Simple Door Latch Sticking Problem At Millstone, Indicates A Bigger Problem?

This event reminds me of their LOOP, dual plant trip and the repeated failures of the aux turbine driven feed pump.  

LER 2014-004-00:Unlatched Dual Train Help Door Results in Potential Loss of Safety Function

On December 12, 2014, with Millstone Power Station Unit 3 (MPS3) at 100% power in operating mode 1, an operator

Honestly, why did begin to occur last Dec instead of five years ago?  It this about issues with inadequate budget; the philosophy of a half ass repair job instead of purchasing a new door and its mechanism. I think the door has come to end of life. I called the Millstone resident trying to ask him how old is the door and its mechanism.

There has been a lot of door latch problem with HELB, security and radiation barrier doors in the industry. 

Why didn't they bring in a door expert instead of depending on a regular maintenance without wide experience and training with doors? 

discovered a door for the MPS3 East Motor Control Center Rod Control area would not latch upon exit from the room. Upon discovery, the door was declared non-functional. Since this door is a dual train High Energy Line Break (HELB) boundary door, it affected the operability of both trains of 480 volt safety related switch gear. Plant Technical Specification (TS) 3.0.3 was entered.

Maintenance personnel repaired the lockset mechanism.

*(So they repaired the door, but nothing was ever wrong with it)

Proper operation of the door was restored within 35 minutes of being identified not functioning properly and TS 3.0.3 was exited. On January 15, 2015, with MPS3 at

Why does it take two bites of the apple? Why isn't this an excuse to rip out this door and replace it with a modern door who is alarmed when not fully latched.  

Why not purchase a heavy, heavy duty door, a high quality industrial door with security and high energy safety quality. The latching mechanism is heavy duty and high traffic quality...it doesn't matter how you open the door? Bet you the door are extremely heavy and the door hinge is worn...it is a misalignment thing.    

100% power in operating mode 1, an individual processed through the door normally and upon checking the door after passage the worker noted the door did not latch. The Control Room was promptly notified. The door was repaired and retested satisfactorily. TS 3.0.3 was

*(The the second time it was repaired, but nothing was ever broken?)

entered and exited appropriately. The door was inoperable for approximately 19 minutes. Although no definite failure mechanism was identified, there have been several occasions where a security door Iockset has been jammed due to usage of the emergency-use-only door hardware (crash bar/thumb piece). In both cases the door Iockset mechanism was manually manipulated, lubricated and then tested several times satisfactorily by maintenance personnel. Inspection of the Iockset mechanism did not find any foreign material in the lockset mechanism. Management issued a special communication to remind plant personnel that security doors not be accessed by the use of the crash bar or door thumb piece/knob/lever except for an emergency. Additional corrective actions are being taken in accordance with the station's corrective action program.

These events are being reported pursuant to 10 CFR 50.73(a)(2)(v)(D), as a condition that could have prevented the fulfillment of a safety function for systems needed to mitigate the consequences of an accident.

Yea, but they were too stupid to test it in all manners of use. 

The latching mechanism was manually manipulated and lubricated by maintenance personnel. Proper operation of the door was restored within 35 minutes of being identified not functioning properly and TS 3.0.3 was exited. This door was then tested over a dozen times without failure.

The door passage mechanism consists of a crash bar on one side of the door and a lockset thumb piece, connected to the latch mechanism in the lockset, on the other side. Utilizing the thumb piece/crash bar causes the lock-set

***I got the problem, the latch and strike or striker is not aligned properly. When you slam the door or it retracts on its own, the full force of the door closing falls on the latch against the strike. Over time this damages or bends the latch…thus it sticks in the retract position.

latch to retract into the lockset, unlocking the latch from behind the strike. When the strike is activated by the personnel security key card, the strike releases the latch. Personnel are then required to simply push the door open. Once the door is opened, the strike resets to its original locked position. The door then closes and latches. The door is now locked in the closed position preventing the door from opening. After the door is unlocked utilizing the security key card, if personnel accessing the door use the crash bar or the thumb piece to open the door, instead of simply pushing the door open, the lockset latch sometimes retracts far enough

Jammed means something is warn and broken...it has to be fixed!!!

I think this occurred a lot more frequently than documented...meaning the exposure time was a lot more.  

into the lockset to jam inside the lockset and fails to return to its normal position, behind the strike, thus leaving the door unlatched. The use of the crash bar/thumb piece is intended for emergency use only and not intended for normal passage.

Although no definite failure mechanism was identified,

*(Just saying, repaired twice and no real failure mechanism to show) 

there have been several occasions where a security door Iockset has been jammed due to usage of the emergency use only door hardware (crash bar/thumb piece).

Another one? Why does it take two bites of the apple

LICENSEE EVENT REPORT 2013-009-00 SECONDARY CONTAINMENT BOUNDARY BREACH COULD HAVE PREVENTED SAFETY FUNCTION MILLSTONE POWER STATION UNIT 3 DOMINION NUCLEAR  

On November 19, 2013 while operating in MODE 1 at 100% power, a security door in the auxiliary building at Millstone Power Station Unit 3 (MPS3) was found unlatched during a door seal check. Upon discovery, the door was successfully latched and the control room notified. In addition to being a security boundary, this door is also a secondary containment boundary, specifically a supplemental leak collection release system (SLCRS) boundary. The door was previously verified properly latched on November 16, 2013. On November 20, 2013 operators determined that the unlatched door resulted in a condition that could have prevented the fulfillment of the safety function of structures or systems that are needed to control the release of radioactive material and mitigate the consequences of an accident. The direct cause of the condition was an unlatched door that did not ensure proper sealing of the credited SLCRS boundary. Upon discovery, the door was successfully latched and the control room notified. Since the door is a SLCRS boundary, it is sealed to tight tolerances and is stiff to open, close, and latch due to the sealing design. The stiffness of the door can be misleading to persons who pull/push on the door to verify it is latched. The door seals and latching mechanism were inspected with no apparent failure and received minor adjustment. Positive assurance of proper latching of doors continues to be reinforced at MPS. This condition is being reported under 10 CFR 50.73(a)(2)(v)(C) and 10 CFR 50.73(a)(2)(v)(D).

Why didn't the door alarm... 

The direct cause of the condition was an unlatched door that did not ensure proper sealing of the credited SLCRS boundary. This door is infrequently accessed and has an alarm if opened. Since the door is a SLCRS boundary, it is sealed to tight tolerances and is stiff to open, close, and latch due to the sealing design. The stiffness of the door can be misleading to persons who pull/push on the door to verify it is latched.