A Standardized Approach to Assessing Category IV Material Balance Areas

This presentation will detail the Internal Assessment Program for the Nuclear Materials Control and Accountability (NMC&A) Department at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). All aspects of the assessment process will be covered including scheduling, pre-planning, assessment criteria, the actual assessment of the area, and notification of the results. ORNL has a very structured program which includes an extensive assessment checklist that ensures standardization is maintained when planning and performing the assessments. Guidance will also be provided on assessment report generation, how to assist the assessed Material Balance Area (MBA) Representatives in correcting deficiencies, and steps taken by the ORNL NMC&A Department to ensure that other MBAs are aware of the problem areas discovered during assessments. This standardized approach would be a beneficial tool for other Laboratories to review for possible implementation at their sites.