NRC: News Release - Region III - 2003-037 - NRC Proposes $12,000 Fine Against St. Louis Firm

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NRC NEWS
U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Office of Public Affairs, Region III
801 Warrenville Road, Lisle IL 60532
www.nrc.gov

No. III-03-037		April 28, 2003
CONTACT:	Jan Strasma (630) 829-9663 Viktoria Mitlyng (630) 829-9662	E-mail: opa3@nrc.gov
NRC PROPOSES $12,000 FINE AGAINST ST. LOUIS FIRM Printable Version
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff has proposed a $12,000 fine against American Radiolabeled Chemicals, St. Louis, Missouri, for deliberate violations in the oversight and implementation of its radiation protection program. The company manufactures chemicals with radioactive tracers which are primarily used for research. In March and April of last year, NRC inspectors conducted a review of the implementation of the company’s radiation protection program which included inspection of the company’s facilities and equipment, contamination control and exposure monitoring measures, radioactive waste and gaseous effluents management, as well as the management of public dose measurements and controls. The NRC staff identified three potentially deliberate violations of NRC requirements: (1) failure to make surveys to assure compliance with NRC regulations limiting radiation exposures to the public; (2) failure to perform required weekly surveys of removable contamination in the restricted and unrestricted work areas; and (3) failure to accurately record the rate of flow in exhaust fans in the company’s work areas. The NRC’s Office of Investigations subsequently determined that the company had deliberately failed to meet these NRC requirements. In notifying the company of the proposed fine, NRC Regional Administrator Jim Dyer said, “Because the violations were deliberate and had potential safety consequences, the NRC considers these violations a significant regulatory concern. It is essential that the NRC be able to maintain the highest trust and confidence that licensees and their employees will act with integrity and abide by requirements to protect the health and safety of workers and members of the public.” The amount of the fine was based on the company’s inadequate oversight of the radiation safety program and on the deliberateness of the violations. The company has 30 days from the receipt of the Notice of Violation to either pay the fine or to protest it. If the fine is protested and subsequently imposed by the NRC staff, the company may request hearing. The letter to the company is available from the Region III Office of Public Affairs or online at: http://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/regulatory/enforcement/current.html.