Protecting People and the EnvironmentUNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
SSINS No 6835
IN 86-31
UNITED STATES
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT
WASHINGTON, DC 20555
May 5, 1986
Information Notice No. NO 86-31: UNAUTHORIZED TRANSFER AND LOSS OF CONTROL
OF INDUSTRIAL NUCLEAR GAUGES
Addressees:
All NRC licensees authorized to possess and use industrial nuclear gauges
Purpose:
This notice is provided to alert recipients of a potentially significant
problem involving nuclear gauges It is expected that recipients will review
the information for applicability to their facilities and consider actions,
if appropriate, to preclude a similar problem from occurring at their
facilities Primarily this concerns authorized transfer of licensed material
[10 CFR 3041(a) and (b)] and notification to the NRC when licensed
activities are discontinued [10 CFR 3036(b)] However, suggestions
contained in this information notice do not constitute NRC requirements;
therefore, no specific action or written response is required
Description of Circumstances:
It was determined during recent NRC inspections that some licensees
authorized to use industrial nuclear gauges containing sealed radioactive
sources were discontinuing operations without taking adequate provisions for
transfer of the gauges The licensees also had failed to notify the NRC of
their intent to discontinue operations, thus denying the NRC the opportunity
of inspecting the closeout procedures
A recent inspection at one licensee's facility demonstrated how the failure
to properly transfer and to properly notify the NRC resulted in the loss of
control of a nuclear gauge that contained a significant quantity of
cobalt-60 The plant and all its equipment, including the gauge, was sold in
1981 to a non-licensee Some time later, the non-licensee ceased operations
and sold the plant and equipment to a salvage company In late 1984,
employees of the salvage companys unaware that the gauge contained a
radioactive source, used a cutting torch on the gauge in an attempt to
salvage some of the metal on the device Fortunately, the sealed source
itself was not damaged However, the shutter mechanism was damaged such that
radiation levels at the open port of the gauge caused an employee to receive
a significant radiation exposure
8605020019
IN 86-31
May 5, 1986
Page 2 of 2
DISCUSSION:
Licensees authorized to possess and use sealed sources in industrial nuclear
gauges should be aware of their responsibilities to maintain compliance with
10 CFR 3041(a) and (b) and 10 CFR 3036(b) The licensee is required by 10
CFR 3041(a) and (b) to transfer byproduct material to persons and agencies
described in that section 10 CFR 3036(b) requires each licensee to notify
the NRC immediately in writing and request termination of the license when
the licensee decides to terminate activities involving materials authorized
under the license
No specific action or written response is required by this information
notice If you have any questions about this matter, please contact the
Regional Administrator of the appropriate NRC regional office or this
office
James G Partlow, Director
Division of Inspection Programs
Office of Inspection and Enforcement
Technical Contact: J R Metzger, IE
(301) 492-4947
Attachment: List of Recently Issued IE Information Notices
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