Surveillance Program

DOE-STD-3013-2004

these two classes and to provide information upon which corrective or other action

can be based.

The surveillance program should document the surveillance "philosophy" in terms of

the characteristics described above. Then, it should apply that philosophy to the

specific storage situations that may be encountered. For example, in a facility that

relies on package integrity for public safety (i.e., where the container is designated

safety class") and in which the packages are easily accessed and inspected, a

relatively extensive surveillance inspection would be expected. In a facility that does

not rely on package integrity for public safety, where access to the packages is

difficult, and where inspection involves a relatively high personnel radiation dose, the

surveillance inspection would be expected to be less extensive than in the previous

example.

The surveillance program should identify sources of information/data to be used in

establishing inspection frequency, sample size and composition, etc. As information

on these packages is accumulated, it should be shared among the sites and included

in the information base. It is recommended that samples of materials typical of those

being stored be placed in a "shelf-life" program in which the condition of the storage

packages can be evaluated over long periods of time to give insight into the behavior

of the contained materials and into interactions between the materials and the

container; and that this information also be included in the surveillance information

base. Finally, it is recommended that the sites storing plutonium metals and oxides

and those preparing such materials for storage collaborate to the extent feasible in

developing their site programs, so that both consistency in approach and flexibility in

storage location can be maintained.

The surveillance program should identify possible courses of action to be taken in the

event of a an unexpected surveillance finding, and guidance on selecting the

appropriate action. This guidance should be directed toward identifying the event as

either an anomaly or a systemic issue, and toward establishing a plan for dealing

with the matter.

Certain efficiencies may be achieved if the frequency of surveillance is integrated

with the physical inventory program as prescribed in DOE 5633.3B.