Information Notice No. 88-07: Inadvertent Transfer of Licensed Material to Uncontrolled Locations
UNITED STATES
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY AND SAFEGUARDS
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555
March 7, 1988
Information Notice No. 88-07: INADVERTENT TRANSFER OF LICENSED MATERIAL
TO UNCONTROLLED LOCATIONS
Addressees:
All NRC broad licensees and licensees authorized to possess byproduct material
as sealed sources in teletherapy units or "self-contained" irradiators.
Purpose:
This information notice is being issued to alert licensees of the need to
exercise proper control over radioactive material, and to avoid inadvertent
transfer of licensed material to uncontrolled locations or to unauthorized
recipients. The NRC is particularly concerned about large sources such as
those used in teletherapy units and irradiators. It is expected that
licensees will review this information for applicability to their licensed
activities, distribute the notice to responsible radiation safety staff, and
consider actions, if appropriate, to prevent similar problems from occurring
at their facilities. However, this information notice does not constitute new
NRC requirements, and no written response is required.
Description of Circumstances:
A cesium-137 teletherapy unit in Brazil was abandoned in a building which once
housed a clinic. Someone removed the teletherapy unit for its scrap metal
value. While dismantling the unit, the salvagers ruptured the sealed source
capsule and spread cesium-137 (as cesium chloride powder) over a large portion
of a city in central Brazil.
The cesium chloride powder had an attractive color, and the salvagers shared
the powder with friends and relatives. To date, four persons have died from
radiation overexposures, and a number of persons are under medical
surveillance. Several countries, including the United States, have assisted
the Brazilian government in radiation monitoring, decontamination, and
treatment of injured personnel.
Discussion:
The Brazilian incident illustrates the serious consequences which can result
from failure to properly control radioactive material. Events involving loss
or theft of radioactive material also occur frequently in the United States,
although the events have been less serious in nature. The Commission is con-
cerned that licensees might not, in all cases, be exercising proper management
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March 7, 1988
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oversight to avoid such incidents. The NRC staff is currently considering
whether additional regulatory requirements should be developed in order to
reduce the risk of loss of hazardous radioactive material.
In the meantime, it is suggested that licensees review their licensed
programs, license, and applicable regulations in order to assure that all
radioactive material is accounted for, and to determine whether adequate
precautions are in place to prevent unauthorized access, theft, or loss. In
particular, licensees should note the following:
1. Title 10 CFR Part 20 contains several requirements regarding posting
of radiation areas, labeling of radioactive material containers, and
restriction of access to radioactive material.
2. Most licensees are required by regulation or license condition to
periodically inventory or leak test sealed sources at intervals of
three months or six months.
3. Section 30.51 requires licensees to maintain records of receipt,
transfer, and disposal of all licensed material.
4. Placing surplus radioactive material into long-term storage, when
there is not an anticipated future need for the material, may even-
tually result in loss of the material, or access to it by persons
not knowledgeable of proper precautions. If this happens, high
levels of radiation exposure and widespread contamination could
occur. Therefore, NRC considers that long-term storage of surplus
radioactive material is undesirable. While NRC regulations do not
require licensees to promptly dispose of unused radioactive
material, licensee management may want to consider disposition
through disposal at a licensed burial site, or transfer to another
authorized licensee who would have a current need for it.
Violations of NRC requirements involving the failure to control or account for
licensed material, especially if the failure results in loss or theft, will be
considered for escalated enforcement action.
No written response is required by this notice. If you have any questions
about this matter, please contact the appropriate NRC regional office, or this
office.
Richard E. Cunningham, Director
Division of Industrial and
Medical Nuclear Safety
Office of Nuclear Material
Safety and Safeguards
Technical Contact: Jack R. Metzger, NMSS
(301) 492-3424
Attachment: List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices
. Attachment
IN 88-07
March 7, 1988
Page 1 of 1
LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED
NRC INFORMATION NOTICES
Information Date of
Notice No. Subject Issuance Issued to
88-06 Foreign Objects in Steam 2/29/88 All holders of OLs
Generators or CPs for PWRs.
88-05 Fire in Annunciator Control 2/11/88 All holders of OLs
Cabinets or CPs for nuclear
power reactors.
88-04 Inadequate Qualification 2/5/88 All holders of OLs
and Documentation of Fire or CPs for nuclear
Barrier Penetration Seals power reactors.
88-03 Cracks in Shroud Support 2/2/88 All holders of OLs
Access Hole Cover Welds or CPs for BWRs.
88-02 Lost or Stolen Gauges 2/2/88 All NRC licensees
authorized to
possess gauges
under a specific
or general
license.
88-01 Safety Injection Pipe 1/27/88 All holders of OLs
Failure or CPs for nuclear
power reactors.
86-81, Broken External Closure 1/11/88 All holders of OLs
Supp. 1 Springs on Atwood & Morrill or CPs for nuclear
Main Steam Isolation Valves power reactors.
87-67 Lessons Learned from 12/31/87 All holders of OLs
Regional Inspections of or CPs for nuclear
Licensee Actions in Response power reactors.
to IE Bulletin 80-11
87-66 Inappropriate Application 12/31/87 All holders of OLs
of Commercial-Grade or CPs for nuclear
Components power reactors.
87-28, Air Systems Problems at 12/28/87 All holders of OLs
Supp. 1 U.S. Light Water Reactors or CPs for nuclear
power reactors.
OL = Operating License
CP = Construction Permit
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