| U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center Event Reports For
09/19/2007 - 09/20/2007 ** EVENT NUMBERS ** |
 | General Information or Other | Event Number: 43638 | Rep Org: IOWA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH
Licensee: MIDWEST INDUSTRIAL X-RAY, INC
Region: 3
City: COUNCIL BLUFFS State: IA
County:
License #: IA-0075178IR1
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: RANDAL DAHLIN
HQ OPS Officer: JASON KOZAL | Notification Date: 09/13/2007
Notification Time: 13:41 [ET]
Event Date: 05/15/2007
Event Time: [CDT]
Last Update Date: 09/13/2007 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
SONIA BURGESS (R3)
MICHELE BURGESS (FSME)
| Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - INABILITY TO RETRACT RADIOGRAPHY CAMERA SOURCE
The State provided the following information via email:
"The licensee reported the inability to retract an Ir-192 radiography source (model G-60, serial #OA2910) that contained an activity of 1.45 TBq (39.12 Ci) into a SPEC exposure device (model 150, serial #456). The radiographers had attached the guide tube to a ladder within a tank at the Absolute Energy Ethanol Plant located on the Iowa/Minnesota border. Halfway through a shot, a gust of wind blew the ladder over, which crimped the guide tube such that the source could not be retracted. The radiographers located the source in the guide tube and covered it with sandbags. The crimped guide tube was then reformed using a hammer and the source was successfully retracted. A new guide tube was shipped to the jobsite and the damaged guide tube was destroyed. The two radiographers received exposures of 1.1 and 1 mSv (110 and 100 mrem) from the incident. The licensee submitted a written report to the Iowa Department of Public Health on 6/13/2007, but failed to provide the required 24-hour notification. The State of Minnesota performed an audit of the licensee on 7/12/2007 and it was determined that the incident occurred in Iowa. The root cause of the incident is the failure to properly secure the ladder per company policy. Corrective actions taken by the licensee included terminating the lead radiographer involved and providing additional instruction to all radiographers on the policy to secure ladders used as guide tube stands."
Iowa report number: IA070002 |
| General Information or Other | Event Number: 43643 | Rep Org: CALIFORNIA RADIATION CONTROL PRGM
Licensee: CONSOLIDATED ENGINEERING LABS
Region: 4
City: SAN ROMONE State: CA
County:
License #: 3250-07
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: KENT PRENDERGAST
HQ OPS Officer: JASON KOZAL | Notification Date: 09/14/2007
Notification Time: 18:48 [ET]
Event Date: 09/13/2007
Event Time: 18:00 [PDT]
Last Update Date: 09/14/2007 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
WILLIAM JONES (R4)
ILTAB VIA E-MAIL ()
PATRICE BUBAR (FSME)
MEXICO (VIA FAX) ()
|
| This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3" level of radioactive material. | Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOST MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE
The licensee completed testing at jobsite and thought he had stowed his moisture density gauge (Troxler model 3340, SN 25752, 8 - 10 mCi Cs-137/ 40 mCi Am-241/Be). He left the jobsite in Shingle Springs, CA, and while in-transit to Elk Grove, CA (via highway 50) the technician heard a thud from outside of the vehicle but did not think anything of it. When the technician arrived at his residence he noticed the truck's tailgate was down and realized the gauge was missing. He backtracked to the jobsite and was unable to locate the gauge on the highway or at the jobsite. The technician notified the RSO, the Elk Grove Police Department and the California Highway Patrol. The State will provide more information as it becomes available.
THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A "LESS THAN CAT 3" LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL
Sources that are "Less than IAEA Category 3 sources," are either sources that are very unlikely to cause permanent injury to individuals or contain a very small amount of radioactive material that would not cause any permanent injury. Some of these sources, such as moisture density gauges or thickness gauges that are Category 4, the amount of unshielded radioactive material, if not safely managed or securely protected, could possibly - although it is unlikely - temporarily injure someone who handled it or were otherwise in contact with it, or who were close to it for a period of many weeks. |
| General Information or Other | Event Number: 43644 | Rep Org: TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Licensee: METCO
Region: 4
City: HOUSTON State: TX
County:
License #: TX-L030181926
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: RAY JISHA
HQ OPS Officer: STEVE SANDIN | Notification Date: 09/15/2007
Notification Time: 19:26 [ET]
Event Date: 09/14/2007
Event Time: 22:00 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 09/17/2007 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
WILLIAM JONES (R4)
PATRICE BUBAR (FSME)
THOMAS BLOUNT (IRD)
| Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT INVOLVING POTENTIAL OVEREXPOSURES DURING INDUSTRIAL RADIOGRAPHY
At approximately 2200 hrs. on 9/14/07 during radiography work at a jobsite in Vidor, TX (30 miles north of Beaumont), two radiographers noticed that their pocket dosimeters read off-scale high (range 0- 200 m R). They were using a 94 curie Co-60 camera (QSA model 943, A424-14, S/N36391B) to take radiographic shots of a 6 inch thickness steel ladle and had just changed the film in the holder which was located about 7 inches from the exposed source behind the steel ladle. It appeared that the source had not retracted into its shielded volume. A specialist in source retrieval was brought to the jobsite and the source successfully returned to its stowed position. During retrieval the specialist's pocket dosimeter also went off-scale high (range 0-5 R) at which time he switched to a higher reading dosimeter (range 0-20 R) completing the task with an indicated dose of 13 R.
The State of Texas was notified of the incident at 1804 hrs. on 9/15/07 and confirmed that the licensee was sending the individuals dosimetry off for emergency reading. Further, the State contacted REAC/TS (Radiation Emergency Assistance Center/Training Site) who recommended that these individuals be immediately medically examined with followup blood chemistry tests, i.e., CBC (complete blood cell), performed the following day to document any cytogenic changes. The State will conduct an investigation to determine the cause of the overexposures.
* * * UPDATE PROVIDED BY RAY JISHA TO JEFF ROTTON VIA EMAIL AT 0927 ON 09/17/07 * * *
The State provided the following information via email:
"The two workers 200 mR dosimeters were off scale and it appears that they were working with the source not fully retracted as a crimp in the source tube was noted approximately 1.5 feet from the camera. A ladder was used to enter the ladle from one side and the source was positioned on the opposite side with a magnetic hold on device. It has been conveyed that the hold on device fell off at some time and damaged the source tube restricting the full retraction of the source for two shots with a survey being taken on the second shot and thus the source being discovered in the exposed position. The source retrieval was difficult apparently requiring the source to be fully extended so that the source tube could be manually stripped from the drive cable. This took reportedly 12 one minute maneuvers, lead shot bags used when possible."
"Blood was drawn Saturday and twice Sunday for CBC the results of which are to be faxed to REACTS. On Monday blood will be drawn with heparin/lithium for transport to REACTS for cytogenic analysis. Our inspector in the area is to conduct a recreation on the event today and more details will follow in a formal report."
Texas report number I-8444
Notified R4DO (V. Campbell) and FSME EO (Morell), and IRD Manager (Blount) |
| Power Reactor | Event Number: 43652 | Facility: NINE MILE POINT
Region: 1 State: NY
Unit: [ ] [2] [ ]
RX Type: [1] GE-2,[2] GE-5
NRC Notified By: MIKE CAZZOLLI
HQ OPS Officer: BILL HUFFMAN | Notification Date: 09/19/2007
Notification Time: 15:45 [ET]
Event Date: 09/19/2007
Event Time: 15:04 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 09/19/2007 | Emergency Class: ALERT
10 CFR Section:
50.72(a) (1) (i) - EMERGENCY DECLARED
| Person (Organization):
PAUL KROHN (R1)
SAM COLLINS (R1)
JIM DYER (NRR)
TIM MCGINTY (EO)
TOM BLOUNT (IRD)
HASSELTON (DHS)
EACLES (FEMA)
WILSON (EPA)
WHITE (HHS)
USDA OPS CTR ()
|
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | | 2 | N | Y | 100 | Power Operation | 100 | Power Operation | Event Text ALERT DECLARED DUE TO INADVERTENT DISCHARGE OF CO2 INTO SWITCHGEAR ROOM
"At 1454 [EDT] an inadvertent discharge of CO2 occurred in the Division 3 switchgear room. The Control Building 261 foot (ground level) and below was evacuated. An ALERT emergency condition was declared at 1504 [EDT]. Emergency Response Facilities are being manned. NY State and Oswego County have been notified via the RECS line. Unit 1 was not affected. No personnel were injured. Unit 2 remains at full power. Cause is under investigation."
The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector.
* * * UPDATE FROM SKINNER TO HUFFMAN AT 23:46 EDT ON 9/19/07 * * *
The licensee terminated the ALERT at 2147 EDT on 9/19/07 base on restoration of free access in the control building and isolation of CO2 fire protection discharge systems in Unit 2. All the CO2 discharge systems were manually isolated because the licensee could not conclusively determine the cause of the fault that led to the initial inadvertent actuation. The licensee has established compensatory fire protection actions. Trouble shooting into the cause of the event continues. The licensee has notified the State and local authorities of the event termination. The NRC Resident Inspector has also been notified.
Regional and HQ NRC management have been notified including R1(Dapas), NRR (Dyer), IRD (McDermott), R1DO (Krohn), and NRR EO (McGinty). Notifications to external agencies initially notified of the event were made by the HOO. | |