Protecting People and the EnvironmentUNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
SSINS NO.: 6835
IN 85-01
UNITED STATES
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555
January 10, 1985
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.
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, to preclude a similar problem occurring at
their facilities. However, suggestions contained in this information notice
do not constitute NRC requirements; therefore, no specific action or written
response is required.
Description of Circumstances:
Some large irradiators operate 24 hours 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 irradiators 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.
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IN 85-01
January 10, 1985
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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. Nelson Grace, Director
Division of Quality Assurance,
Safeguards, and Inspection Programs
Office of Inspection and Enforcement
Technical Contact: J. Hickey, NMSS
(301) 427-4203
J. Metzger, IE
(301) 492-4947
Attachment:
List of Recently Issued IE Information Notices
