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NRC NEWS
U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, REGION IV
611 Ryan Plaza Drive - Suite 400
Arlington, Texas 76011-8064 |
| CONTACT: |
Breck Henderson (817) 860-8128 |
RIV: 96-41 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Breck Henderson June 17, 1996
OFFICE: 817/860-8128
PAGER: (800) 443-7243 (065477)
NRC PROPOSES TO FINE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA
$2,500 FOR LEAVING RADIOACTIVE DRUGS UNATTENDED
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has proposed a $2,500
civil penalty against the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences
Center in Oklahoma City for violation of NRC requirements
governing the security of radioactive materials.
An NRC inspector last September saw a delivery driver leave
radioactive drugs unattended in an unlocked vehicle. Later NRC
investigation found that similar actions had happened at other
times.
NRC rules require that licensed radioactive materials be
tightly controlled and under constant surveillance when the
public could have access to them. The violation has been rated
severity level III in the NRC's four-level system. Severity
level I is the most serious.
NRC Regional Administrator L. Joe Callan said in a letter to
University of Oklahoma provost Dr. Joseph J. Ferretti: "Although
the incident in question resulted in material being left
unattended for only a brief period of time, the NRC's inspection
and investigation found that the involved driver made a decision
to leave the material unattended despite being aware of
requirements to secure such material, and that he left material
unattended on other occasions, including deliveries performed
earlier on the same day."
"As an NRC licensee, you are responsible for ensuring that
licensed material is protected from loss into the public domain,
where it could be subject to theft or tampering," Mr. Callan
warned.
As corrective action, the University issued verbal and
written reprimands to the driver involved and instructed all
drivers in the requirements and methods to secure radioactive
material. Also, all users of radioactive materials were reminded
through a campus newsletter of the significance of failing to
keep the materials secure.
The University must respond to the Notice of Violation in
writing within 30 days. The response must document specific
actions taken to prevent recurrence of the incident. During this
time the University may pay the fine or file a protest.
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