U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Region III Office of Public Affairs

801 Warrenville Road, Lisle, IL 60532-4351

NEWS ANNOUNCEMENT: RIII-97-93 October 24, 1997

CONTACT: Jan Strasma 630/829-9663

Angela Greenman 630/829-9662

E-mail: opa3@nrc.gov

NRC STAFF PROPOSES $13,000 FINE AGAINST OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY;

DIRECTS OSU TO PROVIDE ASSURANCE OF FUTURE COMPLIANCE

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff has proposed a

$13,000 fine against Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, for

violations of NRC radiation safety requirements in the

university's research programs which use radioactive materials.

The university is also directed to provide assurances on

future compliance with NRC regulations and to tell the NRC staff

why the agency should not place the university under a more

restrictive NRC license.

The violations were identified in three NRC inspections and

an investigation by its Office of Investigations. They were

conducted between June 1996 and May of this year.

These violations involve exceeding time limits for storage

of radioactive waste, failing to make periodic inventories of

radiation sources, failing to report lost or missing radioactive

material or not reporting the loss promptly, and failing to

properly secure packages containing radioactive material and

laboratories where the material was used.

Some of the violations were similar to violations found in

earlier NRC inspections. The NRC fined the university $17,750 in

June 1994.

The NRC investigation found that the problems had not been

addressed because the university's radiation safety office did

not have sufficient resources available.

NRC Regional Administrator A. Bill Beach, in notifying the

university of the fine, said, "These failures are of significant

safety and regulatory concern because of the potential for

material to enter the public domain and affect public health and

safety."

He added, "NRC relies on its licensees, particularly those

with programs of the magnitude of OSU's, to conduct licensed

activities with integrity."
In addition to the proposed fines, the NRC staff has issued

a Demand for Information requiring the university to submit,

within 60 days, the following information:

1. Why the NRC should not rescind the OSU broad scope

license and issue in its place a limited, more restrictive

license until NRC inspections demonstrate, over time, that OSU

has the ability to manage a broad scope program.

2. Why the improvement plan developed after the 1994

violations failed to prevent further violations.

3. Why the NRC should conclude that OSU will comply with

NRC requirements in the future, including assurances that

adequate resources will be available, that known violations will

be corrected, and that, if adequate resources are not available,

the university will curtail its activities to assure compliance.

The NRC staff noted that the university was taking

corrective actions to address the violations including additional

staff and resources, disposal of 2,000 cubic feet of radioactive

waste, and stricter controls over researchers.

The university has until November 24 to pay the fine or to

protest it. If the fine is protested and subsequently imposed by

the NRC staff, OSU may request a hearing.

Note: The text of the letter to the university and the notice of

violation is available on the NRC's internet web site at:

http://www.nrc.gov/OPA/reports

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