| U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center Event Reports For
08/12/2004 - 08/13/2004 ** EVENT NUMBERS ** |
 | General Information or Other | Event Number: 40934 | Rep Org: WA DIVISION OF RADIATION PROTECTION
Licensee: PLSA ENGINEERING AND SURVEYING
Region: 4
City: YAKIMA State: WA
County:
License #: WN-I0143-1
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: ARDEN C. SCROGGS
HQ OPS Officer: ARLON COSTA | Notification Date: 08/09/2004
Notification Time: 17:53 [ET]
Event Date: 08/08/2004
Event Time: 18:00 [PDT]
Last Update Date: 08/09/2004 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
LINDA SMITH (R4)
JOSEPH HOLONICH (NMSS)
AARON DANIS (TAS)
CANADA (EP)
| Event Text WASHINGTON AGREEMENT STATE REPORT ON LOST TROXLER GAUGE
"Licensee reported a theft of a Troxler Nuclear moisture/density gauge model 3430, serial number 23717. The theft occurred at approximately 6:00 p.m. Sunday August 8, 2004 at the Licensee's address, 1120 West Lincoln Avenue, Yakima, Washington.
"A gauge operator working for the licensee placed the transport box with the gauge in the bed of an open pick-up truck and secured the handle of the gauge to a tie-down in the truck with a single lock and chain. The operator was also the driver of the transport vehicle. The vehicle was parked near the rear entry of the Licensee's facility. The driver went back inside the facility and left the truck unattended for approximately 20 minutes. When he returned, he discovered the chain had been cut and the locked transport box with the locked gauge inside had been stolen.
"At approximately 6:30 p.m. the Licensee notified both the local police department and the Washington State Department of Health, Office of Radiation Protection emergency hotline to report the event.
"The Licensee reported that they performed a visual search in the immediate area of their facility in case the perpetrator dropped the box with gauge in a dumpster or other concealed location.
"No media attention.
Isotope and Activity involved: 1.48 GBq (40 mCi) Am-241:Be and a 0.296 GBq (8 mCi) Cs-137 source. The Cs-137 source serial number is 75-5803 and the Am-241Be: source serial number is 47-1963.
"Police notified 6:30 p.m. August 8, 2004 of the theft of the gauge. The police report number is 04-13612. The gauge has not been recovered.
"The licensee reported the last leak test performed was March 29, 2004.
"The gauge was stolen from the bed of an open 2002 Chevy S-10 pick-up truck. The gauge was in the manufacture's Type A transport box."
Washington Event Report No.WA-04-046. |
| General Information or Other | Event Number: 40935 | Rep Org: COLORADO DEPT OF HEALTH
Licensee: STATE FARM MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY
Region: 4
City: GREELY State: CO
County:
License #:
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: ED STROUD
HQ OPS Officer: JEFF ROTTON | Notification Date: 08/10/2004
Notification Time: 09:20 [ET]
Event Date: 07/01/2004
Event Time: [MDT]
Last Update Date: 08/10/2004 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
LINDA SMITH (R4)
JOHN HICKEY (NMSS)
| Event Text LOST TRITIUM EXIT SIGN
"The Department [of Public Health for Colorado] received notification from a company that a generally licensed exit sign containing tritium was lost. The company, State Farm Mutual Insurance Company, located in Greeley, Colorado 80638, stated that the sign was discovered missing, in July of 2004. The sign was taken down during a remodeling project in 1996, and was supposedly placed into storage. However, recent attempts to locate the sign have been unsuccessful. A representative from the company stated that they now believe the sign was disposed of at the landfill along with the rest of the construction debris. The sign is a Brandhurst (SRB) Luminexit, Model B100, S/N 552371, that contained about 25 curies of tritium when new (1993). The sign was obtained under the provisions of a general license." |
| General Information or Other | Event Number: 40936 | Rep Org: WISCONSIN RADIATION PROTECTION
Licensee: CARDINAL HEALTH
Region: 3
City: MADISON State: WI
County:
License #: 025-1123-01
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: CHERYL ROGERS
HQ OPS Officer: JEFF ROTTON | Notification Date: 08/10/2004
Notification Time: 10:22 [ET]
Event Date: 08/09/2004
Event Time: 08:30 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 08/10/2004 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
MARK RING (R3)
JOHN HICKEY (NMSS)
| Event Text SPILL OF I-131 RESULTING IN CONTAMINATION
On 08/09/04, Cardinal Health reported to the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services- Radiation Protection Section that the Cardinal Health Nuclear Pharmacy located in Madison, WI had a spill of approximately 50 milliCuries of an I-131 sodium iodide solution at approximately 0830 CDT on 08/09/04. Under Wisconsin regulations, HFS 157.13(17)(b)(1)(b), the licensee is required to report this within 24 hours. This preliminary report describes what the licensee initially reported. The licensee will provide a formal written report within 30 days as required by subsection (c) of the same section of the regulations.
The spill occurred while transferring a stock bottle from a glovebox to a fume hood. The lead pig containing a vial of 50 milliCuries of I-131 slipped from the individual's hands, hit the floor and spilled some or all of the contents on the floor and adjacent areas. The pharmacy RSO evacuated the area and cleaned the spill to the extent possible. The vial and pig were double bagged and placed in the fume hood. Fixed contamination was covered with lead sheets and general radiation levels are less than 1 mR/hr. A spot on a door in the restricted area reads 10 mR/hr and they are attempting to decontaminate it. Pharmacy staff will pull air samples and will collect thyroid counts on all affected personnel. The pharmacy continues to operate.
The Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services dispatched a two person radiation survey team to the Cardinal Health Nuclear Pharmacy. |
| General Information or Other | Event Number: 40937 | Rep Org: CALIFORNIA RADIATION CONTROL PRGM
Licensee: NICHOLS INSTITUTE DIAGNOSTICS
Region: 4
City: San Juan Capistrano State: CA
County:
License #: 2247-30
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: ROB GREGER
HQ OPS Officer: MIKE RIPLEY | Notification Date: 08/10/2004
Notification Time: 14:51 [ET]
Event Date: 08/05/2004
Event Time: [PDT]
Last Update Date: 08/10/2004 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
LINDA SMITH (R4)
JOHN HICKEY (NMSS)
| Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - IODINE-125 CONTAINER MISTAKENLY DISPOSED OF AS TRASH
The following information was received via email:
"Approximately 2.5 milliCuries of I-125 was apparently mistakenly disposed to normal trash on 08/05/04. The lost I-125 was received in a single container along with a second container of approximately 2.5 milliCuries of I-125. Normally only one container is received at a time. However, this time two containers were shipped in a single package. The shipping department extracted one of the two containers from the incoming shipping package, and then dumped the remainder of the packing materials to normal trash, apparently including the second container of I-125.
"The loss was discovered 08/09/04 when the radiochemists went to utilize the I-125, and one-half of the shipment was missing. The licensee verified with the shipper that two individual containers were sent in the same package, which also agreed with the activity listed on the shipping papers. The licensee's trash was picked up early morning 08/09/04, and when contacted by the licensee, the trash hauler reported that the trash had already been dumped in a local landfill.
"Radiation levels at one foot from the shielded container were approximately 0.11 millirem/hour based on measurements made of the package that was still onsite. The shielded container holding the lost I-125 was sealed shut, and is not expected to open with normal trash hauling."
California Event # 080904 |
| General Information or Other | Event Number: 40939 | Rep Org: CALIFORNIA RADIATION CONTROL PRGM
Licensee: CHRISTIAN WHEELER ENGINEERING
Region: 4
City: CARLSBAD State: CA
County:
License #: 6560-37
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: R. GREGER
HQ OPS Officer: MIKE RIPLEY | Notification Date: 08/10/2004
Notification Time: 21:42 [ET]
Event Date: 08/10/2004
Event Time: 18:30 [PDT]
Last Update Date: 08/12/2004 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
LINDA SMITH (R4)
DANIEL GILLEN (NMSS)
AARON DANIS (TAS)
MEXICO (CNSNS) ()
| Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOST/STOLEN MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE
"A moisture density gauge, model CPN MC-3, containing approximately 8 milliCuries of Cs-137 and 30 milliCuries of Am-241 was lost from the back of a pickup truck while traveling from a jobsite in Carlsbad, CA to the company home office in San Diego. The jobsite was on Cassia Road (Thomas Guide, page 1127, D4-E4). It was reported that the gauge was inadvertently left in the back of the pickup truck without being put into the transportation case, neither the gauge nor the transportation case were secured to the truck, and the truck tailgate was left down. Both the gauge and the transportation case apparently fell out of the truck in the first few miles of travel. The driver noticed the tailgate down shortly after turning onto Palomar Airport Road from El Camino Real (Thomas Guide, page 1127, E2). The driver back tracked and found the case but not the gauge. Local law enforcement authorities were notified, and the RSO went to the scene to assist in attempting to locate the gauge."
* * * UPDATE ON 8/11/04 AT 1900 EDT FROM ROB GREGER TO GERRY WAIG * * *
Mr. Greger reported that the lost gauge was recovered about 1 block from the jobsite today at approximately 1300 PDT. Additional recovery details will be provided tomorrow, 8/12/04.
Notified R4DO (Linda Smith), NMSS (Daniel Gillen), TAS (Aaron Danis), Mexico (CNSNS) by facsimile.
* * * UPDATE ON 8/12/04 AT 1509 EDT FROM ROB GREGER TO GERRY WAIG VIA FACSIMILE* * *
"The gauge was recovered around 1 pm on 8/11/04. It had apparently fallen from the truck a short distance from the construction site. Someone apparently found it and placed it on an adjacent sidewalk. An adjacent business owner (DELETED) noticed the gauge on the sidewalk in front of their business at the end of the day 8/10/04. When the gauge was still there the next morning, they called the phone number of a gauge service company (Mauer Technical Services) listed on a sticker on the gauge, and reported that the gauge was apparently abandoned. Mauer contacted the company that owned the gauge (Christian Wheeler Engineering), who recovered the gauge. When found, the gauge was locked with the source in a shielded position. There was no apparent damage to the gauge.
"California RHB authorities will be pursuing enforcement action with Christian Wheeler Engineering for the loss of the gauge.
"Some details of the loss that were initially reported to California RHB apparently were incorrect. The attached Investigation form has been revised to reflect our current knowledge of this matter." [See Below]
"A moisture density gauge, model CPN MC-3, containing approximately 8 mCi of Cs-137 and 30 mCi of Am-241 was lost from the back of a pickup truck while traveling between jobsites in Carlsbad, CA on 8/10/04. The truck left a jobsite on Cassia Road (Thomas Guide, page 1127, D4-E4) with the gauge. It was reported that the gauge was inadvertently left in the back of the pickup truck without being put into the transportation case, and with the truck tailgate was left down. Within a couple miles of travel, the driver noticed the tailgate down while he was driving on El Camino Real (Thomas Guide, page 1127, E2). The driver back tracked, but could not find the gauge. Local law enforcement authorities were notified, and the RSO went to the scene to assist in attempting to locate the gauge."
Notified R4DO (Linda Smith), NMSS (Daniel Gillen), TAS (Matt Hahn) |
| Power Reactor | Event Number: 40945 | Facility: CRYSTAL RIVER
Region: 2 State: FL
Unit: [3] [ ] [ ]
RX Type: [3] B&W-L-LP
NRC Notified By: MOFFATT
HQ OPS Officer: JEFF ROTTON | Notification Date: 08/12/2004
Notification Time: 23:25 [ET]
Event Date: 08/12/2004
Event Time: 23:00 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 08/12/2004 | Emergency Class: UNUSUAL EVENT
10 CFR Section:
50.72(a) (1) (i) - EMERGENCY DECLARED
| Person (Organization):
CAUDLE JULIAN (R2)
CYNTHIA CARPENTER (NRR)
HO NIEH (IRD)
KEN SWEEPSER (FEMA)
LANA CHUMLEY (DHS)
|
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | | 3 | N | Y | 100 | Power Operation | 100 | Power Operation | Event Text UNUSUAL EVENT DECLARED DUE TO HURRICANE WARNING FOR HURRICANE CHARLEY
Licensee declared an Unusual Event due to the notification of a Hurricane Warning for the site area from the National Weather Service. The unit will be required to shutdown if Category 3 hurricane winds are experienced on site. Presently Hurricane Charley is exhibiting Category 2 winds (105 MPH).
The licensee has notified the NRC Resident Inspector, State and Local Emergency management organizations. | |