[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 213 (Thursday, November 4, 1999)] [Notices] [Pages 60242-60243] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 99-28864] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [IA 99-047] Order Prohibiting Involvement in NRC-Licensed Activities (Effective Immediately) I In the Matter of Jasen Mallahan. Mr. Jasen Mallahan (Mr. Mallahan) was employed as a radiographer by Professional Service Industries, Inc. (PSI or Licensee). The Licensee is the holder of License No. 12-16941-03 issued by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or Commission) pursuant to 10 CFR Parts 30 and 34 on September 13, 1995. The license authorizes possession and use of sealed sources in the conduct of industrial radiography in accordance with the conditions specified therein. II On April 6, 1999, an investigation was initiated by the NRC Office of Investigations (OI) to determine if a radiographer and a radiographer's assistant, employees of an NRC licensee, deliberately violated NRC requirements at a jobsite in Pocatello, Idaho. Mr. Mallahan and a radiographer's assistant conducted radiographic operations at a plant in Idaho during the evening of September 14 and early morning of September 15, 1998. A radiography camera containing a sealed source of about 60 curies of cobalt-60 was being used to complete panoramic radiographic testing of a large steel tank. The tank had four welded seams and each one required a one-hour shot and about 36 pieces of film. After the last shot, two plant employees breached the boundary set by the PSI workers. The plant employees became concerned that they may have received radiation exposures. However, it was determined that the source had been returned to its shielded position and locked prior to the employees' entry into the barricaded area. Therefore, the individuals did not receive a radiation exposure. As a result of this incident, OI determined that several violations of NRC requirements occurred during the third and fourth radiographic shots and that two violations occurred because of the deliberate actions of Mr. Mallahan. The violations include failure to supervise the radiographer's assistant (10 CFR 34.46) and to follow the two- person rule (10 CFR 34.41). Specifically, after the third one-hour shot was started, Mr. Mallahan began developing film in the dark room, leaving the assistant alone to maintain constant surveillance of the barricaded area. At the conclusion of the shot, Mr. Mallahan came out of the dark room and retracted the source into the device. After the fourth shot was started, Mr. Mallahan returned to the dark room, as before, leaving the assistant to maintain constant surveillance of the barricaded area. Upon completion of the 4th shot, Mr. Mallahan remained in the dark room and the assistant retracted the source, completed surveys of the device and guide tube, locked the device, and removed the key. According to the interview with OI, Mr. Mallahan acknowledged receiving radiation safety training which included the requirement for two-person surveillance during the conduct of radiographic operations. He further acknowledged receiving training on the prohibition of allowing a radiographer's assistant to conduct radiographic operations without direct supervision of a radiographer. III Based on the above, the NRC has determined that Mr. Mallahan, an employee of the Licensee, engaged in deliberate misconduct in violation of 10 CFR 30.10(a)(1), causing the Licensee to be in violation of 10 CFR 34.41(a) and 34.46. Specifically, the NRC has concluded that Mr. Mallahan deliberately failed to observe the two-person rule and failed to supervise a radiographer's assistant at a temporary jobsite on September 14 and 15, 1998. The NRC must be able to rely on the [[Page 60243]] Licensee and its employees to comply with NRC requirements. This deliberate act is significant because Mr. Mallahan, an experienced radiographer, failed to observe the safeguards designed to protect him and others from potentially dangerous radiation exposures. Mr. Mallahan's actions during this incident have raised serious doubt as to whether he can be relied upon to comply with NRC requirements. Consequently, I lack the requisite reasonable assurance that licensed activities can be conducted in compliance with the Commission's requirements and that the health and safety of the public will be protected if Mr. Mallahan were permitted at this time to be involved in NRC-licensed activities. Therefore, the NRC has determined that the public health, safety and interest require that Mr. Mallahan be prohibited from any involvement in NRC-licensed activities for a period of one year from the effective date of this Order. If Mr. Mallahan is involved in NRC-licensed activities on the effective date of this Order, he must immediately cease such activities, and inform the NRC of the name, address and telephone number of the employer, and provide a copy of this Order to the employer. Additionally for a period of one year after the one year period of prohibition has expired, Mr. Mallahan is required to notify the NRC of his first employment in NRC- licensed activities. Furthermore, pursuant to 10 CFR 2.202, I find that the significance of Mr. Mallahan's conduct described above is such that the public health, safety and interest require that this Order be immediately effective. IV Accordingly, pursuant to sections 81, 161b, 161i, 161o, 182 and 186 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, and the Commission's regulations in 10 CFR 2.202, 10 CFR 30.10, and 10 CFR 150.20, It is hereby ordered, effective immediately, that: 1. Mr. Mallahan is prohibited from engaging in NRC-licensed activities for one year from the effective date of this Order. NRC- licensed activities are those activities that are conducted pursuant to a specific or general license issued by the NRC, including, but not limited to, those activities of Agreement State licensees conducted pursuant to the authority granted by 10 CFR 150.20. 2. If Mr. Mallahan is involved in NRC-licensed activities on the effective date of this Order, he must immediately cease such activities, and inform the NRC of the name, address and telephone number of the employer, and provide a copy of this Order to the employer. 3. For a period of one year after the one year period of prohibition has expired, Mr. Mallahan shall, within 20 days of his acceptance of each employment offer involving NRC-licensed activities or his becoming involved in NRC-licensed activities as defined in Paragraph IV.1 above, provide notice to the Director, Office of Enforcement, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555, of the name, address, and telephone number of the employer or the entity where he is, or will be, involved in the NRC-licensed activities. In the first such notification, Mr. Mallahan shall include a statement of his commitment to compliance with regulatory requirements and the basis why the Commission should have confidence that he will now comply with applicable NRC requirements. The Director, Office of Enforcement, may, in writing, relax or rescind any of the above conditions upon demonstration by Mr. Mallahan of good cause. V In accordance with 10 CFR 2.202, Mr. Mallahan must, and any other person adversely affected by this Order may, submit an answer to this Order, and may request a hearing on this Order, within 20 days of the date of this Order. Where good cause is shown, consideration will be given to extending the time to request a hearing. A request for extension of time must be made in writing to the Director, Office of Enforcement, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory commission, Washington, DC 20555, and include a statement of good cause for the extension. The answer may consent to this Order. Unless the answer consents to this Order, the answer shall, in writing and under oath or affirmation, specifically admit or deny each allegation or charge made in this Order and shall set forth the matters of fact and law on which Mr. Mallahan or other person adversely affected relies and the reasons as to why the Order should not have been issued. Any answer or request for a hearing shall be submitted to the Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, ATTN: Rulemakings and Adjudications Staff, Washington, DC 20555. Copies also shall be sent to the Director, Office of Enforcement, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555, to the Assistant General Counsel for Hearings and Enforcement at the same address, to the Regional Administrator, NRC Region III, 801 Warrenville Road, Lisle, Illinois 60532, and to Mr. Mallahan if the answer or hearing request is by a person other than Mr. Mallahan. If a person other than Mr. Mallahan requests a hearing, that person shall set forth with particularity the manner in which his or her interest is adversely affected by this Order and shall address the criteria set forth in 10 CFR 2.714(d). If a hearing is requested by Mr. Mallahan or a person whose interest is adversely affected, the Commission will issue an Order designating the time and place of any hearing. If a hearing is held, the issue to be considered at such hearing shall be whether this Order should be sustained. Pursuant to 10 CFR 2.202(c)(2)(i), Mr. Mallahan may, in addition to demanding a hearing, at the time the answer is filed or sooner, move the presiding officer to set aside the immediate effectiveness of the Order on the ground that the Order, including the need for immediate effectiveness, is not based on adequate evidence but on mere suspicion, unfounded allegations, or error. In the absence of any request for hearing, or written approval of an extension of time in which to request a hearing, the provisions specified in Section IV above shall be effective and final 20 days from the date of this Order without further order or proceedings. If an extension of time for requesting a hearing has been approved, the provisions specified in Section IV shall be final when the extension expires if a hearing request has not been received. AN ANSWER OR A REQUEST FOR HEARING SHALL NOT STAY THE IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVENESS OF THIS ORDER. Dated this 22nd day of October 1999, Rockville, Maryland. For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Carl J. Paperiello, Deputy Executive Director for Materials, Research and State Programs. [FR Doc. 99-28864 Filed 11-3-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590-01-P