Home NRC Library Document Collections Events, Reports Associated with Event Notification Reports 2019

Event Notification Report for June 27, 2019

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center

Event Reports For
6/26/2019 - 6/27/2019

** EVENT NUMBERS **

Non-Agreement State	Event Number: 54122
Rep Org: U.S. AIR FORCE RADIOISOTOPE COMM Licensee: U.S. AIR FORCE Region: 3 City: State: OH County: Greene License #: Agreement: Y Docket: NRC Notified By: RAMACHANDRA BHAT HQ OPS Officer: MICHAEL BLOODGOOD	Notification Date: 06/18/2019 Notification Time: 15:36 [ET] Event Date: 02/27/2019 Event Time: 00:00 [EDT] Last Update Date: 06/18/2019
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: 40.60(b)(4) - FIRE/EXPLOSION	Person (Organization): NEIL O'KEEFE (R4DO) NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL) GRETCHEN RIVERA-CAPELLA (NMSS DAY)

Event Text

RUPTURED AUTOCLAVE VALVE WITH IDENTIFIED THORIUM-232

The following was received via email.

"Between 2/27/19 and 2/28/19, an autoclave (13 inches long with 1.25 inches width) ruptured in room 2BR136 of Building 20620, at Wright Patterson Air Force Base (AFB) OH. Nobody was present at the time of the rupture. Scientists were working with unlicensed materials (potassium niobate and potassium hydroxide) at the time of the event. This autoclave originally came from Hanscom AFB .

"During the investigation, the installation Radiation Safety Officer found affixed to the inside of the autoclave canister non-removable thorium-232 (31,235 dpm/100 cm2) and a significantly lesser amount of removable thorium-232. Besides the material on the autoclave, no other contamination was present. Thorium contamination might be from the raw materials used in the autoclave and/or Hanscom AFB might have used thorium in the autoclave. The licensee are investigating and conducting additional gamma spectroscopic analysis of the interior of the ruptured autoclave.

"This was a historical incident that the licensee was made aware of, and is still uncertain if it is reportable. The licensee had a discussion with NRC Region IV regarding this event. After the discussion, the licensee chose to report to the NRC Operations Center in accordance with 10 CFR 40.60. To the best of the licensee's knowledge, nobody had radiation exposure or radioactive material uptake.

"The licensee will provide the follow-up written report within 30 days."

The Thorium-232 Appendix B annual limit on intake is 3E-3 microCuries.

The licensee contacted Region IV.

Agreement State	Event Number: 54123
Rep Org: OHIO BUREAU OF RADIATION PROTECTION Licensee: MISTRAS GROUP INC. Region: 3 City: HEATH State: OH County: License #: 03320460000 Agreement: Y Docket: NRC Notified By: STEPHEN JAMES HQ OPS Officer: DONALD NORWOOD	Notification Date: 06/18/2019 Notification Time: 15:57 [ET] Event Date: 06/17/2019 Event Time: 11:30 [EDT] Last Update Date: 06/18/2019
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: AGREEMENT STATE	Person (Organization): JOHN HANNA (R3DO) NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - DAMAGE TO RADIOGRAPHY GUIDE TUBE PREVENTING RETRACTION OF SOURCE

The following information was received from the Ohio Department of Health via E-mail:

"On 6/17/2019, the licensee reported an incident while shooting at a client location in Bremen, Ohio. They were setting up 2 inch welds on a table in the shooting vault. The spool piece weighed approximately 40 pounds. As the radiographer cranked out the shot at approximately 1130 EDT, he immediately heard a loud noise and tried to crank the shot in, but could not get the source (Ir-192; 63.8 Curies) back into the camera. The vault door was opened slightly to see what had happened. The spool piece had fallen off the table and crushed the guide tube. The door to the vault was shut and licensee staff prepared a plan to get the source back into the camera.

"The RSO [Radiation Safety Officer] made a 15 second trip into the vault to shield the source using (6) 1 inch long x 2 inch thick x 4 inch wide lead blocks. During this first entry into the vault to put the shielding down, the RSO received a dose of 20 mR. The RSO made a second trip into the vault to put more shielding down and access the situation. During this time he discovered that the drive cable was partially sheared off and the guide tube was crimped at that area. The RSO received an additional 10 mR during this trip. With the shielding in place the licensee measured approximately 0.5 mR/hr outside the shooting vault.

"Proper source retrieval procedures were followed and the source was retrieved and placed into the camera using source retrieval equipment and new cranks and guide tubes. The Ohio Department of Health, Bureau of Environmental Health and Radiation Protection was contacted by phone at approximately 1430 EDT on 6/17/2019, to inform of what transpired. At no time were there any members of the public exposed. During the whole retrieval process the RSO received a total dose of 55 mR."

Ohio Item Number: OH190008

Agreement State	Event Number: 54124
Rep Org: LOUISIANA RADIATION PROTECTION DIV Licensee: HONEYWELL INC. Region: 4 City: GEISMAR State: LA County: License #: LA-2356-L01, AI # 2082 Agreement: Y Docket: NRC Notified By: JOSEPH NOBLE HQ OPS Officer: OSSY FONT	Notification Date: 06/19/2019 Notification Time: 10:00 [ET] Event Date: 06/12/2019 Event Time: 00:00 [CDT] Last Update Date: 06/19/2019
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: AGREEMENT STATE	Person (Organization): NEIL O'KEEFE (R4DO) NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LEVEL GAUGE SHUTTER FUNCTIONAL PROBLEMS

The following was received from the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality via email:

"On 06/13/2019, Honeywell (HW) reported that they detected [on 6/12/19] malfunctions/operational difficulties of shutters on [three level density] gauges installed on processes during the annual inspection and operational checks/tests. The gauge shutters would not function as designed by the manufacturer due to the operational environment and need of routine maintenance. HW called a service contractor, RONAN Engineering, to evaluate these situations and determine the best courses of action to correct the problems.

"The sources and devices will remain installed on the processes until any repairs and maintenance are completed. This is not a radiation exposure hazard and does not pose a health and safety situation for the HW employees or the general public.

"The level gauges are RONAN Engineering S/N M7549, 50 mCi Cs-137, S/N HH113 50 mCi Cs-137 and M7666 100 mCi Cs-137 sources.

"This event is being reported to the NRC OP CENTER as required by Regulatory Requirement 10 CFR Part 30.50(b)(2) & LAC 33:XV 340.B."

Event Report ID No.: LA-190009

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