DOE 2000. - Waste Isolation Pilot Plant - U.S. Department of Energy

WIPP RH PSAR DOE/WIPP-03-3174 CHAPTER 5
As part of normal operations activities at the WIPP, the RH waste canisters (having met the WIPP RH
Waste Acceptance Criteria 10 (RH WAC)) are inspected and surveyed for radiation, contamination, and
damage before transfer to the Underground repository. Most significantly, the cleanliness of canisters is
required to not be in excess of the DOE’s free release limits in 10 CFR 835, 11 Occupational Radiation
Protection, Appendix D prior to shipment from the generator sites. (See Chapter 7 for the basis for
radiological and hazardous material protection limits.) WIPP normal operations do not entail any
planned or expected releases of airborne radioactive materials which may present an internal occupational
radiological hazard to workers, or present a hazard from the airborne pathway to the offsite public.
Therefore, the radiological hazards for normal operations are limited to worker occupational external
radiation exposure from the waste canisters. Non-radiological hazards to the public and worker during
normal operations may result from small releases of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) from waste
canisters. Protection of the public and the worker from hazards involved with radiological and nonradiological
materials during normal WIPP operations are discussed in detail in Chapter 7. Only that
material contained in the waste containers is considered in establishing an inventory of radiological and
non-radiological material, .
Operational, natural phenomena (such as earthquakes and tornadoes), and external hazards (such as
aircraft crashes) are considered in this chapter when they are identified as an initiating event leading to an
uncontrolled abnormal or accidental release of radiological or non-radiological materials from waste
containers.
The external hazards presented by a natural gas pipeline explosion have been evaluated and are
determined not to be a safety concern for the WIPP facility. Although significant localized heat, fire, and
destruction result from such events, the nearest major gas pipeline to the Waste Handling building
(WHB) is one mile away, and experience from recent occurrences indicates the explosion damage radius
is a few hundred feet.
The hazards presented by the movement or mounting of pressurized gas cylinders used for alpha/beta
counting systems in waste handling areas initiating an accident resulting in the release of waste container
materials have been evaluated as being beyond extremely unlikely when the guidance provided in
WP 12-IS.01, Industrial Safety Program 12 , is adhered to.
For all conceivable operations and activities during the operational disposal-phase, few credible
mechanisms can be identified that could lead to accidental releases of radiological and non-radiological
hazardous materials. The RH waste containers are designed and fabricated in accordance with stringent
regulatory requirements. The integrity of the waste containers is ensured during the design life in relation
to the time interval of the disposal-phase. While accidents or incidents could occur to individual waste
containers, the structural capabilities of the canisters and drums as designed can sustain anticipated waste
canister drops of less than 4 ft (1.22 m) from waste handling equipment. In addition, WIPP waste
handling operations do not entail any dispersal energies from high pressure, high temperature, or high
energy systems that could result in breach of waste container integrity.
Additionally, it should be noted that the hazards identified as a result of WIPP operations, in relation to
most high or moderate hazard nuclear facilities, do not require safe shutdown of the facility in a specific
manner in terms of time and technical conditions. The WIPP facility and operations either individually,
or collectively, can be shutdown or stopped at any time.
5.1-2 January 22, 2003