Event Notification Report for November 21, 2006

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center

Event Reports For
11/20/2006 - 11/21/2006

** EVENT NUMBERS **


43000

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Other Nuclear Material Event Number: 43000
Rep Org: 3-M COMPANY - ST. PAUL, MN
Licensee: 3-M CO - HARTFORD CITY, IN
Region: 3
City: HARTFORD State: IN
County:
License #: 22-00057-03
Agreement: N
Docket:
NRC Notified By: JASON FLORA
HQ OPS Officer: BILL HUFFMAN
Notification Date: 11/20/2006
Notification Time: 15:43 [ET]
Event Date: 11/01/2006
Event Time: 12:00 [EST]
Last Update Date: 11/20/2006
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
20.2201(a)(1)(ii) - LOST/STOLEN LNM>10X
Person (Organization):
ANNE MARIE STONE (R3)
LARRY CAMPER (NMSS)
ILTAB VIA E-MAIL ()

This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3" level of radioactive material.

Event Text

LOST TRITIUM FOIL SOURCE

A licensee representative reported that a 600 milliCurie tritium foil source (SSDR IL8138D802S) has been lost from a static measuring device (Tritium Static Wand). The source was discovered to be missing when the device was determined to not be operating correctly. The licensee is uncertain how the tritium source may have fallen out of the device. When the source is missing the device continues to operate providing a low static reading such that it would not be obvious that the source was no longer present or that the device is not functioning properly. The device is not routinely calibrated. The device was shipped to the facility about 2 months ago from the 3-M St. Paul, MN, facility and was verified to contain the source when shipped. The licensee has searched likely facility locations where the source could be located including trash and scrap.

The licensee plans on notifying the State of Indiana and the Region 3 Inspector.

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.

This source is not amongst those sources or devices identified by the IAEA Code of Conduct for the Safety & Security of Radioactive Sources to be of concern from a radiological standpoint. Therefore is it being categorized as a less than Category 3 source

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