NRC INFORMATION NOTICE 2013-08: PENDING EXPIRATION OF THE NRC TYPE B TRANSPORTATION PACKAGE CERTIFICATE FOR SENTINEL™ MODEL 660 SERIES RADIOGRAPHIC PROJECTORS ON JUNE 30, 2013

NRC INFORMATION NOTICE 2013-08: PENDING EXPIRATION OF THE NRC TYPE B TRANSPORTATION PACKAGE CERTIFICATE FOR SENTINEL™ MODEL 660 SERIES RADIOGRAPHIC PROJECTORS ON JUNE 30, 2013

UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY AND SAFEGUARDS

OFFICE OF FEDERAL AND STATE MATERIALS

AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555

MAY 2, 2013

NRC INFORMATION NOTICE 2013-08: PENDING EXPIRATION OF THE NRC TYPE B

TRANSPORTATION PACKAGE CERTIFICATE

FOR SENTINEL™ MODEL 660 SERIES

RADIOGRAPHIC PROJECTORS ON JUNE 30,

2013

ADDRESSEES

All holders of radiography licenses for SENTINEL™ Model 660 Series radiographic projectors.

All Radiation Control Program Directors and State Liaison Officers.

PURPOSE

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing this Information Notice (IN) to alert

addressees to the June 30, 2013, expiration of Certificate of Compliance (CoC) No. 9283 for the

SENTINEL™ Model 660 Series radiographic projectors. It is expected that recipients will review

the information for applicability to their facilities and consider other arrangements, as

appropriate. The NRC is providing this IN to the Agreement States for their information and for

distribution to their radiography licensees, as appropriate.

DESCRIPTION OF CIRCUMSTANCES

In August 2009, QSA Global, Inc. (QSA) notified its customers that it does not intend to renew

the CoC (for NRC Package Identification No. USA/9283/B(U)-96) for the Model 660 Series of

radiographic projectors and that the Type B(U) CoC No. 9283 will expire on June 30, 2013 (as

stated on Condition No. 11 of the CoC). QSA also indicated that their Type A package

certification will lapse on the same day.

QSA offered several factors for its business decision: “S” Tube wear, age of the units, resources

required to manufacture replacement parts and maintain documentation, and the inability to

meet the ISO 3999-1 2000E standard.

ML13107A027IN 2013-08

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BACKGROUND

As specified in the regulations, once a certification expires, the package cannot be shipped or

transported legally. A valid certificate must be in place to allow legal transport in accordance

with international and United States regulations.

DISCUSSION

Users may continue to use the package in accordance with the CoC until June 30, 2013. Users

of the package should specifically note Condition 8(c) of the CoC which states that “No service

operations shall include the replacement of the shell, of the depleted uranium shield, or any

shell weld repair.” The safety evaluation report details the reasons for condition 8(c). In

particular, the model is no longer manufactured (as of 2001) and QSA confirmed that it was not

willing to repair or replace the shell on packages currently in use or repair welds.

On July 1, 2013, the Model 660 Series device will no longer be an NRC-authorized

transportation package. On this date, an approved package other than the Model 660 Series

must be used for transport of the 660 Series radiography sources. This applies to the following

models: 660, 660E, 660A, 660AE, 660B, and 660BE.

After June 30, 2013, a certified Type B container (overpack) may be used to lawfully transport

the projectors containing a radiography source inside. If licensees have a need to transport 660

Series radiography projectors containing a radiography source inside after June 30, 2013,

without a certified Type B container (overpack) they may request that the NRC approve a limited

number of shipments pursuant to 10 CFR 71.17(a). These approvals are issued on a limited

basis to address unique situations. The Model 660 Series device incorporates depleted

uranium for shielding; therefore, even without a radiography source inside, the device must

meet the transportation requirements for a manufactured article containing depleted uranium.

Users are encouraged evaluate their program to identify the best option for them to be in

compliance with NRC regulations regarding transport of the 660 Series radiography projectors

with or without radiography sources. These options include making arrangements for final

disposition of the 660 Series radiography devices in their possession prior to the June 30, 2013,

expiration date. However, per 10 CFR 71.5(a), the projectors may still be used at an NRC or

Agreement State-licensed site provided that they are not moved while containing a radiography

source without a certified overpack.

If users dispose of the current radiography projector or obtain a radiography projector that has a

current CoC, they should be aware that changes in material held under its license may require

changes to its possession and use licenses issued by the NRC or an Agreement State. IN 2013-08

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CONTACT

This IN requires no specific action nor written response. If you have any questions about the

information in this notice, please contact the technical contacts listed below or the appropriate

regional office.

/RA Eric Benner for/ /RA/

Mark D. Lombard, Director Brian J. McDermott, Director

Division of Spent Fuel Storage Division of Materials Safety

and Transportation and State Agreements

Office of Nuclear Material Safety Office of Federal and State Materials

and Safeguards and Environmental Management Programs

Contacts: Pierre Saverot, NMSS Katie Wagner, FSME

(301) 492-3408 (301) 415-6202

E-mail: Pierre.Saverot@nrc.gov E-mail: Katie.Wagner@nrc.gov

Enclosure: List of Recently Issued FSME Generic Communications IN 2013-08

Page 3 of 3

CONTACT

This IN requires no specific action nor written response. If you have any questions about the

information in this notice, please contact the technical contacts listed below or the appropriate

regional office.

/RA Eric Benner for/ /RA/

Mark D. Lombard, Director Brian J. McDermott, Director

Division of Spent Fuel Storage Division of Materials Safety

and Transportation and State Agreements

Office of Nuclear Material Safety Office of Federal and State Materials

and Safeguards and Environmental Management Programs

Contacts: Pierre Saverot, NMSS Katie Wagner, FSME

(301) 492-3408 (301) 415-6202

E-mail: Pierre.Saverot@nrc.gov E-mail: Katie.Wagner@nrc.gov

Enclosure: List of Recently Issued FSME Generic Communications

ML13107A027

OFC MSSA/LB NMSS/DSFST/LB MSSA/LB NMSS/DSFST/LB

NAME KWagner PSaverot via Email MKotzalas MSampson via

Email

DATE 04/17/2013 04/17/2013 04/18/2013 04/26/2013

OFC MSSA/RMSB FSME/MSSA FSME/MSSA NMSS/DSFST

NAME AMcIntosh

via Email

PHenderson BJMcDermott MLombard

DATE 04/18/2013 04/22/2013 05/2/2013 05/2/2013

OFFICIAL RECORD COPY