NRC CURTAILS RADIATION SHIPMENTS.

Byline: Troy Anderson Staff Writer

SAN FERNANDO - The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Thursday ordered a San Fernando company to stop some shipments of radioactive materials because of concerns that the packages might break open in a transportation accident.

The action was prompted by complaints from French officials that J.L. Shepherd and Associates shipped an irradiator - a radioactive device that treats blood - in a container that did not conform to federal regulations.

Although the NRC found the packages might rupture in an accident, no radiation was released and no one was injured, according to a commission spokesman who said there nevertheless was a potential for serious injury or worse.

``If you were to stand in front of that for even a few minutes, you could receive a lethal dose of radiation,'' said NRC spokesman Breck Henderson. ``You would probably die relatively soon after the exposure.''

Mary Shepherd, vice-president of J.L. Shepherd and Associates, said the matter is between the company and the NRC.

``We have no further comment at this time,'' she said. ``Our response to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission will be a matter of public record.''

Within 20 days, the company must submit an answer to the order, either consenting to it or explaining why it should not have been issued. The company may also request a formal hearing to determine whether the order should be sustained.

Henderson said the agency issues about a dozen orders or fines a year nationwide involving the shipment of radioactive materials.

The device was shipped from California to New York and then on to the United Kingdom last summer. French officials refused to admit the irradiator when they discovered its shipping container design varied from that approved by the U.S. government. It was later shipped back to California.

From May 29 to May 31, federal officials inspected the 1010 Arroyo Ave. facility and discovered deficiencies in the containers used to ship one of its irradiators that uses cobalt-60.

``One of these shipments we were alerted to wasn't packaged correctly and had 18,000 curies of cobalt-60,'' Henderson said. ``That's a good example of a large source of highly radioactive material.

The commission's order withdraws NRC approval of the company's quality assurance program. Without that approval, the company will not be allowed to package and ship large radioactive products in certain packages.

The company can continue to ship some smaller quantities of radioactive materials.

``We have very strict rules and take action, hopefully before public health or safety is at risk,'' the NRC spokesman said. ``I can't think of an incident where a package broke up or anybody was harmed by radioactive shipments.''

Lea Brooks, spokesman for the state Department of Health Services, said the state agency's radiological branch licenses about 400 companies in Los Angeles County that possess, manufacture or distribute radiological devices.