Event Notification Report for August 25, 2009

AUTOCLAVE PRESSURE RELIEF SYSTEM INOPERABLE

"On 08-25-09, the Plant Shift Superintendent (PSS) was notified that C-360 (Toll Transfer & Sampling Building) Autoclave #4 had a failure in the autoclave pressure relief system. The autoclave pressure relief system utilizes a rupture disc in series with a relief valve. A pressure indicator is located between the rupture disc and the relief valve to verify that the pressure between the two devices is less than 5 psig per TSR 2.1.3.2 Condition A. This pressure is limited to prevent any significant bias to the actuation pressure of the rupture disc. TSR 2.1.3.2 requires that the actuation pressure of the autoclave pressure relief system shall not exceed 157.5 psig. On 08-25-09 at 2140 CDT, an operator was preparing to place the #4 autoclave into service, per the proper operating procedure, when the pressure between the rupture disc and the relief valve was found to be 5.5 psig, a pressure which indicated a failure in this required safety system. The autoclave was in a mode where this TSR system is required to be operable. There is low safety significance to this failure as the TSR does allow the current operating cycle to be completed under this condition.

"Since the operating cycle was just started and steam had not been applied to the autoclave, the operating evolution was abandoned and the autoclave was declared inoperable and taken out of service.

"This event is reportable as a 24 hour event in accordance with 10CFR 76.120(c)(2)(i). This is an event in which equipment is disabled or fails to function as designed when: a.) the equipment is required by a TSR to prevent releases, prevent exposures to radiation and radioactive materials exceeding specified limits, mitigate the consequences of an accident, or restore this facility to a pre-established safe condition after an accident; b.) the equipment is required by a TSR to be available and operable and either should have been operating or should have operated on demand, and c.) no redundant equipment is available and operable to perform the required safety function. The NRC Resident Inspector has been notified of this event.

"PGDP Assessment and Tracking Report No. ATRC-09-2084; PGDP Event Report No. PAD-2009-12; Worksheet No. Responsible Division: Operations"

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - DISCOVERY OF ABANDONED RADIOACTIVE SOURCE

The following information was received from the State of Ohio via e-mail:

"The Ohio Bureau of Radiation Protection was informed on 8/25/09 of the discovery of an abandoned radioactive source at the Meridian Automotive Systems, Inc. plant in Jackson, Ohio. Investigation on 8/26/09 revealed that the source is a 500 mCi Am-241/Be source in a generally licensed RMD Compuglass Analyzer. The EPA was notified and will pick up the source for disposal. The source is secure at the site."

Ohio reference number: Ohio 2009-025

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - X-RAY FLUORESCENCE ANALYZER REPORTED STOLEN

The following information was received from the State of Florida via e-mail:

"Licensee reports that a handheld x-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer [containing 30 mCi of Am-241] was stolen. The device was last seen when used on 7/5/09. The device was placed in the office of user and was noted missing when it was looked for on 8/11/09 to use for a job. On 8/24/09, after searching through the company office, the licensee determined that it was missing/stolen. The licensee reports that [the device] is password locked. Licensee is considering offering a reward. Licensee will submit a written report. Florida is investigating."

Florida incident number: FL09-063

* * * UPDATE FROM STEVE FURNACE TO ERIC SIMPSON AT 1420 ON 09/01/09 * * *

The following notification was received via phone:

The handheld XRF analyzer was found by the licensee stored in a closet onsite. A member of the technical staff had placed the unit in a closet in order to move it out of the area where a cleaning crew was working.

The analyzer is a generally licensed item. The State of Florida expects no further actions to be taken concerning this event.

Notified R1DO (Dwyer) and FSME (McIntosh).

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

OFFSITE NOTIFICATION DUE TO A WATER LEAK CONTAINING TRITIUM

"Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station notified the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection of a leak of water containing tritium from an underground condensate transfer pipe at the turbine building penetration of less than 20 gpm and concentration of approximately 10 million picocuries/milliliter.

"The leaking water is being pumped to storage drums and a plan is being developed to replace the six-inch condensate transfer piping which penetrates the turbine building inside a 42 Inch long sixteen inch diameter penetration sleeve. Previously, water was observed coming from the sleeve into the turbine building where it was draining to a sump. The leak coming out of the turbine building was uncovered during excavation to determine if the condensate was leaking to the soil."

The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector.

* * * UPDATE PROVIDED BY CALVIN TAYLOR TO JASON KOZAL AT 0907 ON 08/26/09 * * *

The licensee corrected the reported concentration to 10 million picocuries/liter.

Additionally, after closer examination the leak rate was determined to be approximately 5 GPM vice the initially reported less than 20 GPM.

The licensee will be issuing a press release.

Notified the R1DO (White).

AGREEMENT STATE - SURFACE CONTAMINATION LEVELS IN EXCESS OF LIMITS

The following was received via facsimile:

"An empty Type B, 30 gallon drum container was shipped on August 20, 2009 via public carrier from NSSI Sources and Services Inc. from Houston, Texas. It was delivered on August 25, 2009 to a Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) job site within a building at Penn State University in State College, PA. The shipping container was found to have external removable alpha contamination in excess of the US DOT limits noted in 49 CFR 173. LANL personnel informed their management and the carrier. Steps were also taken to verify that the contamination did not originate at Penn State. The individual truck that delivered the package to Penn State was surveyed by LANL personnel at about 2100 on 8/25/09. No contamination was found in the truck or the driver's area. There was no risk to any personnel at this facility due to this event. The first wipe found removable alpha contamination well in excess of the 2.2 dpm/centimeter squared DOT limit. After hours of decon, the removable contamination on the shipping containers was still over the limit. Onsite measurements noted little or no associated gamma radiation, and a sample was sent to LANL for alpha spectrum analysis. The material has been tentatively identified as curium-244 (Cm-244).

"PA DEP (Department of Radiation Protection) Bureau of Radiation Protection (BRP) was initially notified August 26, 2009 and has continued to receive more complete information through September 1st. LANL will put a new lid on the drum, package up the waste, and get things ready for shipping on September 2, 2009.

"The Commonwealth of PA has provided email notices of preliminary information related to this event to the NRC Region 1 State Liaison, and will continue to keep NRC informed of the status of our investigation."

See also EN #45309 for the Texas report on the same event.

State Event #: PA090028

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - POTENTIAL EXCESSIVE EXPOSURE

This information was received from the State by facsimile

"On September 23, 2009, Accurate NDE reported an over-exposure to an industrial radiographer. On August 25, 2009, Accurate NDE was informed by Landauer that an employee's badge showed a dose of 4990 mrem for the July 2009 wear period. This put the radiographer's yearly dose up to 6243 mrem for 2009. The employee stated to Accurate NDE that there was no equipment malfunctions or unusual circumstances during the month of July. The radiographer also stated that his pocket dosimeter did not go off scale during radiographic operations. A review of the daily radiation dose revealed nothing abnormal according to Accurate NDE. This incident is under investigation."

Louisiana Incident Number: LA090018