Event Notification Report for September 16, 2008

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center

Event Reports For
09/15/2008 - 09/16/2008

** EVENT NUMBERS **


44430 44479 44487 44488 44489 44490 44491

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General Information or Other Event Number: 44430
Rep Org: MA RADIATION CONTROL PROGRAM
Licensee: QSA GLOBAL, INC.
Region: 1
City: BURLINGTON State: MA
County: USA
License #: 12-8361
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: ROBERT GALLAGHAR
HQ OPS Officer: DAN LIVERMORE
Notification Date: 08/21/2008
Notification Time: 08:19 [ET]
Event Date: 08/20/2008
Event Time: 16:41 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 09/15/2008
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
Person (Organization):
NEIL PERRY (R1)
PATTY BUBAR (FSME)

Event Text

MASSACHUSETTS AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - RADIATION GREATER THAN TEN TIMES LIMIT

"[A] technician working with a 113 Ci Ir-192 source set off high radiation alarms at [the QSA Global facility] which caused the immediate evacuation of the building. Radiation surveys outside the building indicated a dose rate of approximately 3 Mr/hr at a distance of 25 feet from the exterior of the building. Radiation safety staff performed a source retrieval to recover the source and place it in a shielded container; the building was reoccupied approximately 30 minutes later.

"Preliminary investigation of the technician indicated his electronic dosimeter (worn on the side of the body closest to the source) showed an exposure of 720 mRem. The technician was not wearing his extremity ring badge at the time, however the radiation safety officer calculated a maximum exposure to the tips of the maximally exposed fingers to be approximately 2 Rem. Dosimetry for both the technician involved and another that was nearby when the incident occurred have been sent to the vendor for immediate processing.

"Radiation Safety staff from QSA are performing additional investigations and will report back to the [MA Radiation Control Program Office] when more information becomes available."

State of Massachusetts was notified by the licensee of this incident at 0621 on August 21, 2008.

* * * UPDATE ON 9/15/2008 AT 0843 FROM ROBERT GALLAGHAR TO MARK ABRAMOVITZ * * *

"The Massachusetts Radiation Control Program (RCP) has received the 30 day report from the licensee, QSA Global. This report confirms that the event which occurred on August 20, 2008 was not an overexposure event. The licensee reported levels of radiation in an unrestricted area in excess of ten times the limits specified in 105 CMR 120.221. This report was provided to the Agency (RCP) pursuant to 105 CMR 120.283."

Notified R1DO (Dimitriadis) and FSME (White).

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General Information or Other Event Number: 44479
Rep Org: FLORIDA BUREAU OF RADIATION CONTROL
Licensee: GEORGIA PACIFIC PALATKA OPERATIONS
Region: 1
City: PALATKA State: FL
County:
License #: 1391-1
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: STEVE FURNACE
HQ OPS Officer: PETE SNYDER
Notification Date: 09/10/2008
Notification Time: 15:05 [ET]
Event Date: 07/25/2008
Event Time: [EDT]
Last Update Date: 09/10/2008
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
Person (Organization):
RAYMOND LORSON (R1)
JIM LUEHMAN (FSME)

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - TWO WORKERS BRIEFLY EXPOSED TO CESIUM SOURCE

"Jacksonville inspection office was called to report that today 25 July 2008 at 1:30pm, two workers from Georgia Pacific were briefly and inadvertently exposed to an unlocked beam from a Cesium-137 source. Source is part of a 50,000 gal. storage vessel. It was reported that the maximum dose received by the workers was 0.0104 rem to hands only.

"Investigation found that Georgia-Pacific did not follow proper procedures. Corrective action consists of training, and revising walk down sheets to provide verification and documentation of the lockout. This office will take no further action on this incident."

The source strength was 1098 mCi.

This is Florida Incident Number FL08-110.

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Power Reactor Event Number: 44487
Facility: BEAVER VALLEY
Region: 1 State: PA
Unit: [1] [2] [ ]
RX Type: [1] W-3-LP,[2] W-3-LP
NRC Notified By: DAN SCHWER
HQ OPS Officer: DAN LIVERMORE
Notification Date: 09/15/2008
Notification Time: 12:45 [ET]
Event Date: 09/15/2008
Event Time: 08:00 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 09/15/2008
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(3)(xiii) - LOSS COMM/ASMT/RESPONSE
Person (Organization):
ANTHONY DIMITRIADIS (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
2 N Y 100 Power Operation 100 Power Operation

Event Text

LOSS OF EMERGENCY SIRENS DUE TO POWER OUTAGES CAUSED BY HIGH WINDS

"At approximately 0800 on 09/15/2008, it was determined that 55 of 119 Beaver Valley Power Station (BVPS) Emergency Offsite Sirens were inoperable. The apparent cause is loss of power to the sirens due to numerous power outages in the surrounding area. High winds from the remnants of Hurricane Ike passed through the surrounding area overnight. The weather has since returned to normal conditions. BVPS has validated that backup route alerting capability is in place for Columbiana County, Ohio and Hancock County, West Virginia. Beaver County, Pennsylvania is in process of verifying backup route alerting capability for the affected areas. This event is being reported as a Loss of Emergency Preparedness Capabilities pursuant to 10CFR50.72(b)(3)(xiii).

"The NRC resident inspector has been notified. Updates on the status of siren restoration will be provided to the NRC resident inspector on an ongoing basis. Periodic updates to the NRC Headquarters' Operations Center will also be provided."

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Hospital Event Number: 44488
Rep Org: MISSOURI BAPTIST MEDICAL CENTER
Licensee: MISSOURI BAPTIST MEDICAL CENTER
Region: 3
City: ST. LOUIS State: MO
County:
License #: 24-11128-02
Agreement: N
Docket:
NRC Notified By: RICHARD KEYS
HQ OPS Officer: DAN LIVERMORE
Notification Date: 09/15/2008
Notification Time: 14:15 [ET]
Event Date: 08/14/2008
Event Time: 10:30 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 09/15/2008
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
20.2201(a)(1)(ii) - LOST/STOLEN LNM>10X
Person (Organization):
ANNE MARIE STONE (R3)
CHRIS EINBERG (FSME)
ILTAB via email ()

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

Event Text

UNACCOUNTED FOR IODINE-125 SEED FOLLOWING IMPLANT PROCEDURE

On August 14, 2008, a procedure to implant 94 Iodine-125 seeds was performed on a patient at the Missouri Baptist Medical Center. A quantity of 100 seeds was taken from inventory for this procedure. Upon completion of the procedure a count of the non-implanted seeds revealed that only 5 seeds were remaining, not six as expected. The missing seed had an activity of 0.493 mCi on the date of implant.

The licensee performed a survey of the operating room on August 14, 2008, and a CT of the patient. The missing seed could not be accounted for.

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.

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Power Reactor Event Number: 44489
Facility: ARKANSAS NUCLEAR
Region: 4 State: AR
Unit: [1] [2] [ ]
RX Type: [1] B&W-L-LP,[2] CE
NRC Notified By: R. H. SCHEIDE
HQ OPS Officer: JASON KOZAL
Notification Date: 09/15/2008
Notification Time: 14:51 [ET]
Event Date: 09/15/2008
Event Time: 10:00 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 09/15/2008
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
26.719 - FITNESS FOR DUTY
Person (Organization):
GREG PICK (R4)

Unit SCRAM Code RX CRIT Initial PWR Initial RX Mode Current PWR Current RX Mode
1 N Y 100 Power Operation 100 Power Operation
2 N Y 100 Power Operation 100 Power Operation

Event Text

FITNESS FOR DUTY - ILLEGAL DRUGS

A non-licensed employee with occasional supervisory responsibilities had a confirmed positive for illegal drugs during a random fitness-for-duty test. The employee's site access was suspended. Contact the Headquarters Operations Officer for details.

The licensee will notify the NRC Resident Inspector.

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Power Reactor Event Number: 44490
Facility: FITZPATRICK
Region: 1 State: NY
Unit: [1] [ ] [ ]
RX Type: [1] GE-4
NRC Notified By: GENE DORMAN
HQ OPS Officer: JASON KOZAL
Notification Date: 09/15/2008
Notification Time: 16:02 [ET]
Event Date: 09/15/2008
Event Time: 02:44 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 09/15/2008
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(3)(xiii) - LOSS COMM/ASMT/RESPONSE
Person (Organization):
ANTHONY DIMITRIADIS (R1)

Unit SCRAM Code RX CRIT Initial PWR Initial RX Mode Current PWR Current RX Mode
1 N N 0 Cold Shutdown 0 Cold Shutdown

Event Text

LOSS OF EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SIRENS DUE TO HIGH WINDS

"On September 15, 2008 with the James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant Shutdown for refueling, a severe windstorm moved through Oswego County and resulted in local area power outages. Seven (7) of thirty-seven (37) emergency notifications sirens are out of service. Tracking for station reporting criteria of 'four or more sirens out of service for 12 hours or more' was initiated at 02:44 with seven sirens out of service at that time. Five of the original seven out of service sirens remain out and two additional sirens have subsequently lost power.

"Sirens affected provide coverage to Oswego County. The sirens are utility owned and shared with the Nine Mile Point site.

"In the event the sirens are needed, the County has it's Hype-Reach (911 call back system) on standby.

"10 CFR 50.72(b)(3)(xiii) requires reporting within 8 hours when a significant portion of the emergency communication system has been lost. The site emergency procedures defines loss of 4 or more sirens for 12 hours or 19 or more sirens for 1 hour as a significant loss of emergency communications. Since the restoration activities did not result in restoring the siren system to less than 4 sirens out of service by 14:44 this reporting criteria is met.

"The event has been entered into the corrective action program and the resident inspector has been briefed and the state PSC will also be notified."

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Power Reactor Event Number: 44491
Facility: NINE MILE POINT
Region: 1 State: NY
Unit: [1] [2] [ ]
RX Type: [1] GE-2,[2] GE-5
NRC Notified By: SCOTT BURNS
HQ OPS Officer: JASON KOZAL
Notification Date: 09/15/2008
Notification Time: 16:39 [ET]
Event Date: 09/15/2008
Event Time: [EDT]
Last Update Date: 09/15/2008
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(3)(xiii) - LOSS COMM/ASMT/RESPONSE
Person (Organization):
ANTHONY DIMITRIADIS (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
2 N Y 100 Power Operation 100 Power Operation

Event Text

LOSS OF EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SIRENS DUE TO HIGH WINDS

"On September 15, 2008 a severe windstorm moved through Oswego County and resulted in local area power outages. Seven (7) of thirty-seven (37) emergency notifications sirens are out of service. Tracking for station reporting criteria of 'four or more sirens out of service for 12 hours or more' was initiated at 02:44 with seven sirens out of service at that time. Five of the original seven out of service sirens remain out and two additional sirens have subsequently lost power.

"Sirens affected provide coverage to Oswego County. The sirens are utility owned and shared with the James A. FitzPatrick site.

"In the event the sirens are needed, the County has it's Hype-Reach (911 call back system) on standby.

"10 CFR 50.72(b)(3)(xiii) requires reporting within 8 hours when a significant portion of the emergency communication system has been lost. The site emergency procedures defines loss of 4 or more sirens for 12 hours or 19 or more sirens for 1 hour as a significant loss of emergency communications. Since the restoration activities did not result in restoring the siren system to less than 4 sirens out of service by 14:44 this reporting criteria is met.

"The event has been entered into the corrective action program and the resident inspector has been briefed.

"There are no other adverse impacts to the station based on this event."

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