Information Notice 1998-01, Thefts of Portable Gauges

Thefts of Portable Gauges

ML031050305
Person / Time
Site:
Issue date:	01/15/1998
Revision:	0
From:	Cool D A NRC/NMSS/IMNS
To:
References
IN-98-001, NUDOCS 9801090236
Download: ML031050305 (7)

UNITED STATESNUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSIONOFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY AND SAFEGUARDSWASHINGTON, D.C. 20555January 15, 1998NRC 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 recentincidents of thefts of portable gauges with addressees and to remind licensees of theirresponsibilities to prevent loss and damage to portable gauges. It is expected that recipientswill review this information for applicability to their licensed activities and consider actions, asappropriate, to avoid similar problems. However, suggestions contained in this informationnotice 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 portablegauges 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 fromunauthorized removal or access.Twenty-one of the thefts involved devices stored in vehicles (e.g., parked in shopping areasduring 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 inthem were stolen (one with the ignition key left in the vehicle). Out of the 21 thefts fromvehicles, only one licensee appears to have not followed expected security requirements. Outof the 12 thefts from storage facilities, only one licensee appears to have not followed expectedsecurity 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 gaugewas 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 lockedtransportation case chained to the truck bed. The gauge was identified as missing early thenext moming. The truck had been broken open and the chain locking the gauge'stransportation case to the truck was cut to access the portable gauge. The licensee reportedthe 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 enrouteback to the office. The gauge user was returning to the office after completing work at a job8J1 OTY P9 j IE ri 9OOI c80115 > cio

4'- 98-01January 15, 1998 site. The source rod was locked in its shielded position and the gauge was locked in itstransport 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 requestedthat 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 thegauges were both cut. Also stolen were other tools and a pickup truck. The local police, NRCand the gauge manufacturers were notified. The licensee issued a press release and offered areward for the return of the gauges. Five days later police recovered the gauges from thegarage 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 corporateoffice. The gauge was in its shipping container and had been stored in a locked plywoodcabinet within the locked storage shed. The licensee plans to move the storage location of itsgauges to the basement of its building.Discussion:Portable gauges are used extensively by NRC and Agreement State licensees. Thefts involvinggauges 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 and20.1802. Control and security requirements may also be found on the NRC license and withinDepartment 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 ofTransportation (DOT), to which these licensees are also subject. Licensees who transportgauges to and from temporary job sites in private vehicles are shippers acting as privatecarriers, 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 gaugein its case) must be blocked and braced to prevent the movement of the package duringtransportation. For pickup trucks, this requirement is usually met when the gauge is securedwithin 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 fromview, increasing surveillance in high crime areas, and including a discussion of this IN inperiodic or special gauge user training to heighten awareness to this growing proble ~~ 4 98-01January 15, 1998 Related Generic Communications:IN 93-18, "Portable Moisture-Density Gauge User Responsibilities during FieldOperations," March 10, 1993.IN 88-02, "Lost or Stolen Gauges,' February 2, 1988.IN 87-55 "Portable Moisture/Density: Recent Incidents of Portable Gauges BeingStolen or Lost," October 29, 1987.IN 86-67, "Portable Moisture/Density Gauges: Recent Incidents and CommonViolations of Requirements for Use, Transportation, and Storage,"August 15, 1987.IN 84-26, "Recent Serious Violations of NRC Requirements by Moisture DensityGauge Licensees," April 16, 1984.This information notice requires no specific action nor written response. If you have anyquestions about the information in this notice, please contact the technical contact listed belowor the appropriate regional office.Donald A. Cool, DirectorDivision of Industrial andMedical Nuclear SafetyOffice of Nuclear Material Safetyand Safeguards

Technical Contact:

Anthony S. Kirkwood, NMSS(301) 415-6140E-mail: ask@nrc.gov

Attachments:

1. List of Recently Issued NMSS Information Notices2. List of Recently Issued NRC Information Noti sA4Jrsue4 pk Ac/

Achment 1IN 98-01January 15, 1998 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUEDNMSS INFORMATION NOTICESInformation Date ofNotice No. Subject Issuance Issued to97-91 Recent Failures of Control 12/31197 All industrial radiographyCables Used on AmershamModel 660 Posilock RadiographySystemslicensees97-8997-8797-8697-75Distribution of Sources andDevices Without AuthorizationSecond Retrofit to IndustrialNuclear Company IR100Radiography Camera, toCorrect Inconsistency in10 CFR Part 34 CompatibilityAdditional Controls for Transportof the Amersham Model No. 660Series Radiographic ExposureDevicesEnforcement Sanctions Issuedas a Result of DeliberateViolations of NRC RequirementsPotential for Failureof the Omega SeriesSprinkler HeadsFailures of High-Dose-Rate Remote AfterloadingDevice Source Guide Tubes,Catheters, and ApplicatorsPotential ProblemsAssociated with Lossof Electrical Powerin Certain TeletherapyUnits12/29/9712/1219712/12/9709/24/9709/22/9708/15/9708/13/97All sealed source and devicemanufacturers and distributorsAll industrial radiographylicenseesRegistered users of the ModelNo. 660 series packages, andNuclear Regulatory Commissionindustrial radiography licenseesAll U.S. Nuclear RegulatoryCommission licenseesAll holders of OLs or CPsfor nuclear power reactorsand fuel cycle facilitiesAll high-dose-rate remoteafterloader licenseesAll U.S. Nuclear RegulatoryCommission medical tele-therapy licensees97-7297-6597-64 t-4tachment 2IN 98-01January 15, 1998 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUEDNRC INFORMATION NOTICESInformation Date ofNotice No. Subject Issuance Issued to97-9097-8997-8897-87Use of NonconservativeAcceptance Criteria inSafety-Related PumpSurveillance TestsDistribution of Sources andDevices Without AuthorizationExperiences During RecentSteam Generator InspectionsSecond Retrofit toIndustrial Nuclear CompanyIR 100 Radiography Camera,to Correct Inconsistency in10 CFR Part 34 CompatibilityAdditional Controls forTransport of the AmershamModel No. 660 SeriesRadiographic Exposure DevicesEffects of Crud Buildupand Boron Deposition onPower Distribution andShutdown Margin12/30/9712/29/9712/16/9712/12/9712/12/9712/11/97All holders of OLs for nuclearpower reactors except thosewho have ceased operationsand have certified that fuel hasbeen permanently removed fromthe vesselAll sealed source and devicemanufacturers and distributorsAll holders of OLs for pressurized-water reactors except those whohave permanently ceasedoperations and have certified thatfuel has been permanentlyremoved from the reactorAll industrial radiographylicenseesRegistered users of the ModelNo. 660 series packages, andNuclear Regulatory Commissionindustrial radiography licenseesAll holders of OLs for pressurized-water reactors,'except thoselicensees who have permanentlyceased operations and havecertified that the fuel has beenpermanently removed from thereactor vessel97-8697-85OL = Operating LicenseCP = Construction Permit e SIN 98-01January 15, 1998 Related Generic Communications:IN 93-18, 'Portable Moisture-Density Gauge User Responsibilities during FieldOperations," March 10, 1993.IN 88-02, 6Lost or Stolen Gauges," February 2, 1988.IN 87-55 'Portable Moisture/Density: Recent Incidents of Portable Gauges BeingStolen or Lost," October 29, 1987.IN 86-67, uPortable Moisture/Density Gauges: Recent Incidents and CommonViolations of Requirements for Use, Transportation, and Storage,"August 15, 1987.IN 84-26, uRecent Serious Violations of NRC Requirements by Moisture DensityGauge Licensees,' April 16, 1984.This information notice requires no specific action nor written response. If you have anyquestions about the information in this notice, please contact the technical contact listed belowor the appropriate regional office.Donald A. Cool, DirectorDivision of Industrial andMedical Nuclear SafetyOffice of Nuclear Material Safetyand Safeguards

Technical Contact:

Anthony S. Kirkwood, NMSS(301) 415-6140E-mail: ask@nrc.gov

Attachments:

1. List of Recently Issued NMSS Information Notices2. List of Recently Issued NRC Information NoticesDOCUMENT NAME: G:98-##.ASK

• see previous concurrenceTo receive a copy of this document, hIdicate In the box: -C" = Copy wfthou attachmentlenclosure 'F = Copy with attachmentfendosure AN"

• No copyOFFICE IMAB E IMAB L Tech Editor IN IMOB UIMN INAME AKirkwood:ask LCamper EKraus JPiccone I DC26LLLDATE 11121/97 11/ 28 /97

• 19/08/97

• 12/ 05/97

• 01107/98OFFICIAL RECORD COPY IN 97-##November##, 1997 Related Generic Communications:IN 93-18, "Portable Moisture-Density Gauge User Responsibilities during FieldOperations," March 10, 1993.IN 88-02, "Lost or Stolen Gauges,' February 2, 1988.IN 87-55 "Portable Moisture/Density: Recent Incidents of Portable Gauges BeingStolen or Lost,' October 29, 1987. 1/IN 86-67, "Portable Moisture/Density Gauges: Recent Incidents and CommonViolations of Requirements for Use, Transportation, and Storage,"August 15, 1987. /IN 84-26, "Recent Serious Violations of NRC Requirements by Moisture DensityGauge Licensees," April 16, 1984.This information notice requires no specific action nor written response. If you have anyquestions about the information in this notice, please contact the technical contact listed belowor the appropriate regional office.Donald A. Cool, DirectorDivision of Industrial andMedical Nuclear SafetyOffice of Nuclear Material Safetyand 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- 12.- List Recently Issued NRC Information NoticesDOUMNT NAME: G:%974#ASK 33* see previous concurrenceTo recive a copy aof lhis document Indicate In the boAC c -Copv wtou attachmentoendoeure "E" -Coov wfih hachhment/endosure "N" *No ovOFFICE/' IMAB E IMA Tech Editor N P)IMNSNAIUEEAKirkwoo&:ask LCat*s I -EKraus Ic drie DCoolDATE II/-LI /97 1 1/4l 197 9/08/97

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