Information Notice 1998-01, Thefts of Portable Gauges
| ML031050305 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: |  |
| Issue date: | 01/15/1998 |
| From: | Cool D 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
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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:
"Portable Moisture-Density Gauge User Responsibilities during Field
Operations," March 10, 1993.
"Lost or Stolen Gauges,' February 2, 1988.
"Portable Moisture/Density: Recent Incidents of Portable Gauges Being
Stolen or Lost," October 29, 1987.
"Portable Moisture/Density Gauges: Recent Incidents and Common
Violations of Requirements for Use, Transportation, and Storage,"
August 15, 1987.
"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
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:
'Portable Moisture-Density Gauge User Responsibilities during Field
Operations," March 10, 1993.
6Lost or Stolen Gauges," February 2, 1988.
'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
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DATE
11121/97
11/ 28 /97 *
19/08/97 *
12/ 05/97 *
01107/98
OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
IN 97-##
November##, 1997 Related Generic Communications:
"Portable Moisture-Density Gauge User Responsibilities during Field
Operations," March 10, 1993.
"Lost or Stolen Gauges,' February 2, 1988.
"Portable Moisture/Density: Recent Incidents of Portable Gauges Being
Stolen or Lost,' October 29, 1987.
1/
"Portable Moisture/Density Gauges: Recent Incidents and Common
Violations of Requirements for Use, Transportation, and Storage,"
August 15, 1987.
/
"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
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3- 1
2.-
List
Recently Issued NRC Information Notices
DOUMNT NAME: G:%974#ASK 33*
see previous concurrence
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OFFICE/' IMAB
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