RE: NRC halts shipments by JL Shepherd

[glen.vickers@EXELONCORP.COM]

At this point, the charges are so vague, there is nothing a Type B user can

learn from.  Whas it a non-conformance with a NRC C of C for a specific

shipment or multiple issues?  Lack of rigor in procedures or checklists?  We

all want to learn from the mistakes of others so we don't see our name on a

similar post...  Hopefully more detail will follow.



Glen Vickers

glen.vickers@exeloncorp.com



> -----Original Message-----

> From:	Fritz Strydom [SMTP:FStrydom@NACINTL.COM]

> Sent:	Friday, July 06, 2001 8:23 AM

> To:	radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu

> Subject:	NRC halts shipments by JL Shepherd

> 

> 

> http://www.nrc.gov/OPA/gmo/nrarcv/01-079.html 

> 

> NRC ORDER HALTS SHIPMENT OF LARGE RADIOACTIVE SOURCES BY JL SHEPHERD &

> ASSOCIATES 

> 

> The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued an order, effective

> immediately, that essentially halts the shipment of large radioactive

> sources in certain packages by JL Shepherd & Associates, a manufacturer of

> industrial and research irradiators and instrument calibrators located in

> San Fernando, California. 

> 

> The NRC action follows complaints from foreign authorities that Shepherd

> irradiators were not packaged for shipment in conformance with NRC

> regulations, which initiated an NRC inspection at the Shepherd facilities

> May 29-31. NRC inspectors identified several concerns with the manner in

> which the company conducted its approved quality assurance program, which

> is designed to assure safe design, use, maintenance, and repair of

> transportation packages for large radioactive sources. These deficiencies

> resulted in the shipment of packages that did not meet NRC requirements

> established to prevent them from breaking open should they be involved in

> a transportation accident. As a result, the order states that NRC

> officials "lack the requisite reasonable assurance that [Shepherd's]

> current operations can be conducted . . . in compliance with the

> Commission's requirements" and are protective of the health and safety of

> the public, includin! g the [company's] employees. 

> 

> The order withdraws NRC approval of Shepherd's quality assurance program.

> Without this approval, the company will not be allowed to package and ship

> large radioactive sources in certain packages. The company can continue to

> ship some smaller quantities of radioactive materials. 

> 

> The irradiator involved in the shipment contained large quantities of

> highly radioactive materials, 18,000 curies of cobalt-60, which has the

> potential to cause serious injuries or death if the shielding is breached;

> however, no one was exposed to radiation as a result of an improperly

> packaged irradiator. 

> 

> The company must, within 20 days, submit an answer to the order, either

> consenting to it or explaining why it should not have been issued. The

> company may also request a formal hearing to determine whether the order

> should be sustained. 

> 

> ------------------------------------------------------------

> Johannes "Fritz" Strydom

> Deputy Manager, Consulting Products

> NAC International

> 678-328-1258      Fax 678-328-1458

> fstrydom@nacintl.com

> http://www.1nuclearplace.com





************************************************************************

This e-mail and any of its attachments may contain Exelon Corporation

proprietary information, which is privileged, confidential, or subject 

to copyright belonging to the Exelon Corporation family of Companies. 

This e-mail is intended solely for the use of the individual or entity 

to which it is addressed.  If you are not the intended recipient of this 

e-mail, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, 

copying, or action taken in relation to the contents of and attachments 

to this e-mail is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful.  If you have 

received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender immediately and 

permanently delete the original and any copy of this e-mail and any 

printout. Thank You.

************************************************************************

************************************************************************

You are currently subscribed to the Radsafe mailing list. To unsubscribe,

send an e-mail to Majordomo@list.vanderbilt.edu  Put the text "unsubscribe

radsafe" (no quote marks) in the body of the e-mail, with no subject line.