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NRC NEWS
U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, REGION I
475 Allendale Road, King of Prussia, Pa. 19406 | | CONTACT: |
Diane Screnci (610)337-5330/ e-mail: dps@nrc.gov
Neil A. Sheehan (610)337-5331/e-mail: nas@nrc.gov |
or vld@nrc.gov
I-96-23 April 1, 1996
Contact: Diane Screnci FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Victor Dricks
NRC STAFF SUSPENDS RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS LICENSE
OF EASTERN TESTING AND INSPECTION, INC, OF THOROFARE,
NEW JERSEY
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued an order
suspending a license to use radioactive materials held by
Eastern Testing and Inspection, Inc., (ETI) of Thorofare, New
Jersey. The order is effective immediately.
ETI holds two NRC licenses. One authorizes the company
to possess and use iridium-192 and cobalt-60 sealed
radiography sources for use in a radiographic source exposure
device. The license was last renewed on December 16, 1994,
and expires on December 31, 1999. A second license,
authorizing the use of portable gauges, was issued on May 23,
1991, and expires on May 31, 1996.
The order requires that: all NRC-licensed material in
the possession of the company be placed in locked storage,
all activities authorized by the company's NRC license be
suspended, no NRC-licensed material be received while the
order is in effect, and all records related to licensed
activities be maintained in their original form.
An NRC investigation found that ETI deliberately used an
employee, with no prior radiography experience, to perform
radiography one day after he was hired, even though the
individual had not received the required training.
Investigators determined that ETI president, Himat Soni, and
company radiation safety officer Joseph Badiali, deliberately
created inaccurate records certifying that the employee had
been adequately trained and was authorized to perform the
duties of a radiographer.
Further, investigators found that on September 29, 1995,
Himat Soni threatened a former employee with physical harm,
based on the belief that the former employee may have
cooperated with an NRC investigation and/or inspection of
ETI.
In addition, the investigator found that ETI personnel
did not complete utilization records on 97 occasions between
January 1, 1994 and August 31, 1995, in violation of NRC
requirements.
NRC inspections on May 24, July 11 and 13, and August 1,
2 and 23, 1995, found an additional 11 violations of NRC
requirements.
A follow-up NRC inspection on March 14, 1996, concluded
that the licensee deliberately falsified documents of
radiographer examinations and documented other violations.
In the order, James Lieberman, Director, Office of
Enforcement, said, "The actions of the licensee and its
senior officials have raised serious doubt as to whether the
licensee and its employees can be relied upon in the future
to comply with NRC requirements and to maintain complete and
accurate records of licensed activities."
He went on to say he lacked the required reasonable
assurance that the licensee's current operations would be
conducted "in compliance with the Commission's requirements
and that the health and safety of the public, including the
Licensee's employees, will be protected."
The licensee, or any other person adversely affected by
the order, has 20 days to request a hearing.
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