.303 sealed sources only

84-93 Potential For Loss Of Water 12/17/84 All power reactor

From The Refueling Cavity facilities holding

an OL or CP

84-92 Cracking of Flywheel on 12/17/84 All power reactor

Cummins Fire Pump Diesel facilities holding

Engines an OL or CP

84-91 Quality Control Problem 12/10/84 All power reactor

Of Meteorological facilities holding

Measurements Problems an OL or CP

84-90 Main Steam Line Break 12/7/84 All pressurized

Effect On Environmental water reactor and

Qualification Of Equipment gas cooled power

facilities holding

an OL or CP

84-89 Stress Corrosion Cracking 12/7/84 All boiling water

In Nonsensitized 316 reactor facilities

Stainless Steel holding an OL or CP

84-88 Standby Gas Treatment 12/3/84 All boiling water

System Problems reactor facilities

holding an OL or CP

84-87 Piping Thermal Deflection 12/3/84 All power reactor

Induced By Stratified Flow facilities holding

an OL or CP

84-86 Isolation Between Signals 11/30/84 All power reactor

Of The Protection System facilities holding

And Non-Safety-Related an OL or CP

Equipment

OL = Operating License

CP = Construction Permit