[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 157 (Friday, August 14, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 43732]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-21852]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION


Source Disconnects Resulting From Radiography Drive Cable 
Failures

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is announcing the 
availability of NUREG-1631, ``Source Disconnects Resulting from 
Radiography Drive Cable Failures,'' dated June 1998.
    In late 1997, the NRC received a number of reports of industrial 
radiography system drive cable failures. All of the failures occurred 
immediately behind the male connector and appeared to be generic in 
nature. Although drive cable failures have occurred periodically within 
the industrial radiography industry, it was uncommon to experience so 
many apparently identical failures within such a brief period of time.
    The apparent generic nature of the events, the potential for 
serious exposure to radiographers, and the possibility that the issue 
went beyond NRC jurisdiction thus affecting Agreement States warranted 
NRC's attention. As a result, a Special Team Inspection was initiated 
on December 22, 1997. The inspection involved interaction with three 
Agreement States including close coordination of inspection activities 
conducted within their jurisdiction. The involved Agreement States, 
(the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the States of Louisiana and 
Texas) took the lead role in their respective states, with NRC staff 
participating in all phases of the special inspection.
    NUREG 1631 documents the results of this Special Team Inspection. 
This report describes the investigation of the initially reported drive 
cable failures, other failures identified during the inspection, the 
methodology used in the inspection, and presents the Team's findings, 
conclusions, and recommendations. Inspections were conducted at 
industrial radiography equipment manufacturing facilities and at 
selected industrial radiography licensees who had reportedly 
experienced drive cable failures. An inspection was also performed at 
the plant where the drive cable is manufactured.
    A significant portion of this inspection focused on examining the 
drive cable. The carbon steel drive cable is an off-the-shelf component 
used by all radiography equipment manufacturers and has been provided 
to the radiography industry since the early 1960s. The cable is 
primarily used in the aerospace industry and the manufacturer found no 
similar failures reported in the aerospace applications.
    Metallurgical analysis of the failed cables concluded these drive 
cable failures were due to a combination of wear, corrosion, and lack 
of lubrication, all indications of improper maintenance. The inspection 
identified several significant concerns regarding drive cable 
maintenance practices and identified several root causes, secondary 
causes, and contributing factors.
    The inspection report contains several recommendations to the cable 
manufacturer, the radiography equipment manufacturers, radiography 
licensees, the radiography industry, and to regulatory agencies that 
license industrial radiography. These recommendations are aimed at 
improving the understanding of the drive cable's design and limitations 
and to encourage the development and use of appropriate procedures for 
the inspection, lubrication, and maintenance of drive cables to ensure 
that the cable may continue to be used safely for industrial 
radiography; and reduce the possibility of a serious radiation exposure 
as the result of a drive cable failure.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Larry W. Camper, Mail StopTWFN 8-
F-5, Division of Industrial and Medical Nuclear Safety, Office of 
Nuclear Materials Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission, Washington, DC 20555, telephone (301) 415-7231; electronic 
mail address: [email protected].

Electronic Access

    NUREG-1631 will be available electronically by visiting NRC's Home 
Page (http://www.nrc.gov/NRC/nucmat.html) approximately two weeks after 
the publication date of this notice.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 23rd day of July, 1998.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Larry W. Camper,
Chief, Materials Safety Branch, Division of Industrial and Medical 
Nuclear Safety, NMSS.
[FR Doc. 98-21852 Filed 8-13-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P