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	NRC NEWS U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, REGION I 475 Allendale Road, King of Prussia, Pa. 19406
	CONTACT:	Diane Screnci (610)337-5330/ e-mail: dps@nrc.gov Neil A. Sheehan (610)337-5331/e-mail: nas@nrc.gov

I-98-116

October 20, 1998

Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff will meet with representatives of a company that uses radioactive materials on Friday, October 23, to discuss apparent violations of agency requirements by the firm.

Materials Testing Lab Inc., based in New Hyde Park, N.Y., holds an NRC license allowing it to use nuclear measuring gauges at temporary jobsites in the United States where the NRC maintains jurisdiction, including Connecticut, Delaware and New Jersey. The company has branch offices in Newington, Conn., Dover, Del., and Edison, N.J.

The predecisional enforcement conference is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. in the Division of Nuclear Materials Safety conference room at the NRC Region I office in King of Prussia, Pa. It will be open to the public for observation.

NRC staff conducted a safety inspection of Materials Testing facilities on July 13, 14, 29 and 30 after the company reported the loss of a gauge from its Connecticut branch office on July 8. During the inspection, nine apparent violations were identified. They include: failure to perform reviews of the company's radiation safety program at least once a year; failure to properly secure licensed material; failure to adequately mark and label packages containing hazardous material transported on public highways; failure to properly train employees who handle hazardous materials; the possession of a type of radioactive material (americium-241) exceeding the limit specified in its license; failure to maintain records pertinent to the program at the New York facility; failure to adhere to the requirement that the radioactive materials only be stored at the New York facility; and failure to exchange personnel dosimetry on a quarterly basis.

The decision to hold a predecisional enforcement conference does not mean the NRC has determined a violation has occurred or that enforcement action will be taken. Rather, the purpose is to discuss apparent violations, their causes and safety significance; to provide the license-holder with an opportunity to point out any errors that may have been made in the NRC inspection report; and to enable the license-holder to outline its proposed corrective action.

No decision on the apparent violations will be made at this conference. That decision will be made by NRC officials at a later time.