| U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center Event Reports For
05/05/2014 - 05/06/2014 ** EVENT NUMBERS ** |
 | Agreement State | Event Number: 50036 | Rep Org: ARIZONA RADIATION REGULATORY AGENCY
Licensee: PROTEX-THE PT X-PERTS, LLC
Region: 4
City: TEMPE State: AZ
County:
License #: 07-588
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: AUBREY GODWIN
HQ OPS Officer: VINCE KLCO | Notification Date: 04/14/2014
Notification Time: 18:21 [ET]
Event Date: 04/14/2014
Event Time: 06:00 [MST]
Last Update Date: 05/05/2014 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
VINCENT GADDY (R4DO)
FSME EVENTS RESOURCE (EMAI)
MEXICO (FAX)
|
| This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3 " level of radioactive material. | Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - STOLEN PORTABLE GAUGE
The following information was received by email:
"On April 14, 2014 at approximately 0600 MST, the licensee discovered that a portable gauge was stolen out of the bed of a pick-up truck at a technician's home. The gauge was being housed in a transport box, which was chained to the bed of the truck. The lock was cut and the entire box was stolen. The gauge is a CPN MC Series, serial #MC380404231, and contained 50 millicuries of Cs-137 and 10 millicuries of Am-241.
"The Agency [Arizona Radiation Regulatory Agency] continues to investigate the event.
"The USNRC, California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, FBI, and Governor's Office are being notified of this event [by the Agency]."
Arizona Event: 14-007
* * * UPDATE AT 1722 EDT ON 5/5/14 FROM GORETZKI TO SNYDER * * *
The following information was received by email:
"On May 3, 2014, at approximately 0300 [MST], the Agency received a telephone call from the Phoenix Fire Department that they had responded to an incident at an apartment complex where a radioactive gauge was found. The gauge was found next to a dumpster by the apartment security guard while he was doing his rounds. The Agency responded and took possession of the gauge. The lock on the handle was still intact and the shutter was closed. It was noticed that the electronics looked like they had been tampered with but the gauge seemed to be in good condition otherwise. A survey of the gauge was performed, with nothing out of the ordinary noted.
"The investigation into this event is closed."
Arizona Supplemental Notice: 14-007
Notified R4DO (Whitten), FSME Events Resource (email) and Mexico (email).
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. For additional information go to http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1227_web.pdf |
| Agreement State | Event Number: 50064 | Rep Org: NE DIV OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
Licensee: ELEKTA, INC.
Region: 1
City: NORCROSS State: GA
County:
License #: GA 1153-2
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: HOWARD SHUMAN
HQ OPS Officer: DONG HWA PARK | Notification Date: 04/28/2014
Notification Time: 10:20 [ET]
Event Date: 04/24/2014
Event Time: [EDT]
Last Update Date: 04/28/2014 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
WILLIAM COOK (R1DO)
MARK HAIRE (R4DO)
FSME EVENTS RESOURSE (EMAI)
| Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - FAILURE OF SOURCE TO RETRACT
The following information was received via E-mail:
"On the evening of April 24, 2014 Elekta, (Georgia license - GA 1153-2) working under a Nebraska reciprocity general license, was installing the initial source (9.98 curies of lr-192) into the new Flexitron unit at Saint Francis Medical Center (Nebraska Radioactive Material License # 08-09-01) in Grand Island, Nebraska. During the upload procedure, the source did not completely retract into the safe and became hung-up on the in-drive. The device gave an error stating the source was detached from the cable. Following the manufacturer's recommended emergency procedures, the engineer entered the room to investigate the issue and determined the source cable needed to be cut to remove it from the stuck source drive. The Field Service Engineer (FSE) then quickly cut the exposed source cable and, using pliers, manually inserted the source into the transport container. However, due to the fact that the source cable was short, he could not get it completely into the center of the shielded transport container. The exposure rate at one meter from the transport container was 200 mR/hour. The facility physicist and FSE insured the door to the treatment room was sealed and marked so no one could enter overnight.
"The following morning, April 25, 2014, work began to construct temporary shielding made of lead bricks on a trolley in order to transport the container to the facility hot lab. Additionally, arrangements were made with Elekta's source manufacturer to acquire a type A container of the proper size to house and ship the source transport container to their facility, thus removing it from St. Francis premises.
"Elekta's Radiation Safety Officer failed to notify the State of Nebraska Radioactive Material's Program in a timely manner. The incident occurred after business hours and Friday April 25, 2014 was a State holiday (Arbor Day). No call was made to the emergency call number for the State and the information was only obtained by the Nebraska Program Manager by a series of e-mails and a voicemail after 0800 CDT on Monday, April 28, 2014."
Item Number: NE14003 |
| Agreement State | Event Number: 50065 | Rep Org: COLORADO DEPT OF HEALTH
Licensee: PROTECHNICS
Region: 4
City: FRUITA State: CO
County:
License #: CO 545-01
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: JAMES JARVIS
HQ OPS Officer: DONALD NORWOOD | Notification Date: 04/28/2014
Notification Time: 16:15 [ET]
Event Date: 04/04/2014
Event Time: 14:30 [MDT]
Last Update Date: 04/28/2014 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
MARK HAIRE (R4DO)
FSME EVENTS RESOURCE (EMAI)
| Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - SCRAP FACILITY GATE ALARM
"On 04/04/14 at approximately 1430 MDT, the Colorado Radiation Program received phone notification of a scrap load that had been rejected at a recycling facility in Englewood, CO due to a gate radiation alarm. Scrap facility personnel performed surveys around the container using hand held survey instruments. Surveys indicated readings up to a maximum of 120 microrem/hour (Ludlum Model 3). Recycling facility staff indicated that the load would not be returned to the shipper until the following week and that the load/roll-off container was segregated onsite. The Colorado Radiation Program issued a DOT special permit and the scrap metal was returned to the originator, Baker-Hughes (Colorado License No. 678-01; 285 County Road 27, Brighton, CO 80603) on or about 04/11/14.
"Preliminary communications with Baker-Hughes personnel indicated that it performed well fracking work in mid-March 2014 and worked with another Colorado licensee - well logging tracer company, Protechnics (Colorado License No. 545-01; 703 Greenway Drive, Fruita, CO 81521). Baker-Hughes is not authorized for tracer material use. Baker-Hughes requested that Protechnics perform surveys on the rejected scrap load to determine whether the contamination was naturally occurring radioactive material, or tracer material. Protechnics performed radiological surveys on or about 04/15/14 at the Baker-Hughes facility and determined that a small amount of tracer material remained in one component (a manifold removed from the pumping truck) of the scrap load. Protechnics identified the tracer material as Iridium-192. The tracer material combined with approximately 10 lbs. of fracking sand was removed/decontaminated from the scrap component and was packaged by Protechnics and returned to their facility in Fruita, CO for decay in storage. Protechnics estimated the activity of Ir-192 tracer material in the component to be approximately 0.015 mCi. After receiving a preliminary written report from Protechnics on 04/16/14, Colorado Radiation Program staff performed phone interviews of Baker-Hughes personnel and Protechnics personnel.
"Colorado Radiation Program staff performed on-site verification surveys of the scrap load (post-decontamination) on 04/21/14. Surveys indicated that no radiation levels above instrument background were detected on the remaining decontaminated scrap.
"The Colorado Radiation Program is continuing to investigate the incident to determine further actions." |
| Agreement State | Event Number: 50066 | Rep Org: ARIZONA RADIATION REGULATORY AGENCY
Licensee: QUALITY TESTING, LLC
Region: 4
City: GILBERT State: AZ
County:
License #: AZ 07-491
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: AUBREY GODWIN
HQ OPS Officer: DONALD NORWOOD | Notification Date: 04/28/2014
Notification Time: 18:52 [ET]
Event Date: 04/28/2014
Event Time: [MST]
Last Update Date: 05/02/2014 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
MARK HAIRE (R4DO)
FSME EVENTS RESOURCE (EMAI)
MEXICO (EMAI)
ILTAB (EMAI)
|
| This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3 " level of radioactive material. | Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - STOLEN MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE
"On April 28, the Agency [Arizona Radiation Regulatory Agency] was contacted by the licensee. The licensee indicated that an employee had a moisture density gauge stolen at a Motel in Goodyear, AZ. The gauge is a Humboldt Model 5001, Serial Number 1140 containing 10 millicuries of Cesium-137 and 40 millicuries of Am-241. The device was stolen from a pickup truck at the Towne Place Suites, 13971 West Celebrate Life Way, Goodyear, AZ, 85338. The device was in a steel box bolted to the truck bed. The lock or bolts were cut. A secondary lock was also cut and the device was removed.
"The investigation into this event is ongoing. The AZ Governor's Office, US NRC, FBI, and the states of CA, CO, NV, and NM are being notified of this event. Mexico is also being notified."
AZ First Notice: 14-009
* * * UPDATE PROVIDED BY AUBREY GODWIN TO JEFF ROTTON AT 1736 EDT ON 05/02/2014 * * *
The following information was provided via email from the State of Arizona:
"On May 1, 2014 the AZ Department of Public Safety [AZDPS] received a report that someone had found some HAZMAT including radioactive material. The semi-homeless individual released the gauge he claimed to have found in a garbage dumpster to AZDPS. AZDPS released the gauge to the Agency on May 2, 2014. After leak testing and testing for contamination the licensee was contacted to arrange return of the gauge.
"The State of Arizona investigation into this event is closed."
Notified R4DO (Haire), FSME Events Resource, Country of Mexico, and ILTAB via email.
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. For additional information go to http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1227_web.pdf |
| Agreement State | Event Number: 50067 | Rep Org: CALIFORNIA RADIATION CONTROL PRGM
Licensee: TWINING LABORATORIES OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, INC.
Region: 4
City: SAN BERNARDINO State: CA
County: SAN BERNARDINO
License #: 7780-37
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: DONALD OESTERLE
HQ OPS Officer: PETE SNYDER | Notification Date: 04/28/2014
Notification Time: 15:28 [ET]
Event Date: 04/28/2014
Event Time: [PDT]
Last Update Date: 04/28/2014 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
MARK HAIRE (R4DO)
FSME EVENT RESOURCE (EMAI)
MEXICO (EMAI)
ILTAB (EMAI)
|
| This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3 " level of radioactive material. | Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - STOLEN MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE
"On April 28, 2014, at approximately 0845 AM [PDT], [the licensee pending ARSO], an authorized user of radioactive gauges of Twining Laboratories of Southern California, Inc., RML [California Radioactive Materials License] #7780-37 located in San Bernardino, CA, contacted RHB Brea [Radiation Health Branch located in Brea, CA] concerning the moisture/density gauge, CPN model, MC-1, serial number MD10606201 (Cs-137, 0.370 GBq, Am-241, 1.85 GBq) that had been stolen from a temporary storage/construction site in San Bernardino County on the I-15 North freeway at the top of the Cajon Pass at the Oak Hills Road exit.
"[The licensee pending ARSO] arrived at the temporary storage area to begin work on Monday morning and noticed that the construction facility had been broken into and that other tools and equipment had been taken as well as the radioactive gauge, which was charging while locked in a gang box which was removed in it's entirety once the construction fence and locked cargo container were breached. [The licensee pending ARSO] has contacted the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department which has filled out a theft report which will be copied and sent to RHB Brea as part of this report.
"The RSO of Twining Laboratories of Southern California, Inc., is currently on vacation and [the licensee pending ARSO] is receiving assistance and recommendations from another RSO of Twining Laboratories of Southern California, Inc., RML #6872-19 located in Long Beach, CA. [The licensee pending ARSO] is contacting pawn shops and landfills in the area to determine if he can locate the stolen radioactive gauge in advance of utilizing local papers to attempt to retrieve the stolen gauge. The investigation will continue to determine if the radioactive gauge can be recovered in a reasonable time frame."
CA 5010 Number: 042814
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. For additional information go to http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1227_web.pdf |
| Power Reactor | Event Number: 50086 | Facility: DAVIS BESSE
Region: 3 State: OH
Unit: [1] [ ] [ ]
RX Type: [1] B&W-R-LP
NRC Notified By: NICK BUEHLER
HQ OPS Officer: DONALD NORWOOD | Notification Date: 05/05/2014
Notification Time: 21:17 [ET]
Event Date: 05/05/2014
Event Time: 14:56 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 05/05/2014 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(3)(iv)(A) - VALID SPECIF SYS ACTUATION
| Person (Organization):
KENNETH RIEMER (R3DO)
|
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | | 1 | M/R | N | 0 | Hot Standby | 0 | Hot Standby | Event Text MANUAL REACTOR SCRAM WITH ROD MOTION WHILE SHUTDOWN
"During planned testing of the Control Rod Drive (CRD) system, the reactor trip breakers were opened via the manual reactor trip push buttons to de-energize a CRD motor in response to a high temperature. The partially withdrawn control rods fully inserted and all other rods remained in their initial positions.
"This manual Reactor Protection System (RPS) actuation while the reactor was not critical is reportable in accordance with 10 CFR 50.72(b)(3)(iv)(A)."
The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector, the State of Ohio, and Ottawa and Lucas Counties. | |