U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Operations Center Event Reports For 03/14/2005 - 03/15/2005 ** EVENT NUMBERS ** | General Information or Other | Event Number: 41474 | Rep Org: TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH Licensee: Region: 4 City: SEQUIN State: TX County: License #: Agreement: Y Docket: NRC Notified By: KAREN VERSER HQ OPS Officer: JEFF ROTTON | Notification Date: 03/09/2005 Notification Time: 11:18 [ET] Event Date: 11/30/2004 Event Time: 10:00 [CST] Last Update Date: 03/09/2005 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: AGREEMENT STATE | Person (Organization): TROY PRUETT (R4) TOM ESSIG (NMSS) | Event Text TEXAS AGREEMENT STATE - RECOVERED RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL The following information was provided by the Texas Department of State Health Services [DSHS]: At approximately 10:00 am, November 30, 2004 a tractor-trailer alarmed radiation monitors with a load of scrap steel at Commercial Metals Austin [CMC - Austin] scrap yard. Earth Tech, Inc. in San Antonio was notified by ThermoMeasuretech for help with a possible source. Commercial Metals confirmed the load triggered a scale-mounted radiation detector at SMI- Texas, Sequin, TX and the [CMC - Austin] driver had returned the load to Commercial Metals-Austin. Earth Tech contacted [CMC - Austin] warehouse manager and noted that he had indeed isolated the source from the load and that he had roped off a 2 mR/hr barrier around the affected area. He stated that he needed additional instrumentation as his Ludlum model 19 was reading off-scale. Personnel from the Earth Tech office in San Antonio were deployed with a SAMS unit and a Ludlum model 9. They arrived at [CMC - Austin] at 1:30 pm. Searching through a small amount of soil, an actual source was revealed. The source was found to be a metallic foil disk approximately 1.5 cm. in diameter. The source emissions were found to be nonisotropic, reading high levels on one side and low levels on the other. Once the source was identified and separated from the soil, the SAMS was utilized to identify the radioisotope. The SAMS identified two low-energy photo peaks and identified the source as cadmium-109. However, the spectrum showed an unusually large amount of high-end tailing with a continuum shape similar to that found from sources of high-energy x-rays. The source was shielded and transported to ThermoMeasuretech for further investigation. It was initially presumed the source was possibly an activated foil. DSHS records for this incident showed the source was 120 microCuries of Cd-109. When CMC was called on 3/8/05 to follow up on the incident, they stated that the source had been later identified as 1 milliCurie of Sr-90. This amount of Sr-90 required immediate notification. Texas Incident No. I-8187 Due to personnel changes at the Texas Department of State Health Services and Commercial Metals in late 2004, the initial report to the NRC was delayed. | General Information or Other | Event Number: 41478 | Rep Org: LOUISIANA RADIATION PROTECTION DIV Licensee: TULANE UNIVERSITY Region: 4 City: NEW ORLEANS State: LA County: License #: LA-004-L01 Agreement: Y Docket: NRC Notified By: JOSEPH NOBLE HQ OPS Officer: JEFF ROTTON | Notification Date: 03/10/2005 Notification Time: 10:18 [ET] Event Date: 01/26/2005 Event Time: [CST] Last Update Date: 03/10/2005 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: AGREEMENT STATE | Person (Organization): TROY PRUETT (R4) LAWRENCE KOKAJKO (NMSS) | Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - MEDICAL EVENT The following information was provided by the licensee to the State of Louisiana (licensee text in quotes): "The following incident took place on 1/26/05 in the Tulane Hospital/Clinic Nuclear Medicine area. " A patient was to be administered 5[milliCuries] of I-131 for a total body scan in order to look for thyroid metastases. Due to an error in transcription of the order, a student technologist injected a 27 [millicuries] Tc-99m MDP bone scan. The resulting Effective Dose Equivalents were 0.675 rad to the bone and 0.189 rad to the total body. "The patient was notified of the error and the correct radiopharmaceutical later administered. The senior technologist was reprimanded by the Radiology Department Head for not properly supervising the procedure." The physician was notified. The State of Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality will be conducting their own investigation. | General Information or Other | Event Number: 41481 | Rep Org: FLORIDA BUREAU OF RADIATION CONTROL Licensee: F.R. ALEMAN & ASSOCIATES Region: 1 City: MIAMI State: FL County: License #: 2637-1 Agreement: Y Docket: NRC Notified By: DAVID FERGUSON HQ OPS Officer: CHAUNCEY GOULD | Notification Date: 03/10/2005 Notification Time: 19:06 [ET] Event Date: 03/10/2005 Event Time: 16:45 [EST] Last Update Date: 03/10/2005 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: AGREEMENT STATE | Person (Organization): MOHAMED SHANBAKY (R1) LAWRENCE KOKAJKO (NMSS) | Event Text STOLEN TROXLER GUAGE The licensee had a Troxler gauge model 3400 serial # 31101 with 8 millicuries Cs - 137 and 40 millicuries Am - 241:Be stolen from their storage building on their parking lot in Miami. The theft was considered a general burglary and was given a Miami Dade police report number of 7088G-D. No reward notice has yet been made. | General Information or Other | Event Number: 41488 | Rep Org: DC DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION Licensee: DC DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION Region: 1 City: WASHINGTON State: DC County: License #: 082355701L Agreement: N Docket: NRC Notified By: LAWRENCE CHUNG HQ OPS Officer: CHAUNCEY GOULD | Notification Date: 03/14/2005 Notification Time: 13:13 [ET] Event Date: 03/01/2005 Event Time: [EST] Last Update Date: 03/14/2005 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: 20.2201(a)(1)(ii) - LOST/STOLEN LNM>10X | Person (Organization): LAWRENCE DOERFLEIN (R1) TOM ESSIG (NMSS) TAS () | Event Text DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION REPORTED A TROXLER MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE WAS FOUND MISSING DURING INVENTORY The licensee reported that during inventory an old (20 years old) Troxler gauge model 3411-B serial # 7520 was found missing from its case which was stored in the storage area at their office. This gauge had not been used for a number of years since it was broken. It contains 8 millicuries Cs-137 and 40 millicuries Am-241-Be. The last inventory was 12/06/04 and at that time it is believed the device was in the case, but they are not sure the case was opened to verify. They are continuing the search and have reported it to the DC Police Dept (report # 029650). | Power Reactor | Event Number: 41489 | Facility: SALEM Region: 1 State: NJ Unit: [1] [ ] [ ] RX Type: [1] W-4-LP,[2] W-4-LP NRC Notified By: JEFF ERDMANN HQ OPS Officer: MIKE RIPLEY | Notification Date: 03/14/2005 Notification Time: 13:38 [ET] Event Date: 03/14/2005 Event Time: 10:17 [EST] Last Update Date: 03/14/2005 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: 50.72(b)(2)(xi) - OFFSITE NOTIFICATION | Person (Organization): LAWRENCE DOERFLEIN (R1) | Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | 1 | N | Y | 100 | Power Operation | 100 | Power Operation | Event Text OFFSITE NOTIFICATION OF SODIUM HYPOCHLORITE SPILL The following information was obtained from the licensee via facsimile (licensee text in quotes): "This is a 4-hour notification to report a sodium hypochlorite spill from a pipe flange elbow on the permanent sodium hypochlorite tank to the ground at Salem generating station. The spill was over an excavation trench that was filled with rain water. The trench was being pumped to the nearest manhole. Maintenance personnel noticed a 2 drops per second sodium hypochlorite leak from the elbow. The operations shift manager made a 15-minute report to the State of New Jersey to report the spill. The sodium hypochlorite tank was out of service at the time undergoing corrective maintenance. The spill has been contained. Chemistry samples are being taken to determine if any reportable quantities were pumped to the nearest manhole. There was no effect on plant operation since the tank was out of service. Actions include follow up samples and if necessary remediation of the ground soil. There was no one injured during the event." The licensee notified State and local authorities and the NRC Resident Inspector. | Power Reactor | Event Number: 41492 | Facility: SAN ONOFRE Region: 4 State: CA Unit: [ ] [2] [3] RX Type: [1] W-3-LP,[2] CE,[3] CE NRC Notified By: CLAY WILLIAMS HQ OPS Officer: MIKE RIPLEY | Notification Date: 03/14/2005 Notification Time: 19:37 [ET] Event Date: 03/14/2005 Event Time: 11:25 [PST] Last Update Date: 03/14/2005 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: 26.73 - FITNESS FOR DUTY | Person (Organization): TOM FARNHOLTZ (R4) | Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | 2 | N | Y | 100 | Power Operation | 100 | Power Operation | 3 | N | Y | 100 | Power Operation | 100 | Power Operation | Event Text FITNESS FOR DUTY REPORT A non-licensed employee was determined to be under the influence of illegal drugs during a random test. The employee's access to the plant has been terminated. Contact the Headquarters Operations Officer for additional details. The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector. | |